Employer nomination scheme migration visa

The employer nomination scheme migration visa subclass 186 allows you to live and work permanently in Australia.

To apply for the employer nomination scheme migration visa or ENS visa you must:

  • be nominated by an approved employer
  • be younger than 50 years of age at time of application
  • meet the skills and qualification requirements
  • meet the English language requirements

The employer nomination scheme migration visa subclass 186 visa has three streams:

1. The Temporary Residence Stream Transition stream. This if for holders of a subclass 457 visa who have worked for their employer for two years in the nominated occupation and whose employer wishes to offer them a permanent position. Employee must have vocational English.

2. The Direct Entry stream. This is for applicants who have never, or only briefly worked in the Australian labour market and have not held a subclass 457 visa for the last two years, or if they’re applying from outside Australia.

Direct entry requirements:

  • a positive skills assessment in the nominated occupation
  • evidence of three years of relevant work experience
  • competent English

3. Agreement stream. This is for applicants who are being sponsored by an employer through a tailored and negotiated labour agreement or regional migration agreement.

Employer requirements:-

  • must operate an active and lawful business in Australia
  • have a genuine need for a paid employee to fill a skilled position
  • offer a skilled position in the applicant’s field that is full-time for a duration of at least two years
  • pay a market salary rate
  • comply with Australian immigration and workplace relations laws
  • nominate a skilled position from the Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List (Direct Entry), or a consistent or similar position to that sponsored under the 457 visa (Transition stream).
  • satisfy training requirements. For Direct Entry, an employer whose business has been operating for more than 12 months must have met the prescribed benchmark for the training of Australian citizens and permanent residence. Business owners of less than 12 months standing must demonstrate an auditable plan to do this. For the Temporary Residence Transition Stream, employers must continue to meet the obligations associated with the granting of the 457 visa.

If using Agreement stream, the employer must have a labour or regional migration agreement signed by all relevant parties, identifying a skills shortage and why vacancies can’t be filled by Australian workers, specifying the number of skilled workers from outside Australia needed and the age, skill and English language requirements relating to the nominated positions.

Holders of this visa can live and work permanently in Australia and access healthcare and social security. It can also provide a pathway to Australian citizenship.

Regional Sponsored Migration Stream Scheme (subclass 187)

This visa is for people who wish to live and work in regional Australia, meaning not in the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong and Melbourne. The nominating employer must be located in regional Australia, but other than this the application for the subclass 187 visa is very similar to that of the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).

There are the same three streams:

  • Temporary Residence Transition
  • Direct Entry stream
  • Agreement Stream

Regional Sponsored Migration applicants must also be under 50 years of age and meet the English language requirement.