Employer Nomination Scheme visa Sub Class 186
This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by their employer, live and work in Australia permanently.
With this visa, you can
- stay in Australia indefinitely
- work and study in Australia
- enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare
- sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia
- travel to and from Australia for 5 years
- apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
Newly arrived residents may have to wait before they can access certain Australian Government payments and benefits.
How long you can stay
This is a permanent visa – it lets you stay in Australia indefinitely.
You become a permanent resident on the day the visa is granted.
Your permanent residency for citizenship purposes starts:
- on the day the visa is granted if you are in Australia
- on the day you enter Australia on this visa if you are outside Australia
Include family
You can:
- include family members in your application when you apply
- add family members to your application after you apply but before we decide on your visa
For this visa, your family members are:
- your partner
- your dependent child or stepchild
- your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
- the dependent child or stepchild of your or your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
You can also include someone who holds a subclass 457 visa or subclass 482 visa if we granted them that visa on the basis they are a member of your family.
Family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health and character requirements.
Family members who do not apply for the visa with you might also have to meet the requirements.
Apply from
Apply for this visa from in or outside Australia. If you are in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a related bridging visa A, B or C.
If your substantive visa has a no further stay condition, you might still be able to lodge an application in Australia in certain circumstances.
You can be in or outside Australia when we decide on your application.
Processing times
Your application can take longer to process if:
- you do not fill it in correctly
- you do not include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
- it takes us time to verify your information
We can’t process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.
Applications lodged with all necessary supporting documents (‘complete applications’) can generally be processed more quickly.
Your obligations
You and your family members must obey all Australian laws.
We expect that you will work for your nominating employer for at least 2 years.
You agree to begin your employment within 6 months of:
- entry to Australia if you were granted the visa outside Australia
- the visa grant date if you were granted the visa in Australia
Travel
From the date we grant this visa, you can travel to and from Australia for up to 5 years.
After that period, you will need a Resident Return (RRV) visa to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
If you leave Australia after the expiry date of your travel facility, without being granted another permanent visa with a valid travel facility, for example a Resident Return (RRV), you might not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident.
To see when your travel condition ends, use VEVO.
Visa label
Australian visas are digital. You will not get a label in your passport
Labour Agreement stream
This visa lets skilled workers who are nominated by their employer live and work in Australia permanently. The Labour Agreement stream might be for you if you currently work, or will work, for an employer who is party to a labour agreement.
With this visa, you can
- stay in Australia indefinitely
- work and study in Australia
- enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare
- sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia
- travel to and from Australia for 5 years
- apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
Newly arrived residents may have to wait before they can access certain Australian Government payments and benefits.
How long you can stay
This is a permanent visa – it lets you stay in Australia indefinitely.
You become a permanent resident on the day we grant the visa.
Your permanent residency for citizenship purposes starts:
- on the day the visa is granted if you are in Australia
- on the day you enter Australia on this visa if you are outside Australia
Include family
You can:
- include family members in your application when you apply
- add family members to your application after you apply but before we decide on your visa
For this visa, your family members are:
- your partner
- your dependent child or stepchild
- your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
- the dependent child or stepchild of your or your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
You can also include someone who holds a subclass 457 visa or subclass 482 visa if we granted them that visa on the basis they are a member of your family.
Family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health and character requirements.
Family members who do not apply for the visa with you might also have to meet the requirements.
Apply from
Apply for this visa from in or outside Australia. If you are in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a related bridging visa A, B or C.
If your substantive visa has a no further stay condition, you might still be able to lodge an application in Australia in certain circumstances.
You can be in or outside Australia when we decide on your application.
Processing times
Your application might take longer to process if:
- you do not fill it in correctly
- you do not include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
- it takes us time to verify your information
We can’t process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.
Your obligations
You and your family members must obey all Australian laws.
We expect that you will work for your nominating employer for at least 2 years.
You agree to begin your employment within 6 months of:
- entry to Australia if you were granted the visa outside Australia
- the visa grant date if you were granted the visa in Australia
Travel
From the date we grant this visa, you can travel to and from Australia for up to 5 years.
After that period, you will need a Resident Return (RRV) visa to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
If you leave Australia after the expiry date of your travel facility, without being granted another permanent visa with a valid travel facility, for example a Resident Return (RRV), you might not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident.
To see when your travel condition ends, use VEVO.
Visa label
We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.
Temporary Residence Transition stream
This visa lets skilled workers, who are nominated by their employer, live and work in Australia permanently.
With this visa, you can
- stay in Australia indefinitely
- work and study in Australia
- enrol in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare
- sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia
- travel to and from Australia for 5 years
- apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible
Newly arrived residents may have to wait before they can access certain Australian Government payments and benefits.
How long you can stay
This is a permanent visa – it lets you stay in Australia indefinitely.
You become a permanent resident on the day we grant the visa.
Your permanent residency for citizenship purposes starts:
- on the day the visa is granted if you are in Australia
- on the day you enter Australia on this visa if you are outside Australia
Include family
You can:
- include family members in your application when you apply
- add family members to your application after you apply but before we decide on your visa
For this visa, your family members are:
- your partner
- your dependent child or stepchild
- your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
- the dependent child or stepchild of your or your partner’s dependent child or stepchild
You can also include someone who holds a subclass 457 or subclass 482 visa if we granted them that visa on the basis that they are a member of your family.
Family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health and character requirements.
Family members who do not apply for the visa with you might also have to meet the requirements.
Apply from
Apply for this visa from in or outside Australia. If you are in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa or a related bridging visa A, B or C.
If your substantive visa has a no further stay condition, you might still be able to lodge an application in Australia in certain circumstances – see No Further Stay conditions.
You can be in or outside Australia when we decide on your application.
Processing times
Your application can take longer to process if:
- you do not fill it in correctly
- you do not include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
- it takes us time to verify your information
We can’t process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.
Your obligations
You and your family members must obey all Australian laws.
We expect that you will work for your nominating employer for at least 2 years.
You must begin your employment within 6 months of:
- entry to Australia if you were granted the visa outside Australia
- the visa grant date if you were granted the visa in Australia
Travel
From the date we grant this visa, you can travel to and from Australia for up to 5 years.
After that period, you will need a Resident Return (RRV) visa to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
If you leave Australia after the expiry date of your travel facility, without being granted another permanent visa with a valid travel facility, for example a Resident Return (RRV), you might not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident.
To see when your travel condition ends, use VEVO.
Visa label
We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.