How Many Points Do You Need for a 186 Visa?

The Employer Nomination Scheme Visa, also referred to as Visa 186, is intended to enable skilled individuals to permanently reside and work in Australia. 

As it requires an employer's nomination, it may be more challenging to obtain compared to some other visa options. Nevertheless, the prospect of gaining permanent residency makes this visa a worthwhile pursuit.

About the 186 Visa

There are three pathways to obtain a visa in Australia: Direct entry, labour agreement, and temporary residence transition.

1. The direct entry pathway requires nomination by a local Australian employer, and the applicant's occupation must be on the eligible skilled occupation list. If approved, this allows the applicant to permanently reside in Australia, coming directly from their country of origin.
2. The labour agreement stream is for employers who are party to a labour agreement. The applicant must be nominated by the employer and have an occupation deemed 'skilled' and on the skilled occupation list. This pathway grants permanent residency in Australia.
3. The temporary residence transition scheme is employer-nominated and requires the applicant to have worked for their current employer full-time for at least two years, typically on a 457, TSS, or other bridging visa. This 186 visa grants the applicant permanent residency in Australia, continuing their stay from their current Australian residence.

How to Get an Employer Nomination?

Here's how to get nominated for a visa 186:

1. Have an eligible sponsor: Your employer must meet specific eligibility criteria, which may vary depending on the visa stream you're applying for.
2. Have an eligible occupation: You need to meet the skills assessment requirements and have a profession on the skilled occupation list so your sponsor can nominate you for the visa 186.
3. Your sponsor submits the nomination: If you and your employer meet the eligibility criteria, your employer can apply to nominate you. The nomination must be filed through the ImmiAccount, and your sponsor will need to pay a AUD540 application fee.
4. Your sponsor pays the levy fund: The Department of Foreign Affairs won't approve the nomination if your sponsor doesn't pay the required levy fee. This fee is AUD3,000 if your sponsor's business has a turnover of less than AUD10 million, or AUD5,000 if the turnover is more than AUD10 million.

English Language Points Requirements for 186 Visa

One of the eligibility requirements for the 186 visa is that the applicant must meet the English proficiency standards of the stream they are applying for. Applicants must demonstrate at least a competent level of English to be granted this visa. 

To prove their English competency, they can provide evidence: either they are a citizen of and hold a valid passport from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, New Zealand, or Ireland, with their application, noting that British National passports are not accepted as proof of English proficiency; or they have obtained one of the required English language test results.

When to Provide Proof

The deadline for completing your examination and the timeframe for submitting it.

For the visa subclasses 189, 190, 489, and 491, if you are claiming partner points, your partner must also demonstrate competent English language proficiency at the time the invitation is extended.

Applying for a 186 visa nomination typically takes up to 6 weeks for processing. During this time, the Department of Home Affairs will review the nomination application to ensure that both the applicant and their sponsor meet the necessary requirements. If the nomination is approved, the applicant then has a 6-month window to submit their 186 visa application.