How can my employer apply to nominate me for the subclass 186 visa
If you are looking for 186 visa sponsorship requirements, then this blog is for you. This blog will discuss topics such as
- The 186 visa
- 186 visa sponsorship requirements
- Cost of sponsoring
- Employee requirements
- Applicaiton process
- FAQs
What is the 186 visa?
The Employer Nomination Scheme visa (SC 186) visa is a PR visa for migrants who wish to permanently settle in Australia through employer sponsorship.With this visa you and your family can live, work, and study in Australia permanently, with a pathway to citizenship. This visa has 3 streams thorough which you can apply for PR. You have to select the most approriate stream according to your circumstances for a successful outcome for your visa application. The 3 main streams are:
- Direct Entry Stream: If you are applying for the 186 visa directly, you can explore this stream whether you are onshore or offshore. If you currently hold any temporary visa other than the 482 visa and you are hoping to apply for PR directly then this stream is for you.
- Temporary Residence Transition stream: You can apply for this stream if you are currently holding an 482 visa.
- Labour Agreement Stream: This stream is for applicants whose employers have an agreement with the Australian government.
186 visa sponsorship requirements
- Have an active and lawfully operating business
- Have no adverse information on the business
- Have a genuine need for the employee
- The position for the employee must be for the business activities and not for hire for other unrelated businessees.
- Pay the Skilling Australian Fund levy
- Comply with Australian immigration and workplace laws
- Offer a position to the employee which is full time for at least 2 years.
- The contract should not limit the position for 2 years
- Pay the Annual Market salary rate if the salary is less than AUD 250,000
- Pay at least the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) which as for the year 2025-2026 stands at AUD 76,515
- Show that the eemploye is eligible for any licence, registration or membership.
Direct Entry
Nominated occupation must be in the Core skills Occupation list.
Temporary Residence Stream
Nominated occupation must be listed in the ANZSCO
Occupation must be same as the last approved nominated occupation.
Be the sponsor who nominated the employee for the 482 visa
Cost of sponsoring
- Nomination application fee: AUD540 (subject to stream and location), there is no refund if the application is not successful
- Visa application fee for the year 2025-2026:
- Main applicant: AUD 4,910
- Dependent above 18: AUD 2,455
- Dependent under 18: AUD 1,230
- Skilling Australian Fund Levy:
- Small (Annual turnover less than AUD 10 million- AUD 3,000 one-off
- Other (Annual turnover of AUD 10 million or more- AUD 5,000 one-off
- The SAF levy is tax deductible
- Only ministers of religion and religious assistants nominated under the Labour Agreement streams of the TSS or ENS visas are exempt from the SAF levy
- Refunds of the levy and the nomination application will be refunded in very limited circumstances for example where you have withdrawn the nomination application before a decision was made.
Direct Entry stream
- Have at least 3 years of work experience
- Have a positive skills assessment
Temporary Residence Transition stream
- Must have worked for under the 482 visa for at least 2 years
- Currently hold a 482 visa
186 visa application Process
Step 1: Employer Nomination
- Submit the nomination application to the Department of Home Affairs.
- This application usually includes evidence of business operations, nominated position, and salary details.
Step 2: Visa application
- Lodge the visa application after the nomination application or together with the nomination application.
- This application usually includes evidence of passport, police checks, health checks
Step 3: Outcome
If the applications are apprroved you will be granted the 186 visa, and you become a permanent resident in Australia
FAQs
Find answers to commonly asked questions
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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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