Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa
Direct Entry stream
This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by an employer, live and work in Australia permanently.
Applicant must have:
Eligibility
1. Have an eligible occupation: Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.
2. Have relevant work experience
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.
3. Licensing, registration or membership:
You must be licensed, registered or a member of a professional body if it is mandatory in the state or territory you intend to work in.
4. Have a positive skills assessment:
Most applicants need to have a skills assessment that shows they have the skills to work in the nominated position. Learn more about skills assessments.
5. Be nominated
You must be nominated by an Australian employer whose business is actively and lawfully operating.
Find out if your employer is eligible to nominate you.
We can’t grant you a visa if:
We can’t link a new nomination to your existing visa application. If this happens one possible option is to withdraw your first visa application and submit a new visa application in relation to the new nomination.
You might be eligible for a refund of the visa application charge depending on the circumstances.
6. Be this age:
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:
Meet other requirements:
Application Cost
The visa costs AUD4,045 for the main applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you:
The second instalment charges are:
Labour Agreement stream
This visa lets skilled workers who are nominated by their employer live and work in Australia permanently. 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.
Applicant must have:
Eligibility
1. Be working under a labour agreement:
You must currently work, or will work, for your employer under a labour agreement.
You must have suitable English language skills, experience, skills and other attributes for the position. The labour agreement will provide guidance on these.
We might ask to get a skills assessment that shows you have the skills to work in the position. Do not get an assessment unless we ask you to.
2. Licensing, registration or membership:
You must be licensed, registered or a member of a professional body if it is mandatory in the state or territory you intend to work in.
3. Be nominated
You must be nominated by an Australian employer whose business is:
Find out if your employer is eligible to nominate you.
Learn more about terms and conditions of employment on the Sponsor tabs, About this visa – Nominators must.
We can’t grant you a visa if:
We can’t link a new nomination to your existing visa application. If this happens one possible option is to withdraw your first visa application and submit a new visa application in relation to the new nomination.
You might be eligible for a refund of the visa application charge depending on the circumstances.
4. Be this age:
Unless the labour agreement provides otherwise, you must be aged under 45 years when you apply.
5. Have this visa
If you are in Australia, you must hold a substantive 457 or TSS visa issued under a labour agreement.
Meet other requirements:
Application Cost
The visa costs AUD4,045 for the main applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you:
The second instalment charges are:
Temporary Residence Transition stream
This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by their employer, live and work in Australia permanently.
Applicant must have:
Eligibility
1. Have the required skills:
You must have the required skills and qualifications needed to perform the tasks of the nominated occupation.
We might ask you to get a skills assessment to show you have these skills.
2. Licensing, registration or membership:
You must be licensed, registered or a member of a professional body if it is mandatory in the state or territory you intend to work in.
3. Have relevant work experience
Your employer must have sponsored you to work full-time on your subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa for at least 3 of the 4 years prior to nominating you for the subclass 186 visa.
If you held (or had applied for and were later granted) a subclass 457 visa on 18 April 2017, your employer must have sponsored you to work full-time for at least 2 of the 3 years prior to nominating you for this visa.
4. Changes to sponsorship
If the business ownership of the subclass 457 or subclass 482 sponsor has changed in the last 3 years – for example, due to a business sale, takeover or restructure – you might still be able to count the time you worked for the previous business.
5. Be nominated by the employer who sponsored your temporary work visa
Your employer must have sponsored you to work full-time on your subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa for at least 3 of the 4 years prior to nominating you for the subclass 186 visa.
If you held (or had applied for and were later granted) a subclass 457 visa on 18 April 2017, your employer must have sponsored you to work full-time for at least 2 of the 3 years prior to nominating you for this visa.
6. Changes to sponsorship
If the business ownership of the subclass 457 or subclass 482 sponsor has changed in the last 3 years – for example, due to a business sale, takeover or restructure – you might still be able to count the time you worked for the previous business.
7. Eligible business
You must be nominated by an Australian employer whose business is actively and lawfully operating in Australia.
You must apply for the visa within 6 months of the nomination being approved.
Find out if your employer is eligible to nominate you.
We can’t grant you a visa if:
We can’t link a new nomination to your existing visa application. If this happens one possible option is to withdraw your first visa application and submit a new visa application in relation to the new nomination.
You might be eligible for a refund of the visa application charge depending on the circumstances.
8. Be this age
Usually, you must be under 45 years of age when you apply
You are exempt from this criterion if any of the following applies to you:
9. Transitional arrangements
If you held (or had applied for and were later granted) a subclass 457 visa on 18 April 2017, you can still apply for this visa if you are under 50 when you apply.
10.Have this level of English language
You must have at least Competent English.
From 16 November 2019, there is no exemption to the English language requirement for this stream of the visa.
See more about exemptions in the relevant legislative instrument.
You must currently be the primary visa holder of either:
The bridging visa must be the one you were granted after your subclass 457 or TSS visa expired.
Meet other requirements:
Application Cost
The visa costs AUD4,045 for the main applicant.
There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you:
The second instalment charges are:
Melbourne Headquarters: Level 5,190 Queen Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
Tel: 03 9670 6660
Box Hill Branch: 957 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill, VIC 3128
Sydney Branch: 303/160 Rowe Street, Eastwood, NSW 2122
Tel: 02 9874 8989 a>
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