Subclass 186 is an employer-nominated permanent visa with Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition and Labour Agreement pathways. Requirements differ by stream; eligibility is never automatic.
Permanent residenceLast verified: 18 October 2026
Permanent Guide to the current pathway, not an eligibility determination.
Subclass 186 is an employer-nominated permanent visa with Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition and Labour Agreement pathways. Requirements differ by stream; eligibility is never automatic.
Direct Entry generally requires a relevant occupation and a skills assessment unless exempt; Temporary Residence Transition applies to eligible 457/482 or related bridging visa holders; Labour Agreement follows the terms of an applicable agreement.
The employer nomination must satisfy the appropriate stream rules. Employment, salary, genuine need, position and licensing evidence may be required.
Permanent residence is granted if the visa is approved; the initial travel facility normally has a 5-year duration. Later travel may require a Resident Return visa.
For Temporary Residence Transition, eligible sponsored employment usually totals 2 years within the 3 years before application, subject to precise criteria and exemptions.
Subclass 186 is an employer-nominated permanent visa with Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition and Labour Agreement pathways. Requirements differ by stream; eligibility is never automatic.
A permanent residence visa for skilled workers nominated by an eligible Australian employer.
Start with these themes, then verify the relevant visa stream and current government criteria before any application.
A lawful nominating employer must offer and nominate a position under the relevant stream.
Direct Entry applicants generally need an eligible occupation and required skills assessment, unless an exemption applies.
Temporary Residence Transition generally requires eligible sponsored employment over the specified period and an eligible existing visa or bridging status.
Meet the stream-specific age, English, health, character and any licensing requirements.
Sequence matters. Each stage depends on the evidence collected at the one before it.
Compare Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition and Labour Agreement criteria.
Review sponsor eligibility, position availability and nomination evidence.
Assess occupation, sponsorship work history, skills and English under the selected stream.
Ensure the nomination and visa applications align and submit before relevant deadlines.
The TRT route should not be described as an automatic conversion from subclass 482.
Relevant sponsorship employment dates matter; casual assumptions about time worked can cause errors.
A previously lodged nomination cannot always be swapped into an existing application if circumstances change.
For the TRT stream, the current Home Affairs guidance generally refers to two years of eligible full-time sponsored employment within the three years before application, subject to detailed rules.
Answers reflect the official program material checked in October 2026. Individual facts can change the outcome.
Yes. Grant confers permanent residence.
Not for every stream. Direct Entry and some Labour Agreement arrangements have different eligibility pathways.
No. Employer nomination must satisfy applicable sponsorship, position and business requirements.
Read the official visa pages before relying on a threshold, stream, deadline, occupation list or eligibility claim.
Official Home Affairs references · Reviewed 18 October 2026