186 Employer Nominated Scheme

This visa is a permanent residence visa for skilled workers. It allows you to work in Australia under one of three streams:

• Temporary Residence Transition stream
• Direct Entry stream
• Labour Agreement stream.

Eligibility

• You should have been nominated by an Australian employer and this nomination should have been approved within the six months before applying for this visa
• You are under the age of 45 at the time of application
• Have appropriate English language skills
• Meet health and character requirements
• Meet the requirements of the stream in which you apply.

Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream

This stream may be available if your employer wishes to sponsor you for permanent residence.

You may be eligible under this stream if you hold a:

• Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (subclass 482) and have worked for your employer full-time in Australia on your TSS and for at least:
• three out of the previous four years (before the nomination is made) in the same position that they have nominated you for or
• two out of the previous three years before the nomination is made, if transitional arrangements apply

Direct Entry (DE) stream

If you do not meet the requirements under the TRT stream (for example, because you have never, or only briefly worked in Australia), this stream may be available if your employer still wishes to sponsor you for permanent residence.

Labor Agreement (LA) stream

This stream may be available if your employer wishes to sponsor you for permanent residence and has entered into a labour agreement with the Department that provides for a permanent residence pathway.

Length of stay: Permanently

Cost: AUD 4,045

Location: You can be in or outside Australia when you apply. If you are in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a bridging visa A, B or C.

What you can do with this visa

• Stay in Australia indefinitely
• Work and study in Australia
• Enrol in Medicare
• Apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• Sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
• Travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted