$6,140
Main applicant charge
Under 45, unless exempt
Age limit
2 years in the last 3
TRT: time on a 482 or 457
3 years full-time
Direct Entry: experience
A permanent visa for skilled workers nominated by an Australian employer. Most people use the Temporary Residence Transition stream after 2 years on a 482 visa, or the Direct Entry stream with a skills assessment and 3 years of experience.
| Requirement | Temporary Residence Transition | Direct Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Holders of a 482 (Skills in Demand or Temporary Skill Shortage) or 457 visa nominated by their sponsoring employer for a permanent position in the same occupation | Skilled workers nominated in an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, in or outside Australia |
| Visa and work history | Hold a 482 or 457 visa for at least 2 years in total in the 3 years before applying, with at least 2 years of sponsored full-time work in Australia in that time (unpaid leave not counted) | No prior Australian visa history required, but at least 3 years of full-time work in the occupation at the required skill level |
| Skills assessment | Not a standing requirement; you must show your skills if the Minister asks | A positive assessment from the occupation’s assessing authority, not one made for a 485 visa, within its validity or not more than 3 years old |
| Occupation | The same occupation as your most recent 482 or 457 visa, listed in ANZSCO | On the Core Skills Occupation List in the subclass 186 instrument |
| Who nominates | The sponsor that last nominated you | The employer you will work for |
| English | Competent English on the day you apply | Competent English on the day you apply |
| Age | Under 45 when you apply, unless exempt (the exemptions include 482 or 457 workers paid at least the Fair Work high income threshold in each of 2 of the last 3 years) | Under 45 when you apply, with narrower exemptions (academics, government scientists, certain 444 and 461 holders) |
| Health criterion | Public interest criterion 4007 | Public interest criterion 4005 |
| 491 or 494 holders | Not applicable (this stream is for 482 and 457 holders) | Must generally have held the regional visa for at least 3 years |
The traps that catch people in both streams
- The visa application must be made no more than 6 months after the nomination is approved. If it is missed, the employer has to lodge a new nomination.
- You must be under 45 and have Competent English at the time of application. An English result obtained after lodgement, or a 45th birthday before lodgement, cannot be fixed later.
- For the Temporary Residence Transition stream, the 2 years of sponsored employment must be full-time, in Australia, and exclude any period of unpaid leave. Count the dates carefully before lodging.
- The Temporary Residence Transition nomination must come from the sponsor that last nominated you, and in the same occupation as your most recent 482 or 457 visa. A new employer or a different occupation usually means a new 482 nomination first.
- The Direct Entry skills assessment must be a full assessment from the relevant assessing authority, still within its validity period or not more than 3 years old. An assessment made for a subclass 485 visa is excluded.
What does it cost? From 1 July 2026 the first instalment is $6,140 for the main applicant, $3,070 for each family member aged 18 or over and $1,535 for each child under 18. A second instalment of $9,800 (main applicant) or $4,890 (adult family member) applies if that person has less than functional English. The employer pays separately: a $540 nomination fee and the skilling australians fund levy: $3,000 if the business’s annual turnover is under $10 million, or $5,000 if it is $10 million or more. the levy for a 186 nomination is a single payment.
Everything above was taken on 13 Nov 2026 from the legislation, instruments and official pages listed under Sources below. Rules and amounts change; always check the source, and remember the eligibility score is only the share of applicable published requirements met, never a chance of approval.
- Migration Regulations 1994, Volume 1, Compilation No. 288 (1 July 2026): regulations 1.03, 1.12, 1.13A, 1.15C, 2.72(15), 5.19, 5.37, 5.37A, 5.42A and Schedule 1 item 1114B www.legislation.gov.au/F1996B03551/2026-07-01/2026-07-01/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_1/document_1.html
- Migration Regulations 1994, Volume 2, Compilation No. 289 (2 October 2026): Schedule 2, Subclass 186 www.legislation.gov.au/F1996B03551/2026-10-02/2026-10-02/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_2/document_2.html
- LIN 24/093 Migration (Specification of Occupations and Assessing Authorities, Subclass 186 Visa) Instrument 2024 (as made, commenced 7 December 2024) www.legislation.gov.au/F2024L01618/asmade/2024-12-06/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_1/document_1.html
- LIN 19/216 Migration (Exemptions from Skill, Age and English Language Requirements for Subclass 186, 187 and 494 Visas) Instrument 2019 (compilation 7 December 2024) www.legislation.gov.au/F2019L01404/2024-12-07/2024-12-07/text/original/pdf
- LIN 25/016 Migration (Specification of Language Tests, Test Scores and Passports) Instrument 2025 (commenced 7 August 2025) www.legislation.gov.au/F2025L00905/asmade/2025-08-06/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_1/document_1.html
General information only, not migration advice. Rules can change at any time; always check the official source.
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General information only. This is not migration advice for your circumstances. Rules change, so always check the official source or speak with a Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2518931, MARN 2619448).
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