Processing times · Subclass 186
How long does the subclass 186 visa take? (September 2026)
Reviewed by a registered migration agent ·
MARN 1795282
Updated
As at 29 September 2026, Home Affairs reports that 75% of Employer Nomination Scheme visa (Subclass 186) applications (Transition Pathway stream) were finalised within 24 months, and 90% within 25 months. The 186 has 3 streams with different times, listed below. These are official global processing times for applications decided in the previous month, not a promise for any individual case.
Subclass 186 processing times by stream
| Stream | 75% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Entry Pathway | 24 months | 25 months |
| Agreement Pathway | 12 months | 12 months |
| Transition Pathway | 24 months | 25 months |
What to expect when you apply for the subclass 186
How the application moves
- The employer lodges the nomination (genuine position, salary at or above the threshold and market rate, and the stream-specific criteria), paying the nomination fee and the Skilling Australians Fund levy.
- The worker lodges the visa, ideally at the same time; for Direct Entry the skills assessment must already be in hand, for Temporary Residence Transition the 482 work history is checked.
- Health, character and English are verified for the worker and any family members, then the nomination and visa are decided in that order.
What most often slows a 186 application
- A nomination lodged without the visa, so the two stages run one after the other instead of together.
- Direct Entry applications waiting on a skills assessment, or relying on an assessment obtained for a 485 visa, which is not accepted.
- Temporary Residence Transition cases where the two years of full-time sponsored work are hard to evidence (gaps, part-time periods, a change of employer).
- Occupations outside the priority sectors of the current ministerial direction, which are decided after construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture and resources cases.
What to have ready before lodging
- Employer: business registration and financials, the position description, the salary evidence, and the levy payment ready at lodgement.
- Worker: passport, skills assessment (Direct Entry), payslips and contracts covering the qualifying 482 period (Transition), English test result, and police certificates from every country lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.
What the 75% and 90% figures mean
Home Affairs publishes the time within which it finalised 75% and 90% of the applications decided in the previous month. Three in four applicants got a decision faster than the 75% figure; one in ten waited longer than the 90% figure, almost always because the application was incomplete, needed health or character follow-up, or sat outside the current processing priorities. The figures move every month, which is why we keep a history on the processing-times tracker.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the 186 visa take to process in September 2026?
Home Affairs reports that 75% of Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) applications in the Transition Pathway stream were finalised within 24 months and 90% within 25 months, as at 29 September 2026. Other streams differ; see the table on this page.
What do the 75% and 90% figures mean?
They are the times within which Home Affairs finalised 75% and 90% of the applications it decided in the previous month. Three in four applications were decided faster than the 75% figure; one in ten took longer than the 90% figure, usually because the application was incomplete or needed extra checks.
Can a 186 visa be processed faster?
There is no paid priority service for the 186. The things that reliably shorten processing are lodging a complete, decision-ready application (identity, health, character and every eligibility document attached at lodgement), responding to any request for information quickly, and falling within the priority sectors set by the current ministerial direction.
Source: Department of Home Affairs — global visa processing times, as at 29 September 2026. Cost: subclass 186 visa fees. Eligibility and steps: 186 Visa Requirements 2026: TRT, Direct Entry, Age, Cost & PR. General information only, not migration advice.