Employer Nominated Visas are a type of Australian visa that allows skilled workers to live and work in Australia on a permanent basis. These visas are designed for individuals who have been nominated by an Australian employer to fill a position that cannot be filled by an Australian worker.

There are three streams under the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa:

The Temporary Residence Transition stream: 482 visa

This stream is for skilled workers who have been working in Australia on a Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa for at least three years and have been nominated by their employer for permanent residency.

The Direct Entry stream: 186 visa

Visa 186 via direct entry stream is a type of work visa that can only be granted if you are nominated for this visa. Both you and your sponsor must meet several criteria so that the Department can grant you visa 186- direct entry stream.

How Do I Get a 186 Visa via the Direct Stream?

You will get a visa 186 through the direct stream if you meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Your profession is listed in the skilled occupations segment (see the full list here).

• You have at least three years of work experience in that line of work.

• You must have a work licence or be registered or a part of a professional group (if applicable).

• You must have a positive skills assessment.

• You are nominated by a sponsor in Australia.

• You are under 45 years of age.

Skills Assessment

For a direct entry stream, you are required to submit a skill assessment report. This assessment is conducted by relevant authorities that are listed in the skilled occupations section- you are responsible for contacting the relevant authorities to obtain a skills assessment.

Your skills assessment must be valid at the time of application. If the relevant authority that issued your assessment has not specified the expiry date, then the assessment is valid for three years from the issue date.

Exemptions

You will be exempt from the age requirement, skill assessment, and work experience requirements if you:

• Were nominated for an academic position by a university in Australia, i.e., university lecturer or faculty head at the Academic level A, B, C, D, or E.

• Were nominated for a scientist position, researcher, or technical specialist by an Australian scientific government agency.

• You worked for at least two years (excluding unpaid leave) out of the three before your visa application, and you currently hold a special category visa 444 or a visa 461.

The Agreement stream:

This stream is for skilled workers who have been nominated by an employer under a labour agreement.

If your application is successful, you will be granted a permanent visa that allows you to live and work in Australia. You will also be eligible to apply for Australian citizenship after a certain period of time.

It is recommended that you seek the advice of a registered migration agent to determine your eligibility and improve your chances of successfully obtaining the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa.