The 186 ENS Visa allows employers to sponsor visa applicants to fill roles in Australia permanently. The program is designed to address specific skills shortages, and only certain roles can be nominated from approved occupation lists.

The 186 visa is also a common pathway (via the TRT stream) for 457/TSS visa holders who have the ability to transition to permanent residency after two or three years with their nominated employer.

Only occupations that are listed on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) are eligible for sponsorship via the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) via the Direct Entry pathway.

There are three streams of eligibility for the ENS (subclass 186) visa:

Temporary Residence Transition Stream

You must have relevant work experience – the employer must have sponsored you to work full-time on your 482 visa or subclass 457 for at least three of the four years before nominating you for the 186 visa. It would be best if you were appointed by the employer who sponsored your temporary work visa.

Direct Entry stream

The Direct Entry visa stream enables applicants in certain occupations to be sponsored directly for permanent residency. Applicants must have:

• At least three years of work experience
• Have a positive skills assessment,
• Competent English skills; and
• be nominated in an eligible occupation.

The Labour Agreement Stream

The Labour Agreement Stream is for skilled workers that are sponsored by an organisation that is a party to a negotiated Labour Agreement with the Australian government.

Attaining a visa is a stressful and time-consuming process. Throughout Australia and its major cities of Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, we streamline and ease the process for our clients, be they, employers or individuals. Contact us to begin your visa process today.