Visa 186 (ENS): Employer-Sponsored PR Pathway
The subclass 186 visa — the Employer Nomination Scheme — is one of the most direct routes to permanent residence in Australia when an Australian business sponsors you. Unlike the independent skilled pathways (such as the 189), which need no sponsor, the 186 always runs through a business that nominates you for a specific role.
The first thing to understand: the 186 is not a single path but three streams that differ in conditions and audience. Choosing the right stream is the first step that shapes where your application goes.
The three streams of the 186
Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) is for someone already holding an employer-sponsored work visa — most commonly the 482 — who has worked long enough for that same employer. The current reference point is 2 years working in the nominated role. This is the route most people moving from a 482 to PR will take.
Direct Entry (DE) is for someone who has not gone through a long employer-sponsored work stage — lodging straight for permanent residence. In return, this stream usually asks more on proving skills: a skills assessment and relevant work experience. People who have not worked in Australia under sponsorship usually fall here.
Labour Agreement is for cases where a business has a separate labour agreement with the government — less common, applying to certain industries or regions with specific arrangements.
Who the 186 suits
The 186 fits when you have a genuine skilled job and a real Australian business that needs — and is willing to nominate — that role. If you are on a 482 and have stayed with the employer long enough, the TRT stream is usually the natural path. If you have strong skills but have not been through a 482 stage, Direct Entry is the one to consider.
On age, the general reference point is 45 years old at the time of applying — but some groups are exempt from this limit. There are also English, health, and character requirements, as with any permanent residence application.
Cost and processing time
The base application charge for the 186 is currently 6,140 AUD for the main applicant — not including charges for accompanying dependants and the costs of health checks, translations, and skills assessment where applicable. Processing times vary by stage and by case — more complex cases can take considerably longer, and times differ between streams; check the Home Affairs Global visa processing times tool for the current estimate.
These figures change with each Home Affairs adjustment. On this page they are shown with a status label and source, so you always know whether a figure is a reference point or a verified value.
What to do next
The first job is to work out which stream you fall under, because the TRT and Direct Entry conditions differ quite a lot. Only then comes preparing evidence for that specific stream — a skills assessment, experience, or time worked with the nominating employer.
Every case is different, especially where there is something to weigh up (close to the age cut-off, an occupation not on the list, an earlier gap in employment). Those situations are better reviewed by a registered migration agent (MARA) than left to guesswork. This page helps you see the overall picture and ask the right questions when you seek advice.