The most travelled road to permanent residence for sponsored workers runs from the temporary 482 to the permanent 186 in the Temporary Residence Transition stream. Every stage below is a published requirement, read from the Migration Regulations and instruments on 13 Nov 2026.
| Stage | What the rule requires |
|---|---|
| 1. Hold a 482 and work for your sponsor | Work only in your nominated occupation for the sponsor or an associated entity (condition 8607). Keep payslips, contracts and leave records from day one. |
| 2. Reach the 2-year mark | In the 3 years before applying: hold a 482 or 457 visa for a total of at least 2 years, and work full-time in Australia for an approved sponsor in your sponsored occupation for at least 2 years. Unpaid leave is not counted. |
| 3. Your employer nominates you | The nominating employer must be the sponsor that last nominated you, in the same occupation as your most recent 482 or 457 visa. The employer pays the nomination fee of $540 (no fee for Temporary Residence Transition or Labour Agreement positions in regional Australia), and the Skilling Australians Fund levy of $3,000 if annual turnover is under $10 million, otherwise $5,000. |
| 4. Pass the day-you-apply tests | Under 45 and Competent English at the time of application, unless an exemption applies. Both are tested on the day you lodge and cannot be fixed afterwards. |
| 5. Lodge within the window | The visa application must be made no more than 6 months after the nomination is approved. Many people lodge the nomination and visa together. The main applicant charge is $6,140 from 1 Jul 2026. |
| 6. Grant | The 186 is a permanent visa. It allows travel to and from Australia for 5 years from the date of grant. |
What can reset the clock
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
If you are getting close to 45, or thinking of changing employer, the order of steps matters more than anything else. That is exactly the kind of timing question to bring to a consultation.
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 2 (compilation 289, 2 Oct 2026): Schedule 2, Subclass 482 Skills in Demand and Subclass 186 www.legislation.gov.au/F1996B03551/2026-10-02/2026-10-02/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_2/document_2.html
- Migration Regulations 1994, Volume 3 (compilation 289, 2 Oct 2026): Schedule 8, conditions 8607, 8501 and 8303 www.legislation.gov.au/F1996B03551/2026-10-02/2026-10-02/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_3/document_3.html
- 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
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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