Australia’s Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) is one of the most reliable pathways to permanent residency for skilled workers. Understanding 186 visa requirements is crucial because eligibility depends on multiple factors—your employer, your occupation, your experience, and the visa stream you apply under.
This guide explains everything in a structured, data-backed, and practical way—covering subclass 186 requirements, English criteria, employer obligations, partner requirements, and stream-specific rules.
The Subclass 186 is a permanent residence visa granted to skilled workers nominated by an approved Australian employer. It falls under the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) and is administered by the Department of Home Affairs.
There are two primary streams under this visa:
Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) Stream – For applicants already working in Australia on a Subclass 457 or 482 visa
Direct Entry (DE) Stream – For skilled workers applying from outside Australia or those who don't meet TRT requirements
A third stream, the Labour Agreement Stream, applies to workers sponsored through a formal labour agreement between an employer and the Australian Government.
Permanent residency from day one
Work and live anywhere in Australia
Include eligible family members
Access to Medicare (public healthcare)
Pathway to Australian citizenship
Before diving into stream-specific criteria, here’s a quick snapshot of 186 PR visa requirements:
Understanding the streams is essential because 186 visa criteria vary significantly:
Before an applicant can apply for permanent residency under the Employer Nomination Scheme, the sponsoring employer must first lodge a nomination that satisfies the 186 nomination requirements set by the Department of Home Affairs.
This is a two-step process:
Employer nomination approval
Visa application by the candidate
The nomination stage is critical because it verifies that the position, salary, and business meet Australia’s skilled migration standards.
The 186 visa employer requirements are designed to ensure that only genuine, compliant businesses can sponsor skilled workers for permanent roles in Australia.
To meet the employer requirements for 186 visa, the sponsoring business must satisfy the following conditions:
These requirements are intentionally strict because the subclass 186 visa grants permanent residency. Employers cannot nominate roles solely to fill temporary shortages—the position must reflect a genuine long-term need within the business.
Additionally, the nominated role must closely align with the applicant’s:
Qualifications
Work experience
Skills and occupation profile
A key part of the 186 visa criteria is ensuring that the nominee is paid fairly according to Australian labour standards.
The offered salary must meet both:
The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), and
The Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR)
The higher of the two applies.
The TSMIT is updated periodically by the Australian Government
It acts as a minimum salary benchmark for skilled migration
The AMSR ensures the nominee is paid equivalent to an Australian worker in the same role
Applicants whose salary does not meet these benchmarks are generally not eligible, unless specific exemptions apply under labour agreements or special arrangements.
The 186 nomination requirements play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of Australia’s skilled migration program.
They ensure:
Fair wages for migrant workers
Protection of the local labour market
Genuine employment opportunities
Alignment between employer needs and applicant skills
For applicants, a strong and compliant nomination significantly improves the chances of visa approval. Even if you meet all personal eligibility criteria, your application can still be refused if the employer fails to meet nomination standards.
The 186 TRT requirements (Temporary Residence Transition stream) are designed for skilled workers who are already employed in Australia on a subclass 457 or Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa and are transitioning to permanent residency through their sponsoring employer.
This pathway is ideal for applicants who have demonstrated ongoing employment and contribution to their employer over a sustained period.
To meet the 186 TRT requirements, applicants must generally satisfy the following:
You must have held a subclass 457 or 482 visa and worked for your sponsoring employer for at least two years, subject to current policy settings and transitional provisions
You must have been employed in the nominated occupation (or a closely related role) during this period
You must continue to work for the same nominating employer
You must meet the 186 english requirement, along with health and character requirements
Your employer must lodge a valid nomination and meet all 186 visa employer requirements
Unlike the Direct Entry stream, the TRT pathway places greater emphasis on employment continuity and employer relationship, rather than a fresh skills assessment.
In the TRT stream, the occupation does not always need to meet the same strict skilled occupation list criteria as the Direct Entry stream. However, the role must still be genuine and consistent with your employment history and visa conditions.
Applicants who hold a subclass 482 visa under the short-term stream are generally not eligible for the TRT pathway.
However, eligibility may vary depending on:
Transitional arrangements
Policy updates
Individual visa history
Because this is a common area of confusion, applicants should carefully assess their visa conditions before applying.
The Direct Entry stream is suitable for offshore applicants or those who don’t qualify under TRT.
Positive skills assessment
Minimum 3 years relevant work experience
Occupation listed on eligible skilled occupation list
Meet 186 english requirement
Employer nomination approved
The 186 english requirement is a key eligibility criterion for the Employer Nomination Scheme visa. The primary applicant must demonstrate Competent English through an approved English language test, unless exempt.
To meet the subclass 186 visa requirements, applicants must achieve the following minimum scores:
These scores reflect the standard for Competent English, which is required across most employer-sponsored visa pathways.
The 186 visa partner english requirement is different from the primary applicant.
Partners included in the application are not required to demonstrate Competent English, but they must either:
Show Functional English, or
Pay an additional visa application charge (second instalment)
Functional English is a lower threshold and can typically be demonstrated through:
Basic English test results (e.g., IELTS average 4.5)
Evidence of education in English
Citizenship from certain English-speaking countries
You may be exempt from the English test requirement if you hold a passport from:
United Kingdom
United States
Canada
New Zealand
Republic of Ireland
In such cases, you are considered to meet the 186 english requirement automatically.
Meeting the 186 visa criteria for English is straightforward for most applicants, but it’s important to distinguish between:
Competent English (mandatory for primary applicants)
Functional English (applicable to partners)
Providing the correct evidence at the time of application helps avoid delays, additional costs, or visa complications.
The 186 visa work experience requirements vary depending on the visa stream, but for most applicants under the Direct Entry pathway, you are generally required to have at least three years of full-time (or equivalent part-time) skilled work experience in your nominated occupation.
Your work experience must:
Be relevant to the nominated occupation
Be verifiable and well-documented through payslips, tax records, employment letters, and references
Be consistent with the skills and duties outlined in the occupation’s ANZSCO classification
In some cases, be completed after obtaining the required qualification, depending on the assessing authority
Under the Direct Entry stream, a positive skills assessment is required. The relevant assessing authority will evaluate whether your work experience aligns with Australian standards for the occupation.
Work experience gained overseas is generally accepted, provided it is relevant and supported by proper documentation.
For applicants under the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream, the focus is more on continuous employment with the sponsoring employer rather than a strict three-year skilled experience requirement.
The 186 visa requirements can vary depending on your occupation, assessing authority, and visa stream. Below is a breakdown of requirements for some of the most commonly nominated professions.
Registered nurses applying under the subclass 186 visa requirements must typically:
Obtain a positive skills assessment from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council
Hold a nursing qualification recognised in Australia
Be registered or eligible for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
Meet the 186 english requirement through an approved test (IELTS, OET, PTE, or equivalent)
Demonstrate relevant clinical work experience (often expected post-qualification, depending on assessment criteria)
Nurses already working in Australia on a subclass 482 visa may be eligible for the 186 TRT requirements, provided they meet employment continuity conditions.
For accountants, skills assessment is conducted by one of the following bodies:
CPA Australia
Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
Institute of Public Accountants
Key 186 visa requirements for accountants include:
A bachelor’s degree or higher in accounting or a related field
A positive skills assessment confirming alignment with the nominated ANZSCO occupation
Relevant work experience (typically expected to be post-qualification)
Meeting the 186 english requirement (IELTS 6.0 or equivalent)
Nomination in an eligible occupation list, depending on the visa stream
Chefs applying under the subclass 186 requirements are generally assessed by Trades Recognition Australia.
Typical requirements include:
A relevant trade qualification in commercial cookery (e.g., Certificate III or equivalent)
At least three years of relevant full-time work experience (or equivalent)
Employment aligned with the nominated occupation (e.g., Chef – ANZSCO 351311)
Meeting the 186 english requirement
Employer nomination from a genuine and lawfully operating business
It is important to note that Chef (ANZSCO 351311) and Cook (ANZSCO 351411) are distinct occupations with different assessment criteria and eligibility pathways.
In some cases, employers in regional areas may experience skill shortages, which can influence nomination opportunities. However, this does not change the core 186 visa criteria, and all eligibility requirements must still be met.
The 186 visa dependent requirements allow the primary applicant to include family members in their application. Eligible dependants include:
Spouse/partner
Dependent children
Stepchildren
Must be declared in application
Must meet health and character requirements
Understanding the difference between streams is essential when evaluating 186 visa requirements and choosing the right pathway to permanent residency.
The choice between streams depends on your employment history, visa status, and eligibility under subclass 186 requirements.
The TRT stream is generally more straightforward for applicants already working in Australia
The Direct Entry stream is more suitable for offshore applicants or those without long-term employer sponsorship
No. The subclass 186 visa requirements include a valid nomination from an Australian employer. You cannot apply independently or self-nominate.
Applicants must generally be under 45 years of age at the time of application or nomination. Some exemptions may apply under labour agreements or for specific occupations.
The primary applicant must demonstrate Competent English, typically IELTS 6.0 in each band or an equivalent score in PTE, TOEFL, OET, or Cambridge tests, unless exempt.
No. IELTS is not mandatory. Applicants can choose from multiple accepted tests such as PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, OET, or Cambridge English, depending on preference.
Yes. Dependants included in the application receive permanent residency, which provides full and unrestricted work rights in Australia.
Partners must be legally married or in a de facto relationship, meet health and character requirements, and either demonstrate functional English or pay an additional visa charge.
For most applicants under the Direct Entry stream, at least three years of relevant skilled work experience is required. TRT applicants must meet employment continuity requirements with their sponsoring employer.
The 186 visa grants permanent residency and has stricter eligibility criteria, including higher work experience and nomination requirements. The 482 visa is temporary and may lead to PR through the TRT pathway.
Generally, no. The 186 visa dependent requirements allow only a partner and dependent children. Parents are included only in limited cases where financial dependency can be proven.
Employers must be lawfully operating in Australia, offer a genuine full-time role, meet salary benchmarks (TSMIT and AMSR), and satisfy all 186 nomination requirements.
Understanding 186 visa requirements is the foundation of a successful PR application. Whether you apply through TRT or Direct Entry, each pathway has specific conditions that must align perfectly with your profile and your employer’s eligibility.
A strategic, well-documented application—supported by accurate nomination and strong work evidence—can make the difference between approval and refusal.
