Does the Visa 186 Have a Points Test? Its Edge Over Skilled Visas

One of the strongest features of the Visa 186 compared with skilled visas is that there is no points test and no competition within the EOI pool. If you meet the criteria, you can be approved — there is no “not enough points” or “no invitation.”

The Visa 186 does not use SkillSelect

The 189 and 190 skilled visas require you to:

1. Lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect
2. Compete on points with thousands of other applicants
3. Wait for the DHA or a state to send an invitation
4. Only then lodge a visa application

The Visa 186 skips this entire process. No EOI, no SkillSelect, no waiting for an invitation.

How the Visa 186 works

The Visa 186 is an employer-sponsored visa. The process is:

1. The employer lodges a nomination for a specific position
2. The nomination is approved
3. You lodge the Visa 186 application
4. The DHA assesses your individual case
5. The visa is approved if you meet the criteria — it does not depend on anyone else’s score

Who benefits most from this model

The Visa 186 is particularly useful for people who:

• Have a low EOI score because of age (over 40) or limited experience
• Work in an occupation without strong English points or have IELTS below 7.0
• Already have an employer ready to sponsor and do not want to wait for an EOI invitation
• Work in an MLTSSL occupation where the invited pool is very competitive

Limitations of the Visa 186 compared with the 189/190

Although there is no points test, the Visa 186 has its own requirements:

• It depends on an employer — you must have one willing to sponsor you
• The occupation must be on the STSOL/MLTSSL list or covered by a Labour Agreement
• You must work for that employer after approval (at least 2 yearsPending verification under the rules)
• You cannot apply on your own — an employer is always the intermediary

The Visa 189 (independent) needs no employer at all. That is the advantage of the 189 — but in return you must have a high enough EOI score.

Comparing processing times

Visa 186 TRT stream: 2–3 years (often longer than the 189/190 because of the large volume of applications and the more complex assessment).

Visa 189/190: After an invitation (which can take a long time if the pool is competitive) plus roughly 6–12 months to process the visa.

In practice, many people wait longer for a 189/190 invitation than the time it takes to process a 186.