Employer Nomination Scheme visa 186
186 Visa Australia
Direct Entry Stream
This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by an employer, live and work in Australia permanently.
Stay: Permanently
Processing times:
- 75% of applications: 4 months
- 90% of applications: 8 months
- you must have an occupation that is on the list of eligible skilled occupations
- you must have at least 3 years relevant work experience, unless you are exempt
- you must have a positive skills assessment, unless you are exempt
With this visa, you can
- live, work and study in Australia indefinitely
- sponsor eligible family members to come to Australia
- apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
You must
- 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
With this visa, you can
- stay in Australia indefinitely
- work and study in Australia
- enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare
- sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia
- travel to and from Australia for 5 years
- apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
Newly arrived residents may have to wait before they can access certain Australian Government payments and benefits.
How long you can stay
This is a permanent visa – it lets you stay in Australia indefinitely.
You become a permanent resident on the day the visa is granted.
Your permanent residency for citizenship purposes starts:
- on the day the visa is granted if you are in Australia
- on the day you enter Australia on this visa if you are outside Australia
Include family
You can:
- include family members in your application when you apply
- add family members to your application after you apply but before we decide on your visa
For this visa, your family members are:
- your partner
- your dependent child or stepchild
- your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
- the dependent child or stepchild of your or your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
You can also include someone who holds a subclass 457 visa or subclass 482 visa if we granted them that visa on the basis they are a member of your family.
Family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health and character requirements.
Family members who do not apply for the visa with you might also have to meet the requirements.
Apply from
Apply for this visa from in or outside Australia. If you are in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a related bridging visa A, B or C.
If your substantive visa has a no further stay condition, you might still be able to lodge an application in Australia in certain circumstances.
You can be in or outside Australia when we decide on your application.
Processing times
Your application can take longer to process if:
- you do not fill it in correctly
- you do not include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
- it takes us time to verify your information
We can’t process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.
Applications lodged with all necessary supporting documents (‘complete applications’) can generally be processed more quickly.
Your obligations
You and your family members must obey all Australian laws.
We expect that you will work for your nominating employer for at least 2 years.
You agree to begin your employment within 6 months of:
- entry to Australia if you were granted the visa outside Australia
- the visa grant date if you were granted the visa in Australia
Travel
From the date we grant this visa, you can travel to and from Australia for up to 5 years.
After that period, you will need a Resident Return (RRV) visa to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
If you leave Australia after the expiry date of your travel facility, without being granted another permanent visa with a valid travel facility, for example a Resident Return (RRV), you might not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident.
To see when your travel condition ends, use VEVO.
Visa label
Australian visas are digital. You will not get a label in your passport
Have an eligible occupation
Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.
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.
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.
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.
Exemption
You are exempt from having a skills assessment if you:
- have been nominated as an academic (university lecturer or faculty head at Academic Level A, B, C, D or E) by a university in Australia, or
- have been nominated as a scientist, researcher or technical specialist by an Australian government scientific agency, or
- currently hold a Special Category (subclass 444) or New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (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 prior to the date you applied for the visa
Be nominated
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:
- 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.
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 our health requirement
You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement. We might ask for health information about family not coming to Australia with you.
Meet our character requirement
You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement. We might ask for character information about family not coming to Australia with you.
Sign the Australian values statement
If you are 18 years of age or older, you must:
- have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet and
- sign an Australian Values Statement that confirms you will respect the Australian way of life obey Australian laws.
Have this level of English language
You must have at least competent English to be granted this stream of the visa.
Have paid back your debt to the Australian government
If you owe the Australian Government money, you must have paid it back or have a formal arrangement to pay it back.
Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused
You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia.
186 Visa Australia
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.
Stay: Permanently
Processing times: Unavailable due to low volume of applications
- you must currently work, or will work, for your nominating employer who is party to a labour agreement.
- you must meet the age, skills and English language requirements of the labour agreement
With this visa, you can
- live, work and study in Australia indefinitely
- sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia
- apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
You must
- 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
With this visa, you can
- stay in Australia indefinitely
- work and study in Australia
- enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare
- sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia
- travel to and from Australia for 5 years
- apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
Newly arrived residents may have to wait before they can access certain Australian Government payments and benefits.
How long you can stay
This is a permanent visa – it lets you stay in Australia indefinitely.
You become a permanent resident on the day we grant the visa.
Your permanent residency for citizenship purposes starts:
- on the day the visa is granted if you are in Australia
- on the day you enter Australia on this visa if you are outside Australia
Include family
You can:
- include family members in your application when you apply
- add family members to your application after you apply but before we decide on your visa
For this visa, your family members are:
- your partner
- your dependent child or stepchild
- your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
- the dependent child or stepchild of your or your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
You can also include someone who holds a subclass 457 visa or subclass 482 visa if we granted them that visa on the basis they are a member of your family.
Family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health and character requirements.
Family members who do not apply for the visa with you might also have to meet the requirements.
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.
Second instalment
You will need to pay an extra charge called a second instalment for any family member aged 18 years or older who:
- applies for the visa with you, and
- has less than Functional English
The second instalment for family members who apply for the visa with you is AUD4,890.
If you need to pay the second instalment for a family member, we will send you an invoice after you have met all other requirements for the visa.
Other costs
You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.
To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa pricing estimator. The estimator does not take into account the second instalment or other costs.
Apply from
Apply for this visa from in or outside Australia. If you are in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a related bridging visa A, B or C.
If your substantive visa has a no further stay condition, you might still be able to lodge an application in Australia in certain circumstances.
You can be in or outside Australia when we decide on your application.
Processing times
Your application might take longer to process if:
- you do not fill it in correctly
- you do not include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
- it takes us time to verify your information
We can’t process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.
Your obligations
You and your family members must obey all Australian laws.
We expect that you will work for your nominating employer for at least 2 years.
You agree to begin your employment within 6 months of:
- entry to Australia if you were granted the visa outside Australia
- the visa grant date if you were granted the visa in Australia
Travel
From the date we grant this visa, you can travel to and from Australia for up to 5 years.
After that period, you will need a Resident Return (RRV) visa to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
If you leave Australia after the expiry date of your travel facility, without being granted another permanent visa with a valid travel facility, for example a Resident Return (RRV), you might not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident.
To see when your travel condition ends, use VEVO.
Visa label
We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.
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.
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.
Be nominated
You must be nominated by an Australian employer whose business is:
- actively and lawfully operating in Australia
- party to a labour agreement
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.
Be this age
Unless the labour agreement provides otherwise, you must be aged under 45 years when you apply.
Have this visa
If you are in Australia, you must hold a substantive 457 or TSS visa issued under a labour agreement.
Meet our health requirement
You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement. We might ask for health information about family not coming to Australia with you.
Meet our character requirement
You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement. We might ask for character information about family not coming to Australia with you.
Sign the Australian values statement
If you are 18 years of age or older, you must:
- have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet and
- sign an Australian Values Statement that confirms you will respect the Australian way of life obey Australian laws.
Have paid back your debt to the Australian government
If you owe the Australian Government money, you must have paid it back or have a formal arrangement to pay it back.
Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused
You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia.
186 Visa Australia
Temporary Residence Transition stream
This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by their employer, live and work in Australia permanently.
- you must hold a subclass 457, TSS or related Bridging visa A, B or C
- you must usually, have worked for your employer for at least 3 years full time while holding a subclass 457 or TSS visa
- you must have been nominated by an Australian employer whose nomination was approved in the 6 months before you apply
With this visa, you can
- live, work and study in Australia indefinitely
- sponsor eligible family members to come to Australia
- apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
You must
- 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
With this visa, you can
- stay in Australia indefinitely
- work and study in Australia
- enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare
- sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia
- travel to and from Australia for 5 years
- apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
Newly arrived residents may have to wait before they can access certain Australian Government payments and benefits.
How long you can stay
This is a permanent visa – it lets you stay in Australia indefinitely.
You become a permanent resident on the day the visa is granted.
Your permanent residency for citizenship purposes starts:
- on the day the visa is granted if you are in Australia
- on the day you enter Australia on this visa if you are outside Australia
Include family
You can:
- include family members in your application when you apply
- add family members to your application after you apply but before we decide on your visa
For this visa, your family members are:
- your partner
- your dependent child or stepchild
- your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
- the dependent child or stepchild of your or your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
You can also include someone who holds a subclass 457 visa or subclass 482 visa if we granted them that visa on the basis they are a member of your family.
Family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health and character requirements.
Family members who do not apply for the visa with you might also have to meet the requirements.
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.
Second instalment
You will need to pay an extra charge called a second instalment for any family member aged 18 years or older who:
- applies for the visa with you, and
- has less than Functional English
The second instalment for family members who apply for the visa with you is AUD4,890.
If you need to pay the second instalment for a family member, we will send you an invoice after you have met all other requirements for the visa.
Other costs
You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.
To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa pricing estimator. The estimator does not take into account the second instalment or other costs.
Apply from
Apply for this visa from in or outside Australia. If you are in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a related bridging visa A, B or C.
If your substantive visa has a no further stay condition, you might still be able to lodge an application in Australia in certain circumstances.
You can be in or outside Australia when we decide on your application.
Processing times
Your application can take longer to process if:
- you do not fill it in correctly
- you do not include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
- it takes us time to verify your information
We can’t process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.
Applications lodged with all necessary supporting documents (‘complete applications’) can generally be processed more quickly.
Your obligations
You and your family members must obey all Australian laws.
We expect that you will work for your nominating employer for at least 2 years.
You agree to begin your employment within 6 months of:
- entry to Australia if you were granted the visa outside Australia
- the visa grant date if you were granted the visa in Australia
Travel
From the date we grant this visa, you can travel to and from Australia for up to 5 years.
After that period, you will need a Resident Return (RRV) visa to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
If you leave Australia after the expiry date of your travel facility, without being granted another permanent visa with a valid travel facility, for example a Resident Return (RRV), you might not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident.
To see when your travel condition ends, use VEVO.
Visa label
Australian visas are digital. You will not get a label in your passport
Have an eligible occupation
Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.
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.
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.
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.
Exemption
You are exempt from having a skills assessment if you:
- have been nominated as an academic (university lecturer or faculty head at Academic Level A, B, C, D or E) by a university in Australia, or
- have been nominated as a scientist, researcher or technical specialist by an Australian government scientific agency, or
- currently hold a Special Category (subclass 444) or New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (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 prior to the date you applied for the visa
Be nominated
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:
- 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.
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 our health requirement
You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement. We might ask for health information about family not coming to Australia with you.
Meet our character requirement
You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement. We might ask for character information about family not coming to Australia with you.
Sign the Australian values statement
If you are 18 years of age or older, you must:
- have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet and
- sign an Australian Values Statement that confirms you will respect the Australian way of life obey Australian laws.
Have this level of English language
You must have at least competent English to be granted this stream of the visa.
Have paid back your debt to the Australian government
If you owe the Australian Government money, you must have paid it back or have a formal arrangement to pay it back.
Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused
You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia.
Read And Associates offer Professional Guidance
Here at Read and Associates our team of migration agents can provide you with the appropriate guidance and advice which will help you put forth the best visa application possible. Specialising in applications for medical professionals, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can work with you. Book a consultation to find out more.
