186 Visa Direct Entry stream

The Subclass 186 ENS visa Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) Direct Entry stream lets skilled workers, who are nominated by an employer, live and work in Australia permanently.

Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme Visa: Direct Entry Stream

The purpose of the subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) is to allow Australian employers to fill highly skilled positions with suitably qualified migrants. The scheme is designed to assist employers who are unable to meet their skilled Australian workforce needs from the local labour market.

The minimum requirements of the Direct Entry stream of this visa are set out below:

DIRECT ENTRY STREAM REQUIREMENTS

Employer

The business seeking to employ you must:

· be actively and lawfully operating in Australia

· genuinely need you to work in the nominated position under its direct control, and have the capacity to employ you in this position for at least two years

Position

The position to be filled must be:

· be full-time and available for at least 2 years from the time your visa is granted

· be an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), which has applied to the Direct Entry stream since 7 December 2024

NOTE: Certain occupations on the CSOL are subject to additional requirements (e.g. salary, type of business operated by employer, nature of position). Please contact us for further details based on your particular circumstances.

· have a salary that is:

o at least $79,423 per year (excluding any non-monetary benefits) AND

o at least the annual market salary rate (AMSR) for your nominated occupation

NOTES: the AMSR for your nominated occupation (excluding non-monetary benefits) must also be no less than the CSIT, currently $79,423 per year.

The AMSR is the salary that an Australian earns (or would earn) for performing equivalent work on a full-time basis for a year in the same workplace at the same location.

You will be exempt from the AMSR requirement if your salary is more than $250,000 per year.

· be subject to conditions of employment (other than earnings) that are no worse than those that apply (or would apply) to Australians performing equivalent work in the same location

Visa Applicant

As the visa applicant, you must (unless a specific exemption applies in any case):

· have competent English i.e.

o hold a valid passport issued by the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland (and you are a citizen of that country) OR

o an IELTS (Academic or General Training) score of at least 6 in EACH test component OR

o a PTE Academic score of at least 47 for listening, 48 for reading, 51 for writing and 54 for speaking OR

o a TOEFL iBT score of at least 16 for listening, 16 for reading, 19 for writing and 19 for speaking OR

o an OET score of at least 290 for listening, 310 for reading, 290 for writing and 330 for speaking OR

o a Cambridge C1 Advanced score of at least 163 for listening, 163 for reading, 170 for writing and 179 for speaking OR

o a CELPIP General score of at least 7, a MET score of at least 56/55/57/48 or a LANGUAGECERT Academic score of at least 57/60/64/70 (listening/reading/writing/speaking)

NOTES: These are the scores for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, and the test must have been taken within the 3 years before you apply. Different scores apply to tests taken on or before 6 August 2025. See our English requirements for 186 visa page.

· have your skills assessed as suitable for your nominated occupation by the relevant skills assessing authority

· have at least three years of full-time experience in your nominated occupation

· be under 45 years of age

· meet any mandatory licensing, registration or professional membership requirements

· satisfy the relevant health and character criteria

Changes to the Direct Entry stream

Since 7 December 2024, a single Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) applies to the Direct Entry stream. It replaced the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and the Regional Occupation List for this stream. The CSOL is based on labour market analysis by Jobs and Skills Australia and stakeholder consultation. It includes occupations in sectors such as:

construction
cyber security
agriculture
health and education.

See the full list on our Core Skills Occupation List page and the 186 visa occupations list.

The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) also applies to this stream. It is $79,423 from 1 July 2026 and is indexed each year.

Direct Entry or Transition stream?

If you have already worked for at least 2 years in the last 3 years on a 482 or 457 visa, the Temporary Residence Transition stream is usually simpler, because it does not need a skills assessment and the occupation does not need to be on the CSOL. The Direct Entry stream suits applicants who are overseas, who hold a different visa (for example a graduate or partner visa), or who have not yet completed 2 years on a 482 visa.

Am I eligible for a 186 visa?

APPLICATION PROCESS

Stage 1: Nomination Application

This application is lodged with the Department of Home Affairs (the DOHA) on behalf of your employer, and relates to the skilled position that you have been offered, which must meet the requirements referred to above. Your employer is required to supply documents to the DOHA in support of this application, the nature and extent of which will vary depending upon the particular circumstances of the business.

Skilling Australians Fund Levy

Employers must pay a one-off Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy for EACH subclass 186 nomination lodged with the DOHA. The amount payable varies based on the employer’s annual turnover:

· For employers with an annual turnover of LESS THAN AU$10 million, the SAF levy is AU$3,000 per nomination.

· For employers with an annual turnover of AT LEAST AU$10 million, the SAF levy is AU$5,000 per nomination.

The SAF levy must be paid upfront, at the time that the nomination is lodged.

Please contact our office for further information regarding the SAF levy.

Stage 2: Visa Application

Your visa application is lodged with the DOHA either at the same time as the nomination application, or within six months of the DOHA’s approval of the nomination. The main criterion is that you fulfil the above requirements, including the standard health and character checks.

Skills Assessment Application

BEFORE lodging your visa application, you must apply to have your skills (qualifications and/or work experience) formally assessed, to show that they are to the level required to undertake the nominated skilled occupation.

For each occupation listed on the CSOL, the DOHA has specified an assessing authority that may carry out skills assessments for that occupation. Only a skills assessment conducted by the relevant assessing authority will be accepted by the DOHA in support of a visa application.

If you have not already obtained an acceptable skills assessment for your occupation, we can apply for this assessment on your behalf. This involves determining the correct authority to carry out your assessment; providing you with a full list of the information and documents required to support your application; preparing the application; and lodging it with the relevant authority for assessment. Please note that we charge a separate professional fee for this service. An assessment fee is also payable to the skills assessing authority.

Please contact our office for further information regarding skills assessment applications.

On 25 November 2023, the Department of Home Affairs implemented changes to the employer sponsored permanent residency program. From that date, short-term Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 visa holders gained access to permanent residency under the 186 Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the ENS visa program.

All TSS and Skills in Demand 482 visa holders are now eligible for ENS visas sponsored by their employers.

Applicants need to continue to work in the occupation nominated for their 482 visa.

Sponsored visa holders are eligible for ENS TRT after two years (down from three years) of work on a 482 visa. Since December 2024 this time can be with any approved sponsor.

Applicants need to meet all other nomination and visa requirements for the TRT stream of the Employer Nomination Scheme visa.

The limit on Short Term stream TSS visa applications that could be made onshore was also removed. From 1 July 2022, eligible 457 and TSS short term stream visa holders could apply through the TRT stream under a temporary pathway, see eligibility for details. Note: this temporary pathway ended on 30 June 2024.

Is my business eligible to sponsor under the 186 ENS visa scheme?

Book a meeting today for a commitment free briefing with our Registered Migration Agents in Melbourne to find more about your visa options.