186 visa - Temporary Transition Stream

Amasha
April 16, 2024
Last updated October 11, 2025
8 min read
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What are the 3 streams of the 186 visa?

  1. Direct Entry Stream
  2. Temporary Residence Transition stream
  3. Labour Agreement Stream

What is the Temporary Residence Transition stream of the 186 visa?

The Transition stream of the 186 visa is for applicants who can apply if they are currently holding a 482 visa.You cannnot apply for this stream  if you currently hold any other temporary visa other than the 482 visa. This stream is for applicants who have worked under a 482 visa for at least 2 years in the last 3 years. 

Recent changes

  • You no longer have to work under the same employer for 2 years to be eligible for th Transition stream. You can work for different employers as long as its under the 482 visa.
  • The CSOL doesn't apply for the Transition stream of the 186 visa.

What are the 186 visa requirements for the Transition stream?

  • Hold a 482 visa or a Bridging visa associated with a 482 visa or a 186 visa
  • Be under 45 years of age, unless you are exempt
  • Be licensed, registered or a member if a professional body if its mandatory in the state/territory that you intend to work in.
  • Have 2 years of work experience while on 482 visa in the last 3 years
  • Have a positive skills assessment, only if applicable for your occupation
  • Be nominated by the employer who sponsored your  current 482 visa
  • Meet character and health requirement
  • Have at least IELTS 6.0 for each band or any equivalent English tests.
  • Not have a previous visa cancelled or refused

What are the differences between the 2 streams of the 186 visa?

D

Direct Entry Stream

T

Transition Stream

q

Apply for PR directly

q

Apply for PR, after 2 years of being in the 482 visa

Have an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)

Have an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)

a

Need not have an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)

z

Most occupations will require a mandatory skills assessment

q

Most times a skills assessment won’t be mandatory

What are the alternative PR pathways other than Transition stream of 186 visa?

While you are on your  482 visa you can also apply for the skilled migration program. Skilled migration is a pathway that is very popular among the migrant population in Australia. The skilled migration visas that you can apply are

You can stop working for your 482 visa employer  while you are on your 482 visa. But there are consequences of ceasing your employment with your sponsor. If you did stop working you will have 180 days to pick one of the solutions below:

  • Find a new employer to sponsor
  • Be granted a different visa
  • Leave Australia
Keith James

Keith James

Keith is a graduate of Monash Law School. He moved to Melbourne, Australia in 2014 and has a passion for working with migrants, who aspire to call Australia their dream home. Being a migrant himself, he has a tremendous capacity to empathise with the problems his clients face and focuses on providing them with outcomes that leads to Permanent Residency in the shortest possible time.

Keith practices in all aspects of Migration law, with a particular focus on Skilled Migration and Family visas. He stays abreast on the latest updates in state nomination criteria and has a wide range of options available to assist his clients navigate their migration aspirations.

  • LLB (Monash University, Australia)
  • Member (Law Institute of Victoria)
  • Member (Migration Institute of Australia)

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As an applicant, one of the most important things you need from your lawyer or migration agent is communication. You want to know what’s happening, what comes next, and that someone is actually there when you need them. Tamasha, Amasha, Keith, and the whole team at MJ were exceptional at this. From the very beginning to the end of the process, we never felt left in the dark. We always knew where things stood, what was needed from us, and what the next step was. They were honest, transparent, easy to reach, and always willing to explain things properly whenever we had a question. Our case wasn’t particularly complicated, but the way they handled everything still gave us a lot of confidence and peace of mind. We never felt like just another file, and you could tell the team genuinely cared about getting things right. If our case had been more complex, or if I ever had to go through this process again, there genuinely isn’t another firm I would want handling it. We’re incredibly grateful to the whole team at MJ, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone going through the migration process.

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