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Commonwealth of Australia · work sponsored · Leads to settlement

Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)

By · Last reviewed:

Guidance updated 11 September 2026. Full-review date shown above.

Employer-nominated permanent residence for workers sponsored through Direct Entry, TRT, or Labour Agreement streams.

Requires sponsorshipLeads to permanent residencyPermanent residence.
Processing time
Variable; use the Home Affairs processing-time guide for recently decided applications.
Government fees
AUD 6,140 main applicant VAC from 1 July 2026, plus employer-side AUD 540 nomination fee and SAF levy.
Typical duration
Permanent residence.
Sponsorship required
Yes
Leads to permanent residency
Yes
Reviewed Department of Home Affairs ↗

In short

Subclass 186 is an employer-nominated permanent visa with Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition and Labour Agreement streams. Start with the stream your employer proposes; eligibility and evidence differ. The linked processing guide separates the official stream-specific results from preparation and nomination.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/australia/subclass-186-ens#answer

What is the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) in Commonwealth of Australia?

Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) is a sponsor-led Australia route. Indicative government fees are AUD 6,140 main applicant VAC from 1 July 2026, plus employer-side AUD 540 nomination fee and SAF levy; indicative processing time is Variable; use the Home Affairs processing-time guide for recently decided applications; typical duration is Permanent residence. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Primary guidance checked with Department of Home Affairs on 1 July 2026.

Overview

Subclass 186 is the employer-sponsored permanent residence pathway. The three current streams are Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition, and Labour Agreement. Direct Entry uses the Core Skills Occupation List, generally requires 3 years relevant experience and a positive skills assessment, and ENS nominations must satisfy AMSR plus the current CSIT unless an agreement or exemption changes the rule. TRT covers eligible 457/482 or bridging-visa holders with two years of qualifying sponsored employment in the previous three years; the nominating employer must be their last 457/482 sponsor.

Recent changes to this route

Guidance by nationality

Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

  • !Occupation or stream evidence not matching Home Affairs requirements.
  • !Age 45 or older at application without an applicable exemption or labour-agreement concession.Australian Department of Home Affairs ↗
  • !Salary below AMSR or CSIT.

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Employer nominates

    Employer lodges the ENS nomination, pays the AUD 540 nomination fee and applicable one-off SAF levy, and documents AMSR plus CSIT.

  2. Applicant lodges visa

    Applicant lodges the permanent visa application with skills, English, health, character and stream-specific evidence.

  3. Grant as permanent resident

    Subject to health and character checks.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Agree the lawful start date and onboarding with the employer or sponsor. Check whether the permission names an employer, role or activity before changing the arrangement.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to AustraliaFirst steps after arrivingDestination moving checklist

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Australia. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant + sponsor
    Nominate and apply for 186 ↗

    Employers use this page for nomination requirements; workers use it to lodge the linked permanent visa application.

    Department of Home Affairs · verified

Fees and processing time

A typical Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) application runs about A$6,140 in government fees (single applicant, competent English, applicant visa charge only). Home Affairs publishes separate stream-specific processing percentiles for this route; see the dedicated processing page and re-check the official tool. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.

Matches these professions

NurseCare workerResearcherFinance professional

Also explored by

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Frequently asked questions

How long on a 482 before qualifying for the 186 TRT stream?+

Home Affairs lists the TRT requirement as 2 years of eligible sponsored employment in the 3 years before you apply. The work must generally have been full-time, in Australia, while holding a subclass 457, subclass 482, or eligible bridging visa.

How much does the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa cost?+

Home Affairs lists the subclass 186 main applicant visa application charge at AUD 6,140 from 1 July 2026, with AUD 3,070 per adult dependant and AUD 1,535 per child. Employer-side costs include the AUD 540 ENS nomination fee and the one-off SAF levy: AUD 3,000 for small businesses or AUD 5,000 for other businesses. Home Affairs says nomination and SAF costs cannot be transferred to the worker or family.

What salary is needed for subclass 186 ENS?+

For ENS nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423. The salary must also meet the Annual Market Salary Rate; clearing CSIT alone is not enough if the market salary for the occupation is higher.

What is the difference between 186 Direct Entry and TRT?+

Direct Entry is for workers nominated directly into permanent residence and generally requires a CSOL occupation, at least 3 years relevant work experience and a positive skills assessment unless exempt. Temporary Residence Transition covers eligible 457/482 or bridging-visa holders. The two-year employment requirement looks back over the preceding three years and can include qualifying work across multiple sponsored visas or employers; the nominating employer must be the last 457/482 sponsor.

Which subclass 186 stream should I use?+

Direct Entry, Agreement and Temporary Residence Transition have different eligibility and evidence requirements. Use the stream that matches your employer pathway and current documents; the processing labels do not decide eligibility.

Are subclass 186 processing labels deadlines?+

No. Home Affairs reports recent decisions separately by stream. These labels are not a personal deadline, maximum wait or guaranteed range.

What happens before a subclass 186 decision?+

Keep stream selection, nomination, visa lodgement, information requests and the decision separate. Check the official stream guidance and current processing tool before planning.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Australia

How we verified this

The September update checks subclass 186 stream evidence, the TRT employment and nomination pathway, and how to interpret processing information. These checks do not refresh every fee, salary figure or other rule on this page; follow each fact’s own source and date. Confirm your circumstances with Home Affairs before applying.

Primary source: Department of Home Affairs

Transition and processing guidance checked: 11 September 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

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