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Employer Nomination Visa Subclass 186 — Expert Guide 2026
The Employer Nomination Visa Subclass 186 is a permanent Australian visa for skilled workers nominated by an approved Australian employer. It has three streams — Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition, and Labour Agreement. It lets you live, work, and study in Australia permanently and opens a pathway to citizenship.
What Is the Employer Nomination Visa Subclass 186?
The Employer Nomination Visa Subclass 186 (ENS visa) is a permanent residency visa. It allows skilled overseas workers to live and work in Australia indefinitely — provided they are nominated by an approved Australian employer.
In simple terms: your employer sponsors you, and in return, you get permanent residency.
This visa is part of Australia’s employer-sponsored migration program. It differs from skilled independent visas because it requires an employer’s direct involvement. Furthermore, the employer must be a lawfully operating Australian business with a genuine need for your skills.
Once granted, the 186 visa gives you:
- The right to live, work, and study in Australia permanently
- Access to Medicare — Australia’s public health care system
- The ability to sponsor eligible family members
- Travel rights to and from Australia for 5 years
- A pathway to apply for Australian citizenship after meeting residency requirements
The 3 Streams of the Subclass 186 Visa
The 186 ENS visa has three distinct streams. Each one suits a different situation. Therefore, understanding which stream applies to you is the most important first step.
Stream 1 — Direct Entry Stream
This stream is for skilled workers who either live overseas or are in Australia without having worked for their sponsoring employer on a 482 or 457 visa previously.
To qualify under the Direct Entry stream, you generally need to:
- Be nominated by an approved Australian employer
- Have your occupation listed on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
- Have at least 3 years of relevant full-time work experience
- Hold a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority
- Be under 45 years of age at the time of application (some exemptions apply)
- Meet Competent English requirements
This stream is particularly popular among engineers, healthcare professionals, IT specialists, and tradespeople who have built their careers overseas and want to transition directly into permanent residency in Australia.
Stream 2 — Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) Stream
This stream is for workers who are already in Australia on a Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) or the older Subclass 457 visa. Consequently, it’s the most natural progression for those who’ve already been building their life here.
To qualify, you need to:
- Hold a Subclass 482 or 457 visa (or a related Bridging visa A, B, or C)
- Have worked full-time for your nominating employer for at least 2 years in the 3 years before lodging the nomination
- Be under 45 years of age (limited exemptions available)
- Meet Competent English requirements
- Your employer must nominate you within 6 months of your nomination being approved
One key advantage of this stream: in many cases, a skills assessment is not required, since your employer has already vouched for your abilities over years of real employment.
Stream 3 — Labour Agreement Stream
This stream is less common, but important to know about. It applies when an employer has a formal Labour Agreement with the Department of Home Affairs — usually because their industry faces a genuine skills or labour shortage that standard visa programs cannot address.
Under this stream:
- Your employer must be a party to an approved Labour Agreement
- You must meet the specific age, skills, and English requirements set out in that agreement
- The terms and conditions vary depending on the agreement
Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) are a well-known type of Labour Agreement. Regional employers in sectors like agriculture, hospitality, and healthcare often use these arrangements to fill critical gaps in their workforce.
Employer Nomination Requirements — What Your Employer Must Do
Here’s something many applicants overlook: the 186 visa involves two separate applications. First, your employer lodges a nomination. Then, you lodge the visa application. Both must be approved.
Your employer must meet the following requirements:
- Be actively and lawfully operating a business in Australia
- Demonstrate financial viability — the business must be able to sustain the nominated position
- Have a clear record of compliance with immigration and labour laws
- Offer a genuine, full-time position that will be available for at least 2 years
- Pay you at market rates — no less than what an Australian citizen would earn in the same role
- Pay you above the Core Skills Income Threshold of $76,515 per annum
- Pay the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy
SAF Levy — What Employers Must Pay
The SAF levy is a mandatory training contribution paid by the employer at the time of nomination. The amount depends on the business’s annual turnover:
Important: It is illegal for an employer to transfer the SAF levy cost to you, the visa applicant. If your employer asks you to pay it — or any part of it — that is a serious breach of Australian law. Penalties include significant fines and criminal charges for both parties.
| Business Turnover | SAF Levy |
|---|---|
| Under $10 million | $3,000 |
| $10 million or more | $5,000 |
Eligibility Requirements for Visa Applicants
Beyond what your employer must do, you personally need to satisfy several eligibility criteria.
Skills Assessment
For the Direct Entry stream, you must hold a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for your occupation. For example, Engineers Australia assesses engineers, while ANMAC assesses nurses. The assessment must confirm your qualifications and experience meet Australian standards.
English Language Proficiency
You must demonstrate Competent English. The Department of Home Affairs accepts results from IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, or OET. The minimum IELTS score is 6.0 in each band. However, you may be exempt if you hold a passport from the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, or Ireland.
Age Requirement
You must generally be under 45 years of age at the time you lodge your visa application. That said, certain exemptions exist — for example, academics nominated by universities, or medical professionals working in regional areas. Therefore, if you are close to 45, speak to a registered migration agent before assuming you are ineligible.
Health and Character
All applicants must pass a medical examination and provide police clearance certificates from every country they have lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years (since turning 16).
Including Your Family
You can include your partner, dependent children under 18, and financially dependent children aged 18 to 23 in your application. Moreover, all family members must also meet health and character requirements. Dependants over 18 who cannot demonstrate Functional English must pay an additional charge of $4,890 per person.
How to Apply: Step-by-Step Process
Step 1 — Confirm Your Eligibility
Before anything else, check which stream applies to your situation. Review your occupation against the CSOL and confirm your work experience meets the minimum requirements.
Step 2 — Employer Lodges the Nomination
Your employer submits the nomination application online through the Department of Home Affairs’ ImmiAccount portal. They pay the SAF levy at this stage. The nomination must clearly demonstrate the genuineness of the position and the business’s compliance record.
Step 3 — Gather Your Documents
Prepare your document checklist, which typically includes:
- Passport and personal identification
- Employment reference letters proving your work history
- Skills assessment from the relevant authority
- English language test results
- Health examination results from a panel physician
- Police clearance certificates from all relevant countries
Step 4 — Lodge Your Visa Application
You can lodge your visa application concurrently with the employer’s nomination — or shortly after. Submit everything through your ImmiAccount.
Step 5 — Wait for a Decision
Processing times vary significantly. Based on current Department of Home Affairs statistics:
| Stream | 50% of applications | 75% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Entry | 12 months | 15 months | 19 months |
| TRT Stream | 13 months | 16 months | 18 months |
| Labour Agreement | 7 months | 11 months | 11 months |
Costs Involved
Visa application fee: AUD $4,500 for the primary applicant (subject to change — always check the Department of Home Affairs website for current fees)
Additional costs to budget for:
- Skills assessment fee (varies by authority)
- English language test fee (approximately AUD $300–$400)
- Medical examination (varies by country and test type)
- Police clearance certificates from each relevant country
- Additional applicant charges for family members
- Migration agent professional fees
Remember: the employer must pay the SAF levy. Migration agent fees and visa application fees can be paid by either the employer or the applicant, depending on the arrangement.
What Happens After Your Visa Is Granted?
Once your Employer Nomination Visa Subclass 186 is approved, you become a permanent resident of Australia. Here is what that means in practice:
- You can live and work anywhere in Australia — you are not restricted to working for your nominating employer forever, though conditions may apply initially
- You can travel freely to and from Australia for 5 years from the grant date
- After the 5-year travel facility expires, you will need a Resident Return Visa (subclass 155) or Australian citizenship to continue travelling internationally as a permanent resident
- You can enrol in Medicare immediately
- After living in Australia for 4 years (including at least 1 year as a permanent resident), you can apply for Australian citizenship
Need Help with Your Employer Nomination Visa Subclass 186?
The 186 visa process involves multiple steps, two separate applications, strict eligibility criteria, and real financial consequences if something goes wrong. Furthermore, migration law changes regularly — what applied last year may not apply today.
Touseef Abbasi (MARN: 2518930) at Abbasi Migration has helped many skilled workers successfully navigate the ENS visa process — from confirming eligibility and preparing nominations through to getting the visa granted.
Whether you’re in Australia on a 482 visa ready to transition, or you’re overseas and your employer wants to bring you on board permanently, Abbasi Migration will guide you through every step.
📍 Melbourne Office: Office 3669, Ground Floor, 470 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004
📍 Wollert Office: 11 Farmley Way, Wollert VIC 3750
📞 Phone/WhatsApp: +61 418 841 225
📧 Email: info@abbasimigration.com
Book a free consultation today and find out if the 186 visa is the right pathway for you
FAQs
Do I need a job offer to apply for the 186 visa?
Yes. This is an employer-sponsored visa. You must be nominated by an approved Australian employer before you can apply. Unlike skilled independent visas, the 186 ENS visa requires direct employer involvement at every stage.
Can I change employers after getting the 186 visa?
Yes, you can. Once your 186 visa is granted, you are a permanent resident. You are free to change jobs, industries, or states. However, some stream conditions — particularly for recent TRT applicants — may include obligations around your initial employment period. Always clarify this with a migration agent.
Is the 186 visa the same as the ENS visa?
Yes, completely. ENS stands for Employer Nomination Scheme. “Subclass 186,” “186 visa,” and “ENS visa” all refer to the same permanent residency visa.
What is the difference between the 482 and 186 visa?
The Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand visa) is a temporary visa — typically valid for 4 years. The Subclass 186 is permanent. Many workers start on a 482 and then transition to a 186 through the TRT stream after 2 years of full-time employment with their sponsor.
Can I include my parents in my 186 visa application?
Only your partner and dependent children can be included in the 186 visa application. However, after you become a permanent resident, you can explore separate parent visa options for your family.
What if my employer withdraws the nomination?
If your employer withdraws their nomination before your visa is granted, it can affect your application. As a result, it is critical to maintain open communication with your employer throughout the process. A registered migration agent can advise you on your options if this happens.
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