Employer Nomination Scheme Visa – 186

Applicants must be under 45 years of age at the time the visa application is lodged. This is assessed strictly – being 45 years and one day at lodgement means you are ineligible without an exemption, regardless of how strong your application is otherwise.

Some age exemptions do apply. Certain occupations – particularly in healthcare, teaching, and academia – may allow applicants over 45 to apply. These exemptions are set by the Minister and are updated periodically, so it is worth checking the Migration (LIN 19/216: Exemptions from Skill, Age and English Language Requirements for Subclass 186, 187 and 494 Visas) Instrument 2019 if you are approaching the age limit.

Separate age exemption is available to applicants under the Transition stream where they held a 482/457 visa (regardless of their professional occupation/background), and had been paid above the Fair Work High Income Threshold for at least 2 years prior to applying for the 186 visa.

For applicants in their early to mid 40s, timing becomes a genuine strategic consideration. If your 186 application is likely to take several months to prepare – for instance because a skills assessment is needed – lodging before you turn 45 may need to be prioritised over getting every other element of the application perfect.

We have seen cases where clients were caught out by delays in the employer’s nomination process that pushed their lodgement date past their 45th birthday. The visa application can only be submitted after the nomination application is submitted. If age is a factor in your situation, raise it early.

There are two income thresholds that apply to 186 nominations, and which one applies depends on the nature of the role.

The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) is currently AUD $76,515 per year. This is the minimum annual earnings that must be paid to most 186 visa applicants and is adjusted periodically. The salary must be a genuine reflection of the market rate for the role – not simply the threshold figure assigned to meet the minimum.

In addition to these thresholds, the salary must also meet the Annual Market Salary Rate – meaning it must be comparable to what an Australian worker in the same role, location, and industry would earn. This requirement exists to prevent employers from using visa sponsorship to undercut local wages.

If the Annual Market Salary Rate for an occupation is less than the CSIT, even if the nominee is paid over the CSIT, they are not eligible for 186 nomination. Similarly, if the base salary offered is below the market rate for the occupation, the nomination is likely to be refused regardless of whether it meets the CSIT technically.

The Direct Entry stream uses the Migration (Specification of Occupations and Relevant Assessing Authorities—Subclass 186 Visa) Instrument 2024, which was introduced specifically for this stream in March 2026. It currently covers 456 occupations across a broad range of industries including healthcare, engineering, construction, IT, education, and professional services.

Unlike some other occupation lists, as the name suggest, it is specifically designed for permanent employer-sponsored migration. If your occupation is not on the list, the Direct Entry stream is not available to you – regardless of your employer’s willingness to sponsor or your ability to meet the eligibility criteria.

For the Temporary Resident Transition stream, there is no separate occupation list requirement as the case is for the Direct Entry stream; if you have a current 482 visa, even if the occupation is not on the 186 occupation list, you can still apply for under the Transition stream.

If you are unsure whether your occupation is listed, or how your role maps to the 186 occupations, it is worth checking with an authorised migration practitioner before your employer lodges the nomination. Occupation mismatches are one of the more common issues we see in 186 applications.

The key difference comes down to your current situation in Australia and your work history with your sponsoring employer.

The TRT stream is for people already working in Australia on a 482 visa who have been with an approved sponsoring employer or employers for at least two years. It does not require a skills assessment, which makes it a simpler process for many applicants. The trade-off is that you must have worked in Australia for at least two years (excluding unpaid leaves).

The Direct Entry stream is for people who either have not held a 482 or 457 visa, or have not yet built up the required work history with their employer. It requires a positive skills assessment and at least three years of relevant experience, competent English; all at the time of application; but it opens the permanent residency pathway to a broader range of applicants.

In reality, direct entry is a faster route to permanent residency, but employers usually want to test the employee out (on a skills in demand 482 visa) before committing to sponsoring them for 186 permanent visa, or getting a positive skills assessment may be a hurdle preventing our clients from applying under the direct entry stream.

The Direct Entry stream allows skilled workers to apply for permanent residency through employer sponsorship without first needing to hold a 482 or 457 visa. It is the right pathway for experienced professionals who have a job offer from an Australian employer but are either offshore or have been working in Australia on a different visa type, it is also possible for those already holding 482 visa but doesn’t yet meet the 2 year transition requirement.

To be eligible, your occupation must appear on the 186 occupations list, which covers 456 occupations across a wide range of industries. You will also need a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for your occupation, at least three years of relevant work experience, and to be under 45 at the time of application (exemption may apply). You will also need to have competent English proficient at the time of the application.

The skills assessment requirement is worth planning for early, as it is time consuming. Depending on your occupation and assessing body, the process can take several months, and the outcome is not always straightforward – particularly for applicants whose qualifications were obtained outside Australia. The occupation list above also shows the approved skills assessing authority for each occupation.

If you are considering the Direct Entry stream, we recommend starting the skills assessment process as early as possible and getting advice on whether your occupation and experience are likely to satisfy the assessing authority’s criteria before lodging the nomination.

The TRT stream is designed for skilled workers who are already in Australia on a Subclass 482 visa and have been working for sponsoring employers for at least two years in their nominated occupation. Employment experience on a 482 visa holder counts across different sponsors, but only the most recent/current approved employer can nominate the 186 transition stream application.

One of the key advantages of the TRT stream is that it generally does not require a formal skills assessmentwhich is time-consuming and uncertain. If you have been working in Australia on a 482 visa (can be with different employers and in different occupations), the TRT pathway is often the most practical option.

There are some important nuances worth knowing. The two-year work requirement must have been in an approved 482 occupation. The occupation itself must also be one that is eligible for permanent nomination. Timing is also critical, lodge in time before the current 482 visa expiry, and also make sure you meet the 2 year requirement before application.

The 186 visa has three streams, each designed for a different type of applicant.

The Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream is for skilled workers already in Australia on a Subclass 482 visa who have been working for a sponsoring employer for at least two years in their nominated occupation. This is the most common pathway we see for established employees who are holders of 482 visas.

The Direct Entry (DE) stream is for applicants who have not held a 482 or 457 visa, or who have not yet worked for their sponsoring employer; or it can be used by 482 visa holders where they don’t yet meet the transition stream criteria. It requires a positive skills assessment and at least three years of relevant full work experience, along with a genuine job offer from an Australian employer.

The Labour Agreement stream applies where an employer has a formal labour agreement in place with the Australian Government – these are less common and typically apply to industries with specific workforce arrangements.

Choosing the right stream is critical. Applying under the wrong stream can result in a refusal even if you would have been eligible under a different one. We always recommend getting advice before lodging.

The Employer Nomination Scheme visa – Subclass 186 – is one of the most used pathways to permanent residency available to skilled workers in Australia. Unlike points-tested visas, it ties your permanent residency directly to an employer who is willing to sponsor you on a long-term basis. No points test and no waiting for an invitation (needed for 189/190/491 visas).

For many of our clients, this is what makes the 186 particularly attractive. There is no points test, no queue, and no dependence on State nomination. If you have the right employer, the right occupation, and meet the eligibility criteria, the pathway is relatively clear.

The visa itself grants permanent residency from day one of the grant – meaning you and your family can live, work, and study in Australia without restriction. You will also be able to access Medicare and travel freely for five years, with a pathway to Australian citizenship once you meet the residence requirements.

There are three streams under the 186 – the Temporary Residence Transition stream, the Direct Entry stream, and the Labour Agreement stream – each suited to different circumstances. Understanding which stream applies to you is the first and most important step.