The 186 visa (Subclass 186), known as the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS), is a permanent residency visa for skilled workers nominated by an approved Australian employer. It lets you and your family live, work and study in Australia permanently. For many people already on a Skills in Demand (482) visa, the 186 visa is the final step to PR — and for skilled workers overseas, it's a direct route in.
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| Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) | Direct Entry (DE) | Labour Agreement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | 482/457 holders already working for the sponsor | Skilled workers new to the sponsor, onshore or offshore | Workers under an employer's labour agreement |
| Prior sponsored work | Yes — usually 2 years with the sponsor | Not required | Per the agreement |
| Skills assessment | Not usually required | Required | Per the agreement |
| Work experience | Through your sponsored role | At least 3 years post-qualification | Per the agreement |
| Occupation list | Not required | Must be on the CSOL | Per the agreement |
| Age exemptions | Several may apply | None | Per the agreement |
| Cost | Who pays | Amount (indicative) |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application charge — main applicant | Applicant | $6,140 |
| Additional applicant aged 18+ | Applicant | $3,070 |
| Additional applicant under 18 | Applicant | $1,535 |
| Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy — one-off | Employer | $3,000 (turnover under $10M) or $5,000 (turnover $10M+) |
| Nomination application fee | Employer | $540, but waived is business is regional |
| Skills assessment (Direct Entry) | Applicant | Varies by assessing authority |
| Health checks, police checks, English test | Applicant | Varies |
| Registered migration agent fees | Applicant/employer | $4,800 - $5,555 excl skill assessment if required. |
Confirm your occupation, age, English and experience against the right stream.
With financial documents, a position description, an employment contract and evidence the role is genuine.
Include identity documents, a skills assessment (Direct Entry), English results, and health and character evidence.
for you and any family included.
from Home Affairs promptly and in full.
If granted, you and your included family members hold permanent residence.
especially under Direct Entry, which has none.
lists change; check before you lodge.
a frequent nomination refusal reason.
the employer's documents matter as much as yours.
toward the two-year TRT requirement — confirm the rules apply to your situation.
mid-process
The Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa is a permanent residency visa for skilled workers nominated by an approved Australian employer. It lets you live and work in Australia permanently. Eligibility depends on your occupation, employer and circumstances.
As a 2026 guide, Direct Entry is taking about 18 months for half of applications and up to 18–20 months for the slowest 10%, and the TRT stream is broadly similar. Home Affairs updates indicative times monthly, so check their website for the latest figure.
The main applicant’s visa application charge is $6,140, plus health and character checks, English testing and — for Direct Entry — a skills assessment. Employers pay the nomination lodgment fee of $540 + SAF levy ($3,000 or $5,000) and nomination fee. Confirm current government charges before you budget.
Generally competent English — IELTS 6 in each of the four bands or an equivalent test — unless you hold a passport from the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, USA or Canada.
TRT is for people already working for their sponsor on a 482/457 visa (at least two years). Direct Entry is for skilled workers new to the sponsor — onshore or offshore — and requires a skills assessment and at least three years of relevant experience post qualification.
Once you’ve worked for your sponsoring employer for two years in your nominated occupation on a 482, your employer can nominate you under the 186 TRT stream and you apply for permanent residence.
Sometimes — the TRT stream has age exemptions for certain academics, researchers, medical practitioners and high-income earners. The Direct Entry stream has no age exemptions.
Yes. You can include your spouse or de facto partner and dependent children, subject to health and character requirements.
Usually yes for the Direct Entry stream, and usually not for the TRT stream. It depends on your occupation and stream.
We are a team of immigration specialists guiding individuals, families and corporates who aspire to migrate to Australia. Our migration consultancy has a successful track record in visa approval, with a fair fee structure.
There are two application pathways for this category:
Pathway One – 186 Temporary Residence Transition:
Once 482 visa holders have been employed for two years out of the last 3 years on a 482 visa, which could have been with the same employer/sponsor or a combination of previous sponsor and current sponsor, they can apply for 186 Temporary Residence Transition. They must be sponsored on a 482 visa by their current employer who will nominate them in their Employer Nominated Sponsorship application, subclass 186 application.
The visa holder can hold any occupation, both from the previous Consolidated Skilled Occupation List (CSOL) and the current Core Skilled Occupation List (CSOL) so long as they hold a 482 visa.
The application must be lodged before turning 45 years old, unless they meet specified exemptions. One of these is that their salary (net of superannuation) has met the high-income threshold in two of the last three years as applicable in the year they hold that visa. The current high-income threshold for 2025 is set at $183,100.
Pathway Two – Direct Entry:
The nominated occupation must be on the Core Skilled Occupation List (CSOL). The 186-visa applicant must complete a Skills Assessment from the assessing authority of that occupation and demonstrate that they have had at least three years of post-qualification work experience in that occupation. Applicants need to be under 45 years old at the time of application. There are no exemptions for age under 186 Direct Entry.
In both Pathway One and Two, the employer has to present a range of documents to meet the requirements of the nomination. These include financial documents, position description, employment contract, organization chart, a statement about why the position is genuine, evidence that the salary is market related etc.
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