186 Visa Australia 2026: Requirements, Cost & PR

Overview

The Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa lets an approved Australian employer sponsor a skilled worker for permanent residence. It has two main streams: the Temporary Residence Transition stream (for eligible 482/TSS holders who have worked for the employer) and the Direct Entry stream (for those nominated directly with a suitable skills assessment).

The 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa is the main employer-sponsored permanent visa. An approved Australian employer nominates a skilled worker for a permanent role, and the worker gets permanent residence straight away, with full work and study rights, Medicare, and a path to citizenship. There are three streams: Temporary Residence Transition (for workers already on a 482 with the employer for at least 2 years), Direct Entry (an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, a skills assessment and 3 years of experience) and Labour Agreement. For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, the salary must be at least A$79,423 and the market rate.

Which 186 stream fits?

Temporary Residence Transition (TRT): the usual route from a 482. The worker must have held a 482 (or older 457) visa for at least 2 of the 3 years before the nomination, working full time for the nominating employer in the nominated occupation. A formal skills assessment is usually not needed, because the employer has already seen the person’s skills on the job.
Direct Entry: for a worker who has not spent 2 years on a 482 with the employer, or has never held one. The occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List, and the worker generally needs a positive skills assessment and at least 3 years of relevant work experience.
Labour Agreement: for businesses that have negotiated a labour agreement with the Government; the agreement sets the occupations and any concessions (for example on age or English).

What are the 186 visa requirements?

Nomination: an approved, genuine, full-time permanent position, normally expected to last at least 2 years.
Salary: at least the Core Skills Income Threshold (A$79,423) for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, and at least the annual market salary rate for the role. The threshold is indexed every 1 July.
Age: under 45 when the visa application is lodged, unless an exemption applies (for example some high-income TRT applicants, and certain academics, scientists and medical practitioners).
English: competent English, such as IELTS 6 in each component or an equivalent score. Holders of UK, US, Canadian, New Zealand and Irish passports generally meet this automatically.
Health and character: standard medical checks and police certificates for the applicant and family members included in the application.

How much does a 186 visa cost?

The visa application charge is shown in the key facts above and broken down by stream on our 186 cost and processing time page. The employer also pays:

a nomination fee of about A$540; and
a one-off Skilling Australians Fund levy: A$3,000 if annual turnover is under A$10 million, or A$5,000 if it is A$10 million or more.

The levy and nomination costs cannot be passed on to the worker. Use our sponsorship cost calculator to plan the 482 stage that usually comes first.

How long does a 186 take?

Current official processing times are shown below. Since 19 September 2026, Ministerial Directions set the order in which skilled and employer-sponsored applications are decided, with priority sectors (including construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture and resources) handled first, so applications outside those sectors can take longer. A complete application, with the nomination and visa lodged together where possible, avoids most delays.

482 to 186: the usual employer pathway

For most employers the pattern is simple: sponsor the worker on a 482 Skills in Demand visa, then nominate the same proven employee for the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream once they have 2 years with the business. The 2-year requirement (down from 3 years) means many sponsored employees now reach permanent residence sooner. Regional employers can also consider the 494 visa, which leads to permanent residence through the subclass 191.

Who is eligible for the Subclass 186 visa?

Be nominated by an approved Australian employer for a permanent position
Temporary Residence Transition: hold an eligible 482/TSS visa and meet the work period with the employer
Direct Entry: have a suitable skills assessment and relevant work experience
Salary at least the Core Skills Income Threshold (A$79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026) and the market rate
Generally be under 45 (with exemptions), have competent English, and meet health and character requirements

How much does the Subclass 186 visa cost?

The base application charge is A$6,140. An additional A$3,070 applies per applicant aged 18 or over. Same charge for the Temporary Residence Transition, Direct Entry and Labour Agreement streams. The employer also pays a nomination charge and the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy. Checked against the official Home Affairs pricing table on 11 October 2026. See every Subclass 186 stream's charge and processing time, or compare every visa on our Australian visa fees table. Fees are indexed each year — see the official Visa Pricing Estimator for the current figure.

How long does the Subclass 186 visa take to process?

For the Transition Pathway stream, around 75% of applications are finalised within 24 months, and 90% within 25 months.

Stream	75% finalised within	90% finalised within
Direct Entry Pathway	24 months	25 months
Agreement Pathway	12 months	12 months
Transition Pathway	24 months	25 months

Official figures as at 29 September 2026. Source: Department of Home Affairs — Global visa processing times. Compare all visas on our processing times tracker. Times are a guide only — complete, decision-ready applications are generally faster.

How do you apply for the Subclass 186 visa?

Employer nomination. The approved employer nominates the permanent position.
Choose your stream. Temporary Residence Transition (from a 482) or Direct Entry.
Lodge the visa. Provide skills, experience, English, health and character evidence.
Permanent residence. On grant you hold permanent residence with a pathway to citizenship.

How it compares

Requirement	Temporary Residence Transition	Direct Entry	Labour Agreement
Who it suits	A 482 (or 457) worker already employed by the sponsor	A worker nominated straight to PR	Employers covered by a labour agreement
Work history	At least 2 of the last 3 years on a 482/457 with the employer	At least 3 years of relevant work experience	As set by the agreement
Occupation list	Same occupation as the 482 nomination	Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)	Occupations in the agreement
Skills assessment	Usually not required	Required	As set by the agreement
Minimum salary	A$79,423 (CSIT) and the market rate	A$79,423 (CSIT) and the market rate	As set by the agreement
Age	Under 45 (exemptions apply)	Under 45 (exemptions apply)	Under 45 unless the agreement allows older

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the 482 and 186 visas?

The 482 (Skills in Demand) is a temporary employer-sponsored work visa; the 186 (ENS) is permanent. Many people move from a 482 to a 186 via the Temporary Residence Transition stream.

Do I need a skills assessment for the 186?

Usually yes for the Direct Entry stream; often not for the Temporary Residence Transition stream. Requirements depend on your occupation and history.

Is there an age limit?

Generally you must be under 45 at application, with some exemptions (for example certain high-income earners and specified occupations).

How long must an employee work for us before the 186 Temporary Residence Transition?

Home Affairs' current requirement is that the employee has usually worked in eligible sponsored employment for at least 2 years full time while holding a subclass 457 or 482 visa. The period used to be 3 years, so many sponsored workers now reach permanent residence sooner.

Does the SAF levy apply to a 186 nomination, and who pays?

The employer pays the nomination costs, and the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy also applies to a 186 nomination (a one-off amount that depends on your business size). By law the SAF levy and sponsorship costs cannot be recovered from the worker; the visa application charge is generally paid by the applicant.

What is the minimum salary for a 186 visa in 2026?

For 186 nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, the salary must be at least the Core Skills Income Threshold of A$79,423 a year and at least the annual market salary rate for the role. If the market rate is higher, that applies. The threshold is indexed every 1 July.

What does a 186 nomination cost the employer?

The employer pays the nomination fee (about A$540) and a one-off Skilling Australians Fund levy of A$3,000 if annual turnover is under A$10 million, or A$5,000 if it is A$10 million or more. The levy and nomination costs cannot be passed on to the worker. The visa application charge, shown above and on our 186 cost page, is usually paid by the applicant.

What English level does the 186 need?

Competent English, for example an IELTS score of at least 6 in each of the four components, or an equivalent score in another accepted test. Passport holders of the UK, the USA, Canada, New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland are generally treated as having competent English.

Can my nominee include their family?

Yes. Eligible family members can be included in the 186 application and, on grant, also receive permanent residence with full work and study rights and Medicare access.

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Employer Nomination Scheme visa (Subclass 186)