186 Visa Requirements in Australia (2026)

To qualify for the Subclass 186 visa, an approved Australian employer must nominate you, you must meet the rules of your stream, and you must usually be under 45, speak competent English and meet the health and character requirements. The stream decides the rest: Direct Entry is built around your occupation, skills assessment and work experience, while the Temporary Residence Transition stream is built around your time with a sponsoring employer.

The 186 is a permanent visa with no points test, so the 186 visa requirements are really about three things: your employer, your job and you. This guide covers all three in plain English, including the salary and fee changes from 1 July 2026.

What Is the Subclass 186 Visa?

The Employer Nomination Scheme visa (Subclass 186) lets skilled workers nominated by an Australian employer live and work in Australia permanently. You can apply from inside or outside Australia, depending on the stream.

There are three streams:

• Direct Entry: for skilled workers who need to show their skills and experience, usually without a prior sponsored visa.
• Temporary Residence Transition (TRT): for people who have worked for their sponsoring employer on a Subclass 482 (or earlier 457) visa.
• Labour Agreement: for workers nominated under a labour agreement the employer has with the Australian Government.

Which stream you use depends on your work history and your employer’s arrangements. If you are still on a temporary work visa, our guide to the Skills in Demand visa (482) explains the earlier step.

186 Visa Requirements for Applicants

These are the main requirements Home Affairs lists for the Direct Entry stream. The Temporary Residence Transition stream shares many of them, with some differences covered in the next section.

Be nominated by an employer

An Australian employer whose business is actively and lawfully operating must nominate you. You must lodge your visa application within six months of the nomination being approved.

The Department cannot grant the visa if it has adverse information about your nominator, if the nomination is withdrawn, or if the position is no longer available. In some of these cases you may be eligible for a refund of the visa application charge.

Have an eligible occupation

For Direct Entry, your occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). You can check the list on the Home Affairs skilled occupation list page.

Have relevant work experience

Unless you are exempt, most Direct Entry applicants need at least three years of relevant work experience in their occupation. If you are exempt from the skills assessment, you are also exempt from this work experience requirement.

Have a positive skills assessment

Most Direct Entry applicants need a skills assessment showing they have the skills for the nominated position. You are exempt if any of these apply:

• You are nominated as an academic (university lecturer or faculty head at Academic Level A to E) by a university in Australia.
• You are nominated as a scientist, researcher or technical specialist by an Australian government scientific agency.
• You hold a Special Category (subclass 444) or New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (subclass 461) visa and have worked for the nominating employer in the nominated position for at least two of the last three years before you applied.

Meet licensing or registration rules

You must be licensed, registered or a member of a professional body if that is mandatory in the state or territory where you plan to work.

Be under 45, unless exempt

You usually need to be under 45 when you apply. There are exemptions, which are explained in the age section below.

Have competent English

You must have at least competent English for this stream. A dependent applicant aged 18 or older should show at least functional English. If they cannot, you may need to pay the second instalment of the visa application charge when the Department asks.

Meet health and character requirements

You and your family members applying with you must meet the health requirement. The Department may ask for health information about family members who are not coming to Australia.

You and family members aged 16 or over who apply with you must meet the character requirement. Again, the Department may ask for character information about family not travelling with you.

Sign the Australian values statement

If you are 18 or older, you must read (or have explained to you) the Life in Australia booklet, and sign the Australian values statement.

Pay back any debt to the Australian Government

If you owe the Government money, you must have repaid it or have a formal arrangement to repay it.

Visa history

The Department considers your immigration history, so a past visa cancellation or refusal may affect your eligibility. In some cases you can still apply for a permanent visa, so check the limits that apply to your situation.

186 Visa Requirements by Stream

The table gives a quick comparison. Always read the current requirements for your own stream on the Department’s website.

In the TRT stream, the qualifying work generally needs to have been done while your employer was an approved work sponsor. Check the Department’s TRT page for the exact timing rules.

186 Visa Age Requirement and Exemptions

As a rule, you must be under 45 on the day you apply. The age is checked at application, not at nomination.

On the Direct Entry stream page, Home Affairs lists these exemptions:

• You are nominated as an academic (Academic Level B, C, D or E) by an Australian university.
• You are nominated as a scientist, researcher or technical specialist at a skill level 1 or 2 role by a Federal, State or Territory government science agency, or by an Australian university.
• You hold a subclass 444 or 461 visa and have worked for the nominating employer in the nominated position for at least two of the last three years immediately before you apply. The two years exclude unpaid leave.

Other exemptions, such as the Fair Work High Income Threshold, are reported for the TRT stream. That threshold is reported as A$190,100 from 1 July 2026, but the conditions are strict, so read the TRT page before you rely on it.

If you are close to 45, see our guide on getting PR in Australia after 45.

186 Visa Employer and Salary Requirements

Your visa depends on your employer’s nomination, so their side matters as much as yours.

• An approved, lawful business. The employer must be actively and lawfully operating in Australia.
• A genuine position. The role needs to be a real, ongoing job for the nominated occupation.
• The right salary. The salary must meet the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) and the market rate for the role, whichever is higher.
• Nomination fee and levy. The employer pays a nomination charge and the Skilling Australians Fund levy.

For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the CSIT is A$79,423. It was A$76,515 before that date. Some sites quote a slightly different number, so your employer should confirm the figure on the Home Affairs salary requirements page before lodging.

Home Affairs indexes these thresholds each year, so a nomination lodged just before or after 1 July can face a different salary test.

186 Visa Document Checklist

The exact list depends on your stream and circumstances. Use the checklist in ImmiAccount as your guide. Most applicants prepare the following.

Identity and personal documents

• Passport identity page
• Birth certificate or other identity documents, if requested
• Evidence of any change of name

Nomination and employment

• Details of your approved nomination
• Employment contract and evidence of your position
• Work experience evidence, such as reference letters and payslips
• For TRT, proof of your sponsored work history

Skills and licensing

• Positive skills assessment (Direct Entry), or evidence of an exemption
• Licence, registration or membership, if mandatory for your occupation

English

• English test result or other evidence of competent English
• Evidence of functional English for dependants aged 18 or over, if available

Health, character and values

• Health examination results, as requested
• Police certificates, as requested
• Signed Australian values statement (applicants aged 18 and over)

Family members

• Identity and relationship documents for each family member included

186 Visa Application Process

1. Check eligibility. Confirm your stream, your occupation, your age and your work history.
2. Get nominated. Your employer lodges the nomination, and the Department must approve it.
3. Gather your documents. Prepare your skills assessment, English results and identity papers.
4. Lodge your visa application. Apply within six months of your nomination being approved.
5. Complete checks. Arrange health examinations and police certificates when requested.
6. Respond to requests. Answer any request for information before the deadline.
7. Wait for the decision. The Department notifies you of the outcome.

186 Visa Cost in 2026

As checked on 14 October 2026, the visa application charge for the main applicant is from A$6,140 for applications from 1 July 2026. It was A$4,910 in the 2025–26 financial year.

Employers pay separately. The nomination fee is reported at A$540, and the Skilling Australians Fund levy is extra and depends on the business.

Other costs may apply, such as a skills assessment, English tests, health examinations and police certificates. A dependent aged 18 or over without functional English may also trigger a second instalment of the visa charge.

The charge is set by the date the Department receives your application. Confirm the current amounts with the Visa Pricing Estimator before you lodge.

186 Visa Processing Time

Processing times differ by stream and change every month. Home Affairs publishes them in its visa processing times guide, which reflects recently decided applications and is not a guarantee.

To check the current estimate, open the official processing times guide, choose the Employer Nomination Scheme visa, select your stream and enter your application date.

Common Problems With 186 Visa Requirements

• Missing the six-month window. The visa application must be lodged within six months of the nomination being approved.
• Occupation not on the list. For Direct Entry, the occupation must be on the CSOL.
• Not enough relevant experience. Unless exempt, Direct Entry applicants need about three years in the occupation.
• Salary below the threshold. The nominated salary must meet the CSIT and the market rate.
• Turning 45 before lodging. The age rule applies on the day you apply, unless you qualify for an exemption.
• Nomination changes. If the nomination is withdrawn or the position is no longer available, the visa cannot be granted.
• Weak English evidence. You need at least competent English for the stream.
• Unresolved debt or visa history. Debts to the Government and past cancellations or refusals can affect the application.

Any one of these does not always mean a refusal, but each is worth checking before you lodge.

186 Visa Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements for a 186 visa?

You need to be nominated by an eligible employer and meet your stream’s rules. You must also usually be under 45, have competent English, and meet health, character, values and debt requirements.

What is the age limit for the 186 visa?

You must usually be under 45 when you apply, unless an exemption applies. Exemptions include certain academics, scientists, researchers and technical specialists, and some 444 or 461 visa holders.

Do I need a skills assessment for the 186 visa?

Most Direct Entry applicants do. The TRT stream generally does not require one. Exemptions exist for academics, certain scientists and researchers, and some 444 and 461 visa holders.

How much work experience do I need for a 186 visa?

For Direct Entry, most applicants need at least three years of relevant work experience, unless exempt. For TRT, you need to have worked for your nominating employer on a sponsored visa for the required period, usually two years in the last three.

What is the minimum salary for the 186 visa?

The salary must meet the Core Skills Income Threshold and the market rate, whichever is higher. For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, the CSIT is A$79,423.

Is there an English requirement for the 186 visa?

Yes. Direct Entry applicants need at least competent English. A dependent applicant aged 18 or over should show functional English, or a second instalment of the visa charge may apply.

How much does the 186 visa cost?

The main applicant’s visa charge is from A$6,140 for applications from 1 July 2026. Your employer pays a separate nomination fee and levy. Confirm all amounts before you lodge.

How long do I have to apply after my employer nominates me?

You must lodge your visa application within six months of the nomination being approved.

Can I apply for a 186 visa from overseas?

Yes, in some cases. The Direct Entry stream is open to applicants outside Australia, but you must meet all the requirements for the stream.

Where can I check the latest 186 visa requirements?

On the Department of Home Affairs Employer Nomination Scheme page. Choose your stream and check the Eligibility and Step by step tabs.

Disclaimer

Important: This article provides general information only. Visa requirements, charges and processing times change, and your eligibility depends on your individual circumstances. Always check the latest information on the official Department of Home Affairs website before you make a visa application. For advice about your situation, consider speaking with a registered migration agent or qualified legal professional.