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Employer nomination visa (subclass 186) in Australia

A permanent visa for a skilled worker whom an Australian employer nominates for a specific position. It is open by several routes — including candidates from outside the country and people already employed by an Australian employer on a temporary work visa.

Source: Department of Home Affairs — Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186)

Three streams of application

The employer nominates you for a position in one of three streams — they differ in their requirements on work experience, visa history and the type of employer.

Direct Entry stream

  • An Australian employer lodges a nomination for the position
  • The position has to be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
  • A positive skills assessment is needed, unless an exemption applies
  • At least 3 years of relevant work experience is needed, unless an exemption applies
  • English at no lower than Competent level
  • At the date of lodgement the applicant has to be under 45, unless an exemption applies

Temporary Residence Transition stream

  • You have to hold a subclass 457 visa, a subclass 482 visa or an eligible bridging visa
  • You normally have to have worked full-time for the nominating employer for at least 2 of the last 3 years
  • The nomination comes from the same employer that sponsored the temporary work visa
  • You have to hold the skills and qualifications the position requires — the department may request a skills assessment

Labour agreement stream

  • The employer has to be a party to a labour agreement with the government
  • In Australia you have to hold a valid substantive 457 or 482 visa issued under that labour agreement
  • The age limit is under 45 at the date of lodgement, unless the labour agreement itself provides otherwise

What it costs

Visa charge for the main applicant (all three streams)6 140 AUD
Second instalment for a family member aged 18 and over without Functional Englishpayable for each such family member in the application+4 890 AUD

Documents to gather

The list of documents is given for the Direct Entry stream at the “Gather your documents” step; for the other streams the set is similar, but documents on the visa history with the employer are added.

  • Documents evidencing identity
  • Documents on a licence, registration or membership of a professional body, if it is mandatory in the state of employment
  • Documents on qualifications and skills, or documents evidencing an exemption from the skills assessment
  • Documents evidencing an age exemption, if the applicant is 45 or over
  • Documents evidencing the level of English (Competent English)
  • Character documents
  • Documents on the partner and dependent children, if they apply together with you
  • A notification if a registered agent or another person is helping you with the application

How the process runs

Five steps of lodgement in the Direct Entry stream.

  1. 1

    Check your eligibility for the visa

    You satisfy yourself that you qualify on age, the nominated occupation from the CSOL, work experience, skills assessment, English, health and character.

  2. 2

    Gather the documents

    You gather documents on identity, qualifications and English and, if needed, documents evidencing an age exemption, as well as documents on family members.

  3. 3

    Lodge the application

    The employer lodges the nomination for the position, you lodge the visa application online through ImmiAccount.

  4. 4

    After lodgement

    You wait for the assessment; the application may take longer if it is filled in incorrectly, documents are missing or the department needs more time to verify the information.

  5. 5

    The visa decision

    The department has to approve the employer's nomination before it can decide your visa, and notifies the decision in writing. On a refusal the visa charge is not refunded.

Timelines and rights

Work

You work for the employer who nominated you. The visa is permanent, so changing employer does not cancel it.

Who you can bring with you

Family members can be included in the application at lodgement or added later — before the department decides your visa.

Partner
Included in the application on the same footing as the main applicant and has to pass the health and character checks.
Dependent children and stepchildren
The partner's children and the children of dependent children also count; family members aged 16 and over undergo the character check.
Holder of a subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa
Can be included if that visa was granted to them precisely as a member of your family and they are named in the application at lodgement.
Adult family members (18 and over) with English below Functional English
An additional second instalment of the visa charge has to be paid for them once the other visa requirements are met.

Renewal and the grace period

The 186 visa itself is permanent and is not renewed. But the permission to leave and return to Australia as a permanent resident on this visa lasts 5 years from the date of grant. Once that period expires, a Resident Return visa (RRV) is needed to enter Australia as a permanent resident.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

The visa grants permanent residence straight away.

Route to citizenship

Citizenship after 4 years of lawful residence in Australia, the last 12 months on a permanent visa.

Frequently asked questions about Employer nomination visa (subclass 186)

Who can obtain an employer nomination visa (subclass 186)?
A skilled worker nominated by an Australian employer for a specific position. The basic condition for all streams is the skills the position requires, an employer nomination and meeting the health and character requirements.
What does the 186 visa cost for the main applicant?
The visa charge starts from AUD 6,140 for the main applicant — the amount is the same for the Direct Entry, Labour agreement and Temporary Residence Transition streams. For an adult family member with English below Functional English a second instalment has to be paid — AUD 4,890.
What is needed to lodge in the Temporary Residence Transition stream?
You have to hold a subclass 457 visa, a subclass 482 visa or an eligible bridging visa, normally to have worked full-time for the nominating employer for at least 2 of the last 3 years, and to receive a nomination from that same employer.
Who can be included in the application as family members?
A partner, dependent children and stepchildren (including the partner's children and their children), and also the holder of a subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa if it was granted to them precisely as a member of your family. They all undergo the health check and, from age 16, the character check as well.
Does the 186 visa have to be renewed after moving to Australia?
No, the visa is permanent. But the right to leave and return to Australia as a permanent resident lasts only 5 years from the date the visa is granted — after that period a separate Resident Return visa (RRV) is needed to enter.
From what moment does permanent residence count for citizenship purposes?
If you are in Australia when the visa is granted — from the date of grant. If you are outside Australia — from the date you entered Australia on that visa.
Are there exemptions from the age limit of 45 for the Direct Entry stream?
Yes, three categories are exempt from the limit: those nominated by an Australian university as an academic (level B, C, D or E); those nominated by a government scientific agency or an Australian university as a scientist, researcher or technical specialist at ANZSCO skill level 1 or 2; and holders of a subclass 444 or subclass 461 visa who have worked for the nominating employer for at least 2 of the last 3 years before lodgement.

Other ways to move to Australia

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Australia.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.