The Three Streams of Visa 186 and How They Differ
The Subclass 186 visa is not a single pathway. It has three streams, and the stream you fall under determines almost all of the requirements for your application. Getting the stream wrong is one of the common reasons people prepare the wrong evidence. This article compares the three streams so you can identify the right pathway before going into the detail.
Temporary Residence Transition (TRT)
TRT is for people holding an employer-sponsored work visa — most commonly the Subclass 482 — who want to be nominated by that same employer for permanent residence. The defining requirement of TRT is the period of work for the nominating employer: the current reference point is 2 years working in the nominated position.
This is the natural stream for someone who has already travelled some distance on a 482. The logic is: you have demonstrated your capability through actual work over time, so you step up to permanent residence on the basis of that employment relationship.
Direct Entry (DE)
Direct Entry is for people who lodge straight for permanent residence without going through a long work-visa stage. In exchange, this stream is heavier on demonstrating your skills: it usually requires a skills assessment (mandatory for most occupations) and a level of relevant work experience, referenced at around 3 years.
People who have never worked in Australia under sponsorship, or who want to go straight to PR, generally fall into this group. DE requires a solid skills case from the start.
Labour Agreement
The Labour Agreement stream applies where a business has a separate labour agreement with the government — usually for industries or regions with a specific agreement. This is the least common stream, and its requirements depend on the content of the particular agreement, so it is hard to summarise into a single set of figures.
Which stream to choose
A quick way to orient yourself: if you are on a 482 and have worked long enough with your employer, look towards TRT. If you have strong skills but have not been through a 482 and want to go straight in, consider Direct Entry. If your employer operates in an industry with its own labour agreement, ask them about a Labour Agreement.
The first two streams cover most cases, and their requirements differ enough to be worth reading about separately. Your specific situation — particularly when you are on the boundary between two streams — should be reviewed by a registered migration agent (MARA) rather than guessed at.