Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) visa: This visa allows employers to sponsor overseas staff permanently. This visa has three streams: the Temporary Residence Transition, the Direct entry and the Labour agreement stream.

Through the Temporary Residence Transition ( TRT) stream, employers can nominate their current sponsored staff members for permanent residency. To nominate an employee under the TRT stream, the employee must have worked for the same employer for three years in the nominated occupation as the holder/s of visa subclass 482 in the Medium-term stream. Other crucial criteria include meeting the required English (IELTS test score of 6 in each band or the equivalent in any other approved English language examinations) unless the person is exempt from the English requirement, be 44 years of age or younger unless age exemption applies and either hold or be eligible for registration/licence to work if applicable. Skills assessment is not mandatory under this stream.

Direct Entry Stream: Employers can nominate foreign personnel for permanent residency if the proposed employee has at least three years of post-qualification work experience in the nominated occupation undertaken full-time or part-time equivalent. The nominated occupation must be listed in the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List. Other main components of this stream include mandatory skills assessment; the applicant must be 44 or younger unless age exemption applies, has an EILTS test score of 6 in each band or the equivalent in any other approved English language examinations unless the person is exempt from the English requirement and either hold or be eligible for registration/licence to work if applicable.

The Labour agreement stream generally works for employers who need one or more foreign employees to fill a skills shortage permanently. For this stream, the employers must enter into a labour agreement with the government. The requirements for the applicants under this stream vary depending on the terms negotiated under the labour agreement.