The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa subclass 186 is a permanent residency visa that allows skilled workers to live and work in Australia indefinitely through employer sponsorship.
It is a popular pathway for those already on a temporary employer-sponsored visa such as the Skills in Demand (subclass 482 visa), as well as for skilled workers nominated directly.
The Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) Stream of the ENS 186 visa is for applicants already working in Australia under a 482 Skills in Demand visa who want to transition from temporary status to permanent residency with the support of their current employer.
Employer nomination: You must be nominated by your current or most recent sponsoring employer, and the position must be genuine and ongoing.
Work history: You must have completed at least 2 years of full-time employment in the last 3 years while holding one or more 482 Skills in Demand visas or 457 visas. This employment must be in the nominated occupation (or a closely related role).
English language: You must meet the Competent English requirement, which usually means achieving a minimum score of IELTS 6.0 overall, with no band below 6.0, or an equivalent result in PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, or Cambridge tests. Exemptions apply for passport holders from the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, or Ireland, as well as for applicants earning a high income.
Commitment: You must intend to work in the nominated role for at least 2 more years with your sponsoring employer.
Eligibility checks: You must also satisfy standard health and character requirements.
The Direct Entry stream of the 186 visa Australia (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) is for skilled workers applying directly for permanent residency through employer sponsorship, without first holding a temporary sponsored visa such as the 482 Skills in Demand visa.
Employer nomination: You must be nominated by an Australian employer for a genuine, full-time position in your nominated occupation.
Skills and experience: You must provide evidence of the skills, qualifications, and relevant work experience required for the role. In most cases, this includes a skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority.
English requirement: You must demonstrate Competent English (IELTS 6.0 overall, with no band below 6.0, or equivalent in PTE, TOEFL, or Cambridge tests). Exemptions may apply if you are a passport holder from the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, or Ireland, or if you earn a high salary.
Commitment: You must intend to work in the nominated role for at least 2 years after the visa is granted.
Health and character: As with all visas, applicants must meet health and character requirements.
The 186 visa Australia (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) is a permanent residence visa, which means you can stay in Australia indefinitely. Unlike temporary visas, the 186 visa grants you full permanent residency rights, including:
The ability to live and work in Australia permanently.
Access to Medicare (Australia’s public health system).
The option to study in Australia without restrictions.
The ability to sponsor eligible family members for permanent residency.
In addition, holding a 186 visa provides a direct pathway to Australian citizenship once you meet residency and eligibility requirements (such as living in Australia for at least 4 years, with 12 months as a permanent resident).
The 186 visa Australia (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) has two main streams: the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) and the Direct Entry (DE) stream.
TRT stream: This is for applicants who are already sponsored by their employer on a 482 Skills in Demand visa (or its predecessor, the TSS 482 visa or the 457 visa). After at least 2 years of full-time employment under one of more sponsoring employers holding a 482 visa, applicants may transition to permanent residency under the 186 visa.
DE stream: This is for skilled workers who are nominated directly by an Australian employer, even if they have never worked for the business before. It is also the option for workers who do not hold a 482 visa or do not meet the TRT requirements even if holding a 482 visa. A skills assessment is normally required under this stream.
In short, the TRT stream is best for those already working on a 482 employer-sponsored visa, while the DE stream is suitable for workers applying directly for permanent residency through employer sponsorship or wish to achieve permanent residency sooner.
Whether you need a skills assessment for the 186 visa Australia (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) depends on which stream you are applying for:
Direct Entry (DE) stream: A skills assessment is always required. You must obtain a positive assessment from the relevant assessing authority for your nominated occupation. This is to prove that your qualifications and experience meet Australian standards.
Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream: A skills assessment is generally not required if you have already worked in Australia for at least 2 years under a 482 Skills in Demand visa with your sponsoring employer.
A skills assessment must be completed before you lodge your 186 visa application, and results are usually valid for three years unless otherwise specified by the assessing authority.
It depends on which stream of the 186 visa Australia (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) you apply for:
Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream: In most cases, a skills assessment is not required. If you have already worked for at least 2 years full-time on a 482 Skills in Demand visa with your sponsoring employer, your employment history can be used instead of a formal skills assessment.
Direct Entry (DE) stream: A skills assessment is always required. You must have a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for your nominated occupation before lodging your application.
Yes. You can include your family members in your 186 visa Australia (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) application. Eligible secondary applicants usually include:
Your partner (spouse or de facto).
Your dependent children (biological, adopted, or step-children).
Family members granted the 186 visa will also receive permanent residency, which means they can:
Live and work in Australia without restriction.
Enrol in Medicare (Australia’s public health system).
Access education opportunities.
Eventually apply for Australian citizenship, once eligible.
Family members can be added to the application at the time of lodgement or, in some cases, after the main applicant’s visa is lodged, provided they meet all eligibility requirements.
Yes. When applying for the 186 visa Australia (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) under the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream, you can include new family members who were not part of your original 482 Skills in Demand visa application.
To be eligible, they must:
Be your spouse or de facto partner at the time of decision, and the relationship must be genuine and ongoing.
Be your dependent children (biological, adopted, or stepchildren).
These family members must also meet standard requirements, such as health, character, and in the case of adult dependants, Functional English (or pay the second instalment visa charge if they cannot demonstrate it).
To apply for the 186 visa Australia (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) you must demonstrate Competent English, unless you are exempt.
IELTS: Minimum overall score of 6.0, with no band below 6.0.
PTE Academic: At least 50 overall and
47 in Listening
48 in Reading
51 in Writing
54 in Speaking
TOEFL iBT: Minimum overall score of 64, with at least 4 in listening/reading and 14 in writing/speaking.
Cambridge C1 Advanced: Overall score of 169, with at least 154 in each component.
You may not need to provide an English test result if you:
Hold a valid passport from the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, or Ireland.
No. You cannot provide your English test results after lodgement. Immigration requires the English test to be valid and submitted at the time of application. Submitting the results later will lead to a visa refusal.
If you include adult family members (18 years or older) in your 186 visa Australia (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) application, they must usually show they have at least Functional English.
You can prove Functional English in several ways:
Passport exemption: Holding a valid passport from the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, or Ireland.
Education in English:
Completion of all primary and at least 3 years of secondary education in English, OR
At least 5 years of secondary education in English, OR
A degree, diploma, or trade certificate completed in English (minimum 1 year of study).
English test results: Meeting one of the following minimum scores:
IELTS: Average band score of 4.5 with no minimum scores.
PTE Academic: Overall score of at least 30 (before Aug 2025) OR 24 (after Aug 2025, with updated scoring).
TOEFL iBT: Total score of at least 32 (before Aug 2025) OR 26 (after Aug 2025).
Cambridge C1 Advanced: Overall band score of at least 147.
Other approved tests such as OET, MET, CELPIP, or LANGUAGECERT Academic may also be accepted.
If your adult dependants cannot demonstrate Functional English, you may still include them, but a second instalment visa application charge (VAC) will apply for each person.
Children under 18 years old do not need to meet English requirements.
Processing times for the 186 visa Australia (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) depend on the stream you apply for.
As of 2025, the average processing times are:
Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream: around 14 to 18 months.
Direct Entry (DE) stream: around 12 to 18 months.
Labour Agreement (LA) stream: around 5 to 9 months.
These are average timeframes only. Applicants may receive their visa grant much sooner, while others may wait longer. Processing speed depends on factors such as:
Whether your application and documents are complete.
How quickly you and your employer respond to requests for more information.
The time needed to finalise health and character checks.
The Department of Home Affairs’ overall caseload and priorities.
This means your 186 visa could be decided faster than the averages above, or take longer in complex cases.
Yes. The 186 visa Australia (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) grants you permanent residency, which is the first step towards becoming an Australian citizen.
Once you hold a 186 visa, you can apply for Australian citizenship when you meet the general residency and eligibility criteria. This usually means:
Living in Australia for at least 4 years on a valid visa, including
At least 12 months as a permanent resident before applying.
Meeting the citizenship test requirements, demonstrating basic knowledge of Australia, and showing you will continue to live in the country.
Being of good character and meeting standard checks.
The 186 visa is therefore a direct pathway to Australian citizenship, making it one of the most attractive employer-sponsored visa options.
