Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186)

The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Subclass 186 visa is a permanent residency visa for skilled workers who are nominated by an Australian employer. It provides a pathway to permanent residency for eligible temporary visa holders and skilled overseas workers.

This visa benefits both employers and employees—employers gain long-term workforce stability while employees and their families enjoy the security of permanent residency in Australia. For businesses in Melbourne and across regional areas, the Subclass 186 visa is an effective way to address ongoing workforce shortages and attract highly skilled workers committed to living and working in Australia.

Streams under the 186 Visa

The Subclass 186 Visa is divided into three streams:

• Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) Stream
• Direct Entry (DE) Stream
• Labour Agreement Stream

1. Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) Stream

To be eligible for the TRT stream:

• You must hold a 482 visa.
• You must have worked for the same sponsor and in the same occupation for two years on a 482 visa.
• You must have competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band or equivalent) unless exempt.
• The TSMIT (Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold) for the 186 TRT is AUD $73,150 plus superannuation for a 38-hour week, or a higher amount if specified for your occupation.
• You must be under 45 years of age at the time of application.
• You must be nominated by your current 482 sponsor (independent applications are not allowed).

2. Direct Entry (DE) Stream

• Applicable for applicants who may not have worked in Australia before.
• Occupation must be on the 186 Visa Occupation List.
• Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band or equivalent).
• Must be under 45 years of age at the time of application.
• Skills assessment required.
• At least three years of relevant full-time work experience.

3. Labour Agreement Stream

• For applicants sponsored through a labour agreement with the Australian Government.
• Requirements may vary based on the specific terms of the agreement.

Position Requirements

The nominated position must:

• Be full-time and available for at least two years.
• Be on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
• Offer a salary of at least AUD $76,515 per year or the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR), whichever is higher.
• Offer employment conditions equal to those for Australian citizens in the same role and location.

Note: AMSR exemption applies if the salary exceeds AUD $250,000 per year.

Visa Applicant Requirements

You must:

• Have competent English, unless exempt (IELTS 6.0 or equivalent in each band).
• Have a suitable skills assessment from the relevant authority.
• Have at least three years of full-time experience in the nominated occupation.
• Be under 45 years of age.
• Meet any required licensing, registration, or professional memberships.
• Meet health and character requirements.

Application Process

Stage 1: Nomination by Employer

• Employer submits a nomination application to the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA).
• Must prove the genuine need for the role and ability to employ the worker for at least two years.
• Employer pays the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy (amount based on turnover).
• If approved, the visa application must be lodged within six months.

Stage 2: Visa Application by the Employee

• Can be lodged concurrently with the nomination or within six months of approval.
• Applicant must meet all eligibility criteria.
• Can be lodged from within or outside Australia (if holding a valid visa or bridging visa A, B, or C).

Skills Assessment

• Required before visa lodgement.
• Conducted by the specified assessing authority listed by DOHA.
• Valid for three years (unless a shorter validity is noted by the authority).

Purpose of the ENS 186 Visa

The ENS 186 visa is intended to help Australian employers fill skilled positions when suitable local workers are not available. It facilitates the hiring of highly skilled foreign nationals and supports long-term workforce planning for Australian businesses.

Processing Time for Subclass 186 Visa

• Temporary Residence Transition (TRT): 8–12 months.
• Direct Entry (DE): 10–14 months.
• Labour Agreement: varies depending on agreement terms.

Cost of Subclass 186 Visa

• Main applicant fee: AUD $4,640.
• Additional fees apply for partners and dependents.
• Employers must pay the SAF levy.

Benefits of Subclass 186 Visa

• Provides permanent residency for skilled workers.
• Family members can work, study, and access Medicare.
• Clear pathway to Australian citizenship.

Looking to transition from a temporary visa to permanent residency? Our team can guide you through the Subclass 186 application process.

Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 494)

The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa – Subclass 494 helps regional employers address labour shortages by sponsoring skilled overseas workers when suitably qualified Australians are not available.

The 494 Visa was introduced on 16 November 2019, replacing the 187 (RSMS) visa, and has a maximum of 10,000 places allocated per year. It requires sponsorship from a regional employer and for the sponsored position to be likely to exist for 5 years.

This employer sponsorship visa requires candidates to live and work in regional Australia, making it ideal for applicants seeking long-term settlement options outside metropolitan centres. For employers, it is an opportunity to secure skilled professionals willing to contribute to regional growth. After meeting certain income and work requirements, visa holders can transition to permanent residency through the Subclass 191 visa, providing both career stability and community integration.

Key Features:

• Valid for 5 years

• Requires sponsorship by a regional employer

• Conditions apply to live, work, and study only in designated regional areas (excluding Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane)

• Must commence employment within 90 days of visa grant

• Visa holders can only work in nominated occupations for their sponsoring employer

What Counts as a Regional Area?

All areas excluding Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
✅ Perth, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong, and others are regional.

494 Visa Eligibility Criteria

General Requirements

• Under 45 years of age (exemptions apply)

• Competent English at time of application

• 3 years of full-time skilled work experience (within the last 5 years, continuous not required; part-time may be considered, casual not counted)

• Positive skills assessment for the nominated occupation

• Hold a substantive visa or bridging visa A, B, or C if applying onshore

Job & Employer Requirements

• Employer must be in a designated regional area

• Occupation must be on the relevant skilled occupation list

• Job must be full-time and available for 5 years

• Must obtain Regional Certifying Body (RCB) advice

• Position must meet Australian Market Salary Rate (AMSR) — minimum $73,150 for 38 hours/week

• Employer must pay the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy

494 Visa Fees (DoHA)

Can You Change Employers?

Yes, with limits:

• Up to 180 days at a time, or 365 days total during the visa period

• New employer must:

  • Be in a regional area

  • Have RCB approval

  • Pay the SAF levy

  • Meet salary and employment conditions

Health Insurance

494 visa holders are eligible for Medicare — private health insurance not required.

Restrictions

• Generally cannot apply for other skilled PR or partner visas while holding the 494 visa

• Must comply with condition 8579: live, work, and study in regional areas only

Pathway to Permanent Residency: Subclass 191

494 visa holders can apply for the Subclass 191 – Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa if they:

• Have held the 494 visa for at least 3 years

• Have complied with visa conditions

• Have earned the minimum income threshold for those 3 years

• No employer nomination is required for Subclass 191

SAF Levy Rates for Employers

Am I Eligible for a 494 Visa?

✅ You’re under 45
✅ You have competent English
✅ You have 3+ years of relevant full-time experience
✅ You hold a valid skills assessment
✅ You’re being nominated in a regional area for an approved occupation
✅ Your employer has RCB approval and will pay SAF levy

Employer Sponsored Visa in Regional Areas

Australia strongly encourages skilled migration to regional areas through pathways like the 494. Employer sponsorship in these locations not only supports regional industries but also gives skilled applicants enhanced opportunities for permanent residency. With designated areas including Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, and more, this option provides long-term benefits for both employers and workers.

Training Visa (Subclass 407)

The Training Visa (Subclass 407) is a temporary employer sponsored visa designed for individuals who want to participate in occupational training or professional development programs in Australia. It allows international workers to improve their skills, gain hands-on experience, and strengthen their qualifications in a real-world Australian work environment.

This visa is often used by Australian companies to sponsor overseas employees for workplace-based training, ensuring their skills align with industry requirements. It is particularly useful for graduates, interns, or professionals who wish to enhance their qualifications under the guidance of an approved Australian employer. While temporary, the 407 visa can improve future opportunities for employer sponsored visas in Australia by strengthening applicants’ skills and local work experience.

Who is it for

This visa is ideal for:

• Professionals looking to enhance their career through structured training

• Graduates with limited work experience seeking on-the-job learning

• Overseas employees being nominated by Australian companies for workplace training

What You Can Do on a 407 Visa

• Participate in full-time workplace-based training

• Work and train for up to 2 years

• Bring eligible family members (they may work or study)

• Gain Australian work experience to support future visa options

Two Visa Stages

Temporary Activities Sponsor (TAS)

Sponsorship by a Temporary Activities Sponsor that is the sponsoring Australian business, is required.

Application

This can be applied for whilst you are in Australia or overseas at time of lodgement. This is generally valid for stay in Australia for 2 years. Condition 8102 must be attached to this visa which forbids work apart from the training specified in the visa application. You must also maintain appropriate health insurance whilst in Australia.

Two Streams

Occupational Trainees

This stream requires a nomination by the Australian sponsor to do one of the following activities in Australia:

• Training required to obtain registration, membership or a licence to work in Australia or in-home country
• Training in a gazetted occupation - in this case, the applicant must have already worked full time in the occupation for at least 12 of the last 24 months
• Up to 6 months of practical experience, research or observation has been taken/required to obtain the overseas tertiary qualification
• Training supported by a government agency or the applicant's home government
• Occupational training generally requires at least 70% of the training to be on-the-job versus in the classroom

Professional Development

This stream requires the applicant to be working overseas in a professional or management position. Training is primarily classroom based and would need to be skills relevant to your overseas position.

For both the streams, the applicant needs to have access to sufficient funds to support themselves in Australia and have personal attributes consistent with the proposed activity. They must genuinely intend to stay temporarily for the purpose in Australia and meet health and character requirements.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the 407 Training Visa, applicants must meet the following key requirements:

1. Sponsorship
You must be sponsored by an Australian organization that is approved as a temporary activities sponsor and is offering an eligible training program.

2. Age Limit
Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of application.

3. English Proficiency
You must demonstrate competent English language skills, typically through an approved test such as IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE.

4. Health and Character
You are required to meet the Australian government’s health and character standards, including medical examinations and police clearance.

5. Genuine Training Purpose
You must demonstrate a genuine intention to undertake training and not use the visa as a backdoor to employment.

6. Qualifications and Experience
Depending on the training category, relevant qualifications or work experience may be required in the nominated occupation.

Processing Time

• 75% of applications: 4–6 months
• 90% of applications: 6–9 months
  

Visa Conditions

• Valid for up to 2 years
• Must stay with the approved sponsor
• Condition 8102: Cannot work outside the training program
• Secondary applicants (e.g., spouse) may work up to 40 hours per fortnight

Benefits of the 407 Visa

Cost of Subclass 407 Visa

• Main applicant fee: AUD $405.
• Secondary applicants (partner/children): additional charges apply.
  

Future Opportunities

Holding a 407 visa can significantly boost your prospects of qualifying for other skilled visas, such as Subclass 482 or Subclass 186, by providing relevant Australian training experience.

Short Stay Specialist Visa (Subclass 400)

As the name suggests, the Short Stay Specialist is a short stay visa for skilled professionals undertaking highly specialised work or work that is in Australia's national interest.

This option is often chosen by employers who require urgent access to overseas talent for projects that demand niche expertise. Although short in duration, it provides flexibility for businesses while ensuring compliance with sponsorship regulations. Unlike long-term employer sponsored visas, the Subclass 400 visa is suited to professionals delivering time-sensitive projects in areas such as infrastructure, IT, or research.

Two Streams of the Subclass 400 Visa

1. Highly Specialised Work Stream

   This requires the applicant to demonstrate that they have skills not readily available in Australia, for example: in demand skills particularly relating to STEM industries; or if there are limited resources available in a specified skill set in Australia. The work must be likely to be completed within 3 months and must not be ongoing in nature. Six months duration can be considered where there is a strong business case. If there is a requirement for the position to be filled for longer duration than 6 months, a TSS (SC482) should be considered.

   Note: Paid work in the entertainment industry is specifically excluded from the SC400, unless if the production will not be broadcasted in Australia or the visit is purely for promotional purposes.

2. Australia's Interests Stream
   

   This stream normally involves demonstrating compelling circumstances which affect Australia's interests, such as during major disasters or emergencies, impact on Australia's diplomatic, trade or business interests. How this applicant can bring significant benefit due to their contribution to Australia.For both the streams, the applicant needs to have access to sufficient funds to support themselves in Australia and have personal attributes consistent with the proposed activity. They must genuinely intend to stay temporarily for the purpose in Australia and meet health and character requirements.
   Sponsorship or nomination is not needed for this.

Key Features of the 400 Visa

• Short-term stay of up to 3 months (extendable to 6 months in some cases).
• Designed for specialised work that cannot be sourced locally.
• No sponsorship or nomination required.
• Fast processing for urgent business needs.

Cost of Subclass 400 Visa

• AUD $405 (main applicant).
• Additional fees apply for dependents.

Who Should Apply?

• Professionals engaged in short-term, high-skill assignments.
• Individuals contributing to Australia’s national interest projects.