Permanent residence through your employer, planned before the clock runs out.
The 186 is the permanent visa at the end of most 482 journeys. It is refused far more often on age, English and timing than on the job itself. We look at those three things first, sometimes years before the application is lodged.
Government charges, subclass 186
- Visa application charge, main applicant$6,140
- Nominationemployer$540
- Skilling Australians Fund levy, onceemployer, turnover under or over $10m$3,000 or $5,000
- Administrative Review Tribunal, if refusedreduced by half in financial hardship$3,727
As at 1 July 2026. Dependants and second-instalment English charges are additional.
Temporary Residence Transition or Direct Entry.
Same visa, two very different tests. Most 482 holders use TRT. Direct Entry suits people with a strong skills assessment and years of experience who have never held a 482.
| Requirement | TRT stream | Direct Entry stream |
|---|---|---|
| Prior visa | Two years on a 482 (or 457) with the nominating employer, in the nominated occupation | None required |
| Skills assessment | Not required in most cases | Required, from the relevant assessing authority |
| Work experience | Two years with the sponsor counts | Three years of full-time relevant experience |
| Occupation | The occupation nominated on the 482 | Must be on the Core Skills Occupation List |
| Age | Under 45 at application, with exemptions | Under 45 at application, with exemptions |
| English | Competent (IELTS 6.0 in each band or equivalent) | Competent (IELTS 6.0 in each band or equivalent) |
| Salary | Market rate and at least $79,423 CSIT | Market rate and at least $79,423 CSIT |
Turning 45 is the deadline nobody plans for.
You must be under 45 when the 186 application is lodged, not when it is decided. If you are 42 on a four-year 482, the two-year TRT clock and the nomination need to be sequenced now.
Exemptions that exist
Academics nominated by a university, scientists and researchers at Australian government scientific agencies, regional medical practitioners with two years of service, and TRT applicants who earned the Fair Work High Income Threshold for each of the qualifying years.
The 457 transitional group
People who held or had applied for a 457 on 18 April 2017 can be nominated up to age 50 under the transitional arrangements, provided the other TRT criteria are met.
What we do about it
We calculate your exact eligibility date, tell the employer when the nomination must be lodged, and where an exemption is available we build the evidence for it from the start rather than at the last minute.
What the nominating business has to prove.
The 186 nomination is assessed on the employer's need and capacity as much as on the employee. We prepare both sides in one matter so the evidence lines up.
- 01
Genuine, full-time, ongoing role
A position that will exist for at least two years, with a written contract and no exclusion of the possibility of extension.
- 02
Salary at market rate
Evidence of what an Australian worker in the same role and location earns, and terms no less favourable than that.
- 03
Lawful operation and training
A lawfully operating business with no adverse information, paying the SAF levy at nomination.
- 04
Nomination lodged first
The visa can be lodged at the same time as the nomination but cannot be granted until the nomination is approved. We lodge them together where the evidence supports it.
186 visa, answered plainly.
Do I need to stay with my employer after the 186 is granted?
The visa carries no condition requiring you to stay, but the Department can look at whether the position was genuine if you leave immediately. A reasonable period with the employer after grant is prudent and, if circumstances change early, we advise on how to document the reason.
Can time with a previous employer count towards TRT?
Only time working for the nominating employer, in the nominated occupation, on a 482 or 457 counts. Time on other visas or with other sponsors does not. A change of sponsor restarts the two-year clock.
What if my occupation is not on the Core Skills Occupation List?
For TRT, the list does not apply: you are nominated in the occupation on your 482. For Direct Entry the occupation must be on the list. If it is not, TRT after a 482 or a labour agreement pathway may still be open.
Does the 186 have a regional equivalent?
The subclass 494 leads to the subclass 191 for regional workers, and designated area migration agreements can provide permanent pathways with concessions on age, English and salary. We compare these with the 186 when the numbers are marginal.
What happens if the 186 is refused?
Most 186 refusals can be reviewed at the Administrative Review Tribunal, and the application keeps you on a bridging visa while the review runs if you applied onshore. The fee is $3,727 and there are strict time limits, usually 21 days from the refusal notice.
Find out exactly when you become eligible.
One consultation gives you the date, the stream, the age and English position, and what the employer has to do. Fixed fee quoted afterwards.