移民

186 Employer Nomination Scheme Visa

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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: 

• have an occupation that is on the list of eligible skilled occupations  
• have at least 3 years relevant work experience, unless you are exempt 
• have a positive skills assessment, unless you are exempt 

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 are aware of adverse information about your nominator or any person associated with them, unless it is reasonable to disregard this information, or 
• the nomination is withdrawn, or 
• the position is no longer available 

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: 

• you are nominated as an academic (university lecturer or faculty head at Academic Level B, C D or E) by a university in Australia 
• you are nominated as a scientist, researcher or technical (scientific) specialist at ANZSCO skill level 1 or 2 by an Australian scientific government agency 
• you currently hold a Special Category (subclass 444) or New Zealand citizen’s family member (subclass 461) visa and have worked for the employer who nominated you, in the nominated position, for at least 2 years in the last 3 years immediately before you apply. The 2 years excludes periods of unpaid leave. 

Meet other requirements: 

• Meet our health requirement 
• Meet our character requirement 
• Sign the Australian values statement 
• Have no debt to the Australian Government 
• Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused 

 

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: 

• family members: AUD4890 

 

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: 

• currently work, or will work, for your nominating employer who is party to a labour agreement. 
• meet the age, skills and English language requirements of the labour agreement 

 

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: 

• actively and lawfully operating in Australia 
• party to a labour agreemen 

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 are aware of adverse information about your nominator or any person associated with them, unless it is reasonable to disregard this information, or 
• the nomination is withdrawn, or 
• the position is no longer available 

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: 

• Meet our health requirement 
• Meet our character requirement 
• Sign the Australian values statement 
• Have no debt to the Australian Government 
• Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused

 

 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: 

• family members: AUD4890 

 

Temporary Residence Transition stream 

This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by their employer, live and work in Australia permanently. 

Applicant must have: 

• hold a subclass 457, TSS or related Bridging visa A, B or C 
• usually, have worked for your employer for at least 3 years full time while holding a subclass 457 or TSS visa 
• have been nominated by an Australian employer whose nomination was approved in the 6 months before you apply 

 

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 are aware of adverse information about your nominator or any person associated with them, unless it is reasonable to disregard this information, or
• the nomination is withdrawn, or
• the position is no longer available

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: 

• you are nominated as an academic (university lecturer or faculty head at Academic Level B, C, D or E) by a university in Australia 
• you are nominated as a scientist, researcher or technical specialist at ANZSCO skill level 1 or 2 by an Australian scientific government agency 
• as a subclass 457 or TSS visa holder, you have been working in the nominated occupation for the nominating employer for at least the last 3 years, and your earnings were at least as much as the Fair Work High Income Threshold for each year of that period 
• you are a medical practitioner who has worked in your nominated occupation for at least 3 years as a 457 or TSS visa holder, and for 2 of those 3 years were employed in regional Australia, and the position is in regional Australia 

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. 

• Have this visa 

You must currently be the primary visa holder of either: 

• a subclass 457 visa that was not granted under the Labour Agreement stream 
• a subclass 482 (TSS) visa granted for an occupation on the Medium to Long-term Strategic Skills list 
• a Bridging visa A, B or C 

The bridging visa must be the one you were granted after your subclass 457 or TSS visa expired. 

Meet other requirements: 

• Meet our health requirement 
• Meet our character requirement 
• Sign the Australian values statement 
• Have no debt to the Australian Government 
• Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused 

 

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: 

• family members: AUD4890