Your sponsoring organisation must undertake market research for your nominated occupation
The Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa allow eligible employers to bring skilled overseas workers to Australia, indefinitely.
To be eligible for the Direct Entry visa:
The benefits of Subclass 186 for sponsors include as below:
The benefits of Subclass 186 for applicants include as below:
There are three nomination types of Subclass 186 Visa.
This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by an employer live and work in Australia permanently.
This visa lets skilled workers, holding a 457, TSS or related bridging visa A, B or C, and have worked for their employer full-time for at least two years, apply for permanent residency.
The Labour Agreement stream might be for you if you currently work, or will work, for an employer who is party to a labour agreement.
To be eligible for a Subclass 186 - Direct Entry Stream, you & your sponsoring organisation must meet the below eligibility criterias.
Your sponsoring organisation must undertake market research for your nominated occupation
You must offer a skilled position that is full time and ongoing for at least 2 years
Your sponsoring organisation must pay the Skilling Australians Fund levy as per the table below.
Business size | ENS / RSMS and SESR visas |
Small (annual turnover less than $10 million) | AUD3000 one-off |
Other business (annual turnover of $10 million or more) | AUD5000 one-off |
Your sponsoring organisation must not have any adverse information known about it or any person associated with it, or it is reasonable to disregard this information
Your sponsoring organisation must be actively and lawfully operating a business in Australia
Your sponsoring organisation must provide evidence that the position must be within your business activities and not for unrelated businesses and that there is a genuine need for a paid employee to fill the position.
Usually, you must be under 45 years of age when you apply.
You are exempt from this criteria if any of the following applies to you:
You must be nominated by an Australian employer whose business is actively and lawfully operating.
You must apply for the visa within 6 months of the nomination being approved.
We can’t grant you a visa if:
Please note that the Department can’t link a new nomination to your existing visa application. Therefore, you must submit a new visa application in relation to the new nomination.
Most applicants need to have a skills assessment that shows they have the skills to work in the nominated position
Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.
Unless exempt, most applicants need to have at least 3 years relevant work experience in their occupation.
Applicants who are exempt from the skills assessment requirement are also exempt from the work experience requirement.
You must have at least competent English to be granted this stream of the visa.
To prove you have competent English, provide evidence:
SPECIFIED TEST RESULTS
Test | Required score |
---|---|
International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic or General Training) | At least 6 for each of the 4 components |
Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) | At least 12 for listening, 13 for reading, 21 for writing and 18 for speaking |
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) | At least 50 for each of the 4 components |
Occupational English Test (OET) | At least B for each of the 4 components |
Cambridge C1 Advanced test | At least 169 in each of the 4 components |
You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet the Department’s character requirement & health requirement
Nomination
To begin applying for Subclass 186, your sponsoring employer needs to nominate you for a permanent position in your nominated occupation.
Subclass 186 visa does not have a sponsorship application.
Visa Application
Once both sponsorship and nomination has been applied for, our Registered Migration Agents will apply for your Subclass 186 application and will liaise with the Department on your behalf. We will ensure that all relevant documents are submitted at the time of lodgement to ensure faster processing of your visa application.
Undertake Health and Medical Checks
Once you have applied for the visa, we recommend that you undertake your health and medical examination, once we instruct you to do so.
Wait for Visa Outcome.
Once all relevant documents are uploaded, we will wait for a visa application outcome, and follow up wherever necessary.
Paid directly to the relevant Skills Assessment body.
Paid directly to the Department of Home Affairs
Paid directly to the Department of Home Affairs
Paid directly to the Department of Home Affairs
Paid directly to the Department of Home Affairs
Paid directly to the agency (i.e.; BUPA in Australia) that conducts your medical checks
Paid directly to Australian Federal Police that conducts your character checks
Paid directly to Overseas authorities that conducts your character checks
We understand that choosing between different visa subclasses maybe daunting, but we have broken down some key eligibility criteria for review
Although Direct Entry Stream allows for visa applications to be processed directly, some applicants may not be eligible for the same, if they are unable to pass skills assessment. If this circumstance applies to you, you can achieve Australian permanent residency through the Transitional Residence Stream. You do not need a skills assessment in your occupation for the Temporary Resident Transition stream.
The Department has announced that they will be easing age requirements for legacy 457 workers, making it easier for them gain permanent residency in Australia.
Based on the new changes, there are NO AGE LIMIT for legacy 457 workers when applying for Subclass 186 application.
The new rules will apply to Subclass 186 applicants who have:
(a) held a subclass 457 visa on or after 18 April 2017; and
(b) was in Australia for at least 12 months between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021.
The new Instrument is consistent with Minister Hawke’s announcement to support temporary residents by easing restrictions for whose who had remained in Australia during COVID-19.
Please note that RSMS SC 187 applicants are not covered by this Instrument.
If you have applied for 457/482 Visa Holders After 18 April 2017, Direct Entry stream allows you to apply for permanent residency, if you have worked for several different employers, in your nomination occupation. However, you must have worked for the same employer over the three years, whilst holding a 457/482 visa, to be eligible for Temporary Residence Transition stream. If you held or applied for a 457 visa before 18 April 2017, you will only need to demonstrate two years of work experience in your nominated occupation.
To understand which stream is right for you, you will need to find an occupation that matches your qualification and employment and check which skill list it falls under. Only specified occupations on the lists are able to be sponsored under the 186-visa program. Alternatively, you can book a consultation with us, and we can assist in finding an occupation that matches your skills, qualification and experience.
Yes, you can apply for this visa outside Australia.
Yes, you can apply for this visa on either a bridging Visa A, B, or C
This is a permanent residency visa, and allows you to stay in Australia, indefinitely.
Yes – your existing employer will need to submit a new nomination.
Yes, they are granted full working rights upon the grant of visa.
Unit 7, 242-244 Caroline Springs Blvd
Caroline Springs VIC 3023