Quick answer: The 482 Skills in Demand visa is temporary (up to 4 years) and needs 12 months’ work experience. The 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa is permanent residence from day one. Most people get to the 186 by working 2 years on a 482 and then using the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream. Both need an employer to sponsor you, and from 1 July 2026 both use a minimum salary of AUD 79,423.
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Most “482 vs 186” pages tell you one is temporary and the other is permanent, then stop. That’s true, and also not much help when you’re deciding what to ask your employer for, or whether to ask for anything yet.
The useful questions are more specific. Can you skip the 482 and go straight to PR? How much does each one cost, and who pays? What salary does the job need to pay this year? And if you’re applying from Kathmandu rather than Melbourne, does any of this change?
Everything below comes from Home Affairs and the Federal Register of Legislation. Where a figure changed on 1 July 2026, we show both.
482 vs 186 at a glance
| Type | 482 Skills in Demand (SID) | 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) |
|---|---|---|
| Visa type | Temporary | Permanent |
| Length | 1 to 4 years (up to 5 for Hong Kong passport holders) | Permanent |
| Streams | Specialist Skills, Core Skills, Labour Agreement | Temporary Residence Transition (TRT), Direct Entry, Labour Agreement |
| Work experience | 12 months in the occupation or a related field | TRT: 2 years of sponsored full-time work in the last 3 years. Direct Entry: relevant work experience (check the current requirement) |
| Skills assessment | Mandatory for some occupations and applicants | Direct Entry: yes, unless exempt |
| Age limit (186) | n/a | Under 45 at application, with exemptions |
| English | IELTS 5.0 in each band (or equivalent) | Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band, or equivalent) |
| Minimum salary from 1 Jul 2026 | AUD 79,423 (Core). AUD 146,576 (Specialist) | AUD 79,423 |
| Who you can work for | Your sponsor or an associated entity, in your nominated occupation | No work condition. The employer must offer the role full-time for at least 2 years |
| Main applicant visa charge | Check the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator | AUD 6,140 (from 1 Jul 2026) |
| Employer SAF levy | Depends on business turnover and nomination length | One-off AUD 3,000 or AUD 5,000, depending on turnover |
Visa options for skilled sponsored workers
What the 482 Skills in Demand visa is now
The Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa on 7 December 2024. It kept the subclass number, which is why you’ll still see “482 TSS” on older pages. TSS is closed to new applicants. If a site still calls it TSS in 2026, check its other facts too.
The 482 has three streams:
- Specialist Skills. For occupations in ANZSCO major groups 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 (so not trades, machinery operators or labourers) where the salary is at least the Specialist Skills Income Threshold. No occupation list.
- Core Skills. The main route. Your occupation has to be on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), and the salary has to be at least the Core Skills Income Threshold.
- Labour Agreement. For employers who have negotiated an agreement with the government, often with concessions on salary, English, or experience.
You need at least 12 months’ experience in the occupation or a closely related one. You can only work for your sponsor (or an associated entity) and only in the occupation you were nominated for. A short list of medical and executive occupations is exempt from the “work for your sponsor” rule.
What the 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa is
The 186 is a permanent visa. You get permanent residence when it’s granted, with no regional restriction on where you live.
It has three streams:
- Temporary Residence Transition (TRT). For people already working in Australia on a 482 (or an older 457), who’ve done 2 years of sponsored work. This is the “482 to 186” pathway.
- Direct Entry. For people who haven’t done the 2 years on a 482, including people applying from overseas. You need a positive skills assessment (unless exempt) and an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, which replaced the old MLTSSL as the Direct Entry list in December 2024.
- Labour Agreement. Same idea as the 482 version.
Your employer has to offer a full-time position for at least 2 years after the visa is granted.
The 482 to 186 pathway, step by step
This is the route most sponsored workers take, and the rules got easier in December 2024. Since then:
- employers can nominate a Skills in Demand visa holder from any 482 stream for the TRT
- All sponsored full-time work on a 457, 482, or eligible bridging visa in the 3 years before applying counts towards the 2-year requirement
That second change matters more than it sounds. Under the old TSS guidance, earlier time generally only counted if you’d stayed in the same role, with the same employer, in the same location. Now, all eligible sponsored full-time work counts towards the 2 years, regardless of occupation. The employer nominating you for the 186 has to offer the position full-time for at least 2 years.
Two other details people miss. The TRT stream has no occupation list. Your occupation is taken from your most recent temporary skilled visa, so an occupation dropping off a list later doesn’t shut the door. And some TRT applicants are exempt from the English requirement. Older Home Affairs guidance gives the example of people who completed at least 5 years of full-time study taught entirely in English at secondary or tertiary level. Check that the exemption still applies to you before skipping the test.
In practice, the timeline looks like this:
- Employer becomes an approved sponsor and nominates you for a 482.
- You get the 482 and start work.
- You complete 2 years of full-time sponsored work (within a 3-year window).
- Your employer lodges a 186 TRT nomination, and you lodge the visa application.
- 186 granted. You’re a permanent resident.
The pathway is busy. In 2024-25, 32,130 temporary skilled visa holders were granted permanent residence or a provisional visa, up 7.7% from the year before.
Salary thresholds for 2026-27
Both thresholds are indexed every 1 July in line with average weekly earnings. The 2026 figures come from the explanatory statement to the 2026 amendment regulations.
| Threshold | Up to 30 Jun 2026 | From 1 Jul 2026 | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) | AUD 76,515 | AUD 79,423 | 482 Core Skills, 186 |
| Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) | AUD 141,210 | AUD 146,576 | 482 Specialist Skills |
| Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) | n/a | AUD 79,423 | 494 and 187 only |
The threshold is a floor, not the target. Your salary also has to match the annual market salary rate, meaning what an Australian would be paid for the same job in the same workplace. If that market rate is above the threshold, the market rate wins.
The TSMIT row is there because it confuses people. It’s the threshold for 494 and 187 nominations. Until 2026, it was set each year by a separate instrument. From 1 July 2026, it’s written into the regulations at the same figure as the CSIT and will be indexed alongside it. It doesn’t apply to the 482 or the 186.
English requirements
The two visas use quite different English settings, and this catches people moving from one to the other.
| Test | 482 (applications from 13 Sep 2025) | 186 (Competent English, tests from 7 Aug 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic or General Training | 5.0 in each band | 6.0 in each band |
| PTE Academic | Listening 33, Reading 36, Writing 29, Speaking 24 | Listening 47, Reading 48, Writing 51, Speaking 54 |
So a score that got you a 482 may not be enough for the 186. If you’re on a 482 now and planning the TRT, sit the test early rather than waiting until your 2 years are almost up.
Tests taken before 7 August 2025 are assessed against the old score tables, and results are generally valid for up to 3 years.
What each visa costs
Visa application charges
The 186 main applicant charge is AUD 6,140 from 1 July 2026. Each additional applicant aged 18 or over costs AUD 3,070, and each child under 18 costs AUD 1,535.
For the 482, check the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before you lodge. Visa charges change most years on 1 July, so don’t rely on figures copied from older agent websites.
What the employer pays
The Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy is the employer’s cost, and it’s charged differently on each visa:
- 186: a one-off levy of AUD 3,000 if the business turns over less than AUD 10 million a year, or AUD 5,000 if it turns over AUD 10 million or more.
- 482: depends on the business’s turnover and how long the nomination is for. Home Affairs’ Migration Strategy put it at up to AUD 7,200.
Employers also pay sponsorship and nomination fees. Sponsors are not allowed to pass the costs of becoming or being a sponsor on to someone else, and that includes migration agent costs.
Processing priorities
Home Affairs doesn’t process these visas in lodgement order. Since 19 September 2026, two ministerial directions decide who goes first.
For the 482 (Ministerial Direction 121), the order is:
- construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and resources roles, plus law enforcement and defence
- Specialist Skills stream applications
- applicants who were in Australia when they lodged
- offshore applicants applying on their own
- everyone else
The 186 falls under Ministerial Direction 122, which also puts applicants inside Australia ahead of offshore applicants.
If you’re a cook or an IT worker applying from overseas, you’re further down that list than a nurse already in Australia. That’s worth knowing before you plan a start date.
If you lose your job on a 482
On a 186, you’re a permanent resident, and the visa has no condition tying you to the employer. You’re still expected to have genuinely intended to take up the role, so get advice if the job ends early.
On a 482, it’s different. Condition 8607 used to give you 60 days to find a new sponsor. Since a 2024 amendment, you can stop working for your sponsor for up to 180 consecutive days at a time, and no more than 365 days in total across the life of the visa. Go past either limit, and your visa can be cancelled.
The new nomination has to be approved before you start with the new employer. Starting early breaches your visa condition.
Applying from Nepal: which route is realistic?
Most of the rules don’t change depending on where you live. A few things do.
The TRT is only for people already in Australia. You need 2 years of sponsored work on a 482 to use it. From Nepal, your two options are a 482 first (then the TRT later) or a 186 Direct Entry.
Direct Entry is the harder route. You need a positive skills assessment, an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, relevant work experience, Competent English, and an Australian employer willing to offer permanent sponsorship to someone they haven’t worked with yet. That last part is often the hardest to find.
The 482 is the usual starting point. It needs only 12 months’ experience and lower English scores. It also lets the employer see you work before committing to permanent sponsorship.
Offshore applications rank lower. Under both processing directions, applicants inside Australia rank above offshore applicants. Unless your occupation is in a priority sector (or you qualify for the Specialist Skills stream), expect to wait longer than someone applying onshore.
Watch for job offers that ask you to pay. The SAF levy is charged to the employer, and sponsors aren’t allowed to pass on the costs of sponsoring you. If an “employer” or agent asks you to cover those costs, or to pay for the job itself, walk away.
Which one should you aim for?
Apply for the 482 if:
- you have 1 to 2 years’ experience
- your English is around IELTS 5 to 5.5
- you’re offshore and your employer doesn’t know you yet
Go straight to the 186 Direct Entry if:
- you already have a positive skills assessment and the work experience it requires
- you have Competent English
- you’re under 45
- your employer is ready to commit to permanent sponsorship now
Move from the 482 to the 186 TRT when:
- you’ve done 2 years of full-time sponsored work in the last 3
- you have Competent English
- your employer will offer a 2-year full-time role at or above the market rate and AUD 79,423
Age is the deadline people overlook. The 186 cut-off is under 45 at application. If you’re 42 and starting a 482 now, you’ll be 44 when you reach 2 years. That’s close. Plan the TRT timing with your employer from day one, or look at Direct Entry while you still qualify. (There are exemptions, including one for 457 and 482 workers who earned at least the Fair Work high income threshold for 2 years, but don’t count on one applying to you without checking.)
Other options exist. The employer-sponsored regional 494 is one. The points-tested 189 and 190 are others, and they don’t need an employer at all.
482 vs 186 FAQs
Can I apply for a 186 without having a 482 first?
Yes, through the Direct Entry stream. You’ll need a positive skills assessment (unless exempt), an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, Competent English, to be under 45 (unless exempt), and an employer willing to nominate you.
How long do I need to be on a 482 before applying for a 186?
You need 2 years of full-time sponsored work in the 3 years before applying for the TRT stream. Since 7 December 2024, sponsored full-time work on a 457, 482, or eligible bridging visa counts, regardless of occupation.
Does time with a previous employer count towards the 186 TRT?
Since 7 December 2024, all eligible sponsored full-time work on a 457, 482 or eligible bridging visa in the 3 years before you apply counts, regardless of occupation. Confirm your own work history with a registered migration agent before your employer lodges the nomination.
What is the minimum salary for a 482 or 186 in 2026-27?
From 1 July 2026, the Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD 79,423 for the 482 Core Skills stream and the 186. The Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD 146,576. You also have to be paid the market rate for the job if that’s higher.
Is the English requirement the same for the 482 and 186?
No. The 482 needs IELTS 5.0 in each band (or equivalent). The 186 needs Competent English, which is IELTS 6.0 in each band (or equivalent). Some TRT applicants are exempt, so check the current exemptions before you book a test.
How much does a 186 visa cost in 2026?
The base charge for the main applicant is AUD 6,140 from 1 July 2026, plus AUD 3,070 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 1,535 for each child under 18.
Is there an age limit for the 186?
Yes. You must be under 45 when you apply, unless you’re exempt. Exempt groups include certain academics, scientists, regional medical practitioners, and 457 or 482 workers who earned at least the Fair Work high income threshold for 2 years.
Talk it through before your employer lodges anything
The 482 vs 186 choice is really a timing question: what you qualify for now, and what you’ll qualify for in 2 years. Get the English test, age, and salary right before the nomination goes in, and the 186 TRT is mostly paperwork. Get one of them wrong, and you can lose a year.
