Last updated: 30 March 2026

186 TRT Stream: Transition from 482 to Permanent Residency

The Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa is the primary route to permanent residency for workers currently in Australia on a subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa. It recognises that you have already demonstrated your skills and commitment through your employment relationship with your sponsoring employer, and it uses that history as the foundation for your permanent residence application.

Unlike the 186 Direct Entry stream, the TRT stream does not require Labour Market Testing and has reduced evidentiary requirements in several areas because the employment relationship is already established and documented. For most 482 holders approaching their 2-year mark with a committed employer, the TRT stream is the most direct path to permanent residency available through the employer-sponsored system.

How the TRT Stream Works

The TRT stream is designed around a single core principle: if you have worked for your sponsoring employer in your nominated occupation for the required period, both you and your employer can apply together for permanent residency through the 186 framework.

The stream creates a structured transition rather than a fresh application. Your prior 482 visa history — the employer’s existing sponsorship, your work record, and in many cases your existing skills assessment — all carry forward into the 186 TRT application.

This is different from the Direct Entry stream, which treats each applicant as a new case requiring full skills assessment and Labour Market Testing. The TRT stream acknowledges the groundwork already laid during your 482 period.

Core TRT Eligibility Requirements

The 2-Year Work Requirement

The defining requirement for the TRT stream is that you must have worked for the nominating employer in the nominated occupation for at least 2 years in the 3-year period immediately before you lodge your 186 TRT application.

Key points about the 2-year work requirement:

• Same employer: The 2 years must be with the employer who is nominating you for the 186. Work with a previous employer or a related entity under different ABN arrangements does not count.
• Same occupation: The work must have been in the same ANZSCO occupation as the 186 nomination. If your role changed significantly during your 482 period — including a promotion into a different ANZSCO code — confirm with a migration agent whether continuity is maintained.
• Full-time basis: Employment must be full-time (or part-time hours equivalent to full-time over a longer period). Casual work or irregular hours can complicate the calculation.
• Within the 3-year window: The 2-year period must fall within the 3 years immediately before lodgement. Long gaps in employment — even if you still hold a 482 — can affect whether the requirement is met.
• On a qualifying visa: The work must have been performed while holding a subclass 482 (or the previous subclass 457) visa. Work performed on a different visa type does not count toward the TRT requirement.

If there were periods of paid leave, parental leave, or company-approved unpaid leave during the 2 years, these may still count as part of the employment period depending on the circumstances. Confirm with a migration agent how leave periods affect your specific case.

The Same Employer Requirement in Practice

The same employer requirement means the company sponsoring your 186 must be the same legal entity — the same ABN — that sponsored your 482 and employed you for the 2-year period. Common situations that can complicate this include:

• Business restructures: If the company was acquired, merged, or restructured during your employment, the legal entity may have changed. Documentation showing continuity of employment through the change is usually required.
• Related companies: Working for a related company or subsidiary under a different ABN, even within the same corporate group, generally does not satisfy the same employer requirement without specific arrangements.
• Change of employer during 482: If you changed employers during your 482 visa — using the 482 amendment process to transfer to a new sponsor — only the period with the current nominating employer counts.

If you have any doubt about whether your employment history satisfies the same employer requirement, get specific advice before your employer lodges the nomination.

Age Requirements and TRT Exemptions

The standard age limit for the 186 visa is under 45 at the time of application. The TRT stream has specific age exemptions that the Direct Entry stream does not offer.

Under the TRT stream, applicants may be exempt from the 45-year age limit if they:

• Have held a subclass 457 or 482 visa for a specified continuous period with the nominating employer (the specific rules apply to certain long-serving 457/482 holders — confirm current legislative requirements with a migration agent)
• Are a New Zealand citizen
• Have a nominated salary above the high income threshold (currently AUD $253,900 per year)
• Are nominated by a university for an academic position
• Are a scientist or researcher nominated by an eligible research organisation
• Are a senior executive of a company with annual turnover exceeding $1 billion

If you are approaching 45 and are not certain whether an exemption applies, treating the application as time-sensitive is the right approach. Lodge before your birthday where possible, as lodgement date determines age eligibility.

Skills Assessment Under TRT

The General Rule

For most TRT applicants, a skills assessment is still required. The fact that you are using the TRT stream does not automatically eliminate the skills assessment obligation.

The reason is that skills assessments are occupation-specific requirements, not stream-specific exemptions. Whether you need one depends on your occupation and whether an exemption applies to your specific circumstances.

When a Skills Assessment Is Not Required

A skills assessment exemption under the TRT stream applies in limited circumstances, primarily for trade occupations where TRA assessed your skills as part of the 482 sponsorship process and where the assessment covered your nominated ANZSCO occupation. This is not a broad exemption — it applies to specific trades and only where the TRA assessment was conducted through the qualifying process.

Reusing an Existing Skills Assessment

If you have a valid positive skills assessment from a prior visa application — for example, from when you applied for your 482, or from an Expression of Interest submitted for the 189 or 190 — that assessment is typically reusable for the 186 TRT application provided:

• It covers the same ANZSCO occupation code as the 186 nomination
• It is still within its validity period (usually 3 years from the date of assessment — confirm with the issuing authority)
• The issuing authority is the relevant authority for the nominated occupation

If your existing assessment is approaching expiry or covers a slightly different occupation code, you may need to obtain a new one or request an extension from the assessing authority.

How the 482 Connects to the 186 TRT Stream

The 482 and 186 TRT stream are designed to work in sequence. Here is how the two visas connect:

This sequential structure means your planning for the 186 ideally starts during the 482 stage — not after you have reached the 2-year mark. Identifying early whether your employer is committed to supporting your permanent nomination, and ensuring your employment records are well-documented throughout the 482 period, makes the TRT application considerably more straightforward.

No Labour Market Testing

One of the most practical differences between the TRT stream and the Direct Entry stream is that Labour Market Testing is not required for TRT nominations.

The rationale is that the employer’s ongoing employment of you for 2 years demonstrates a genuine and continued need for your skills in the business. The employer is not asking to bring in a new worker — they are seeking to retain someone already embedded in their operations on a permanent basis.

This removes a significant administrative burden from the nomination process. It also means the nomination can be lodged more quickly than a Direct Entry nomination, which must wait for LMT advertising to be completed.

Step-by-Step: TRT Application Process

Step 1: Confirm you meet the 2-year work requirement

Review your employment records with the nominating employer. Calculate the continuous full-time work period in the nominated occupation. Confirm the period falls within the 3-year window before your planned lodgement date.

Step 2: Check your skills assessment status

Identify whether a skills assessment is required for your occupation under the TRT stream. If you have an existing assessment, confirm it is still valid and covers the right ANZSCO code. If you need a new assessment, begin that process immediately given the lead times involved.

Step 3: Confirm your age and any relevant exemptions

If you will be 45 or older at the time of lodgement, identify whether a TRT-specific age exemption applies to your situation.

Step 4: Gather employment evidence

Compile documentation covering your 2-year employment period with the nominating employer:

• Payslips for the full 2-year period
• Tax assessments or annual earnings summaries
• Employment contract(s) covering the period
• Any variation letters reflecting changes in role or salary
• Employer statutory declaration confirming employment in the nominated occupation

Step 5: Employer lodges the 186 TRT nomination

The employer lodges the nomination application (Form 1395) through ImmiAccount. The nomination package for TRT includes:

• Evidence of Standard Business Sponsorship (existing SBS details)
• Employment evidence for the 2-year period
• Current position description and salary details confirming the role is ongoing
• Salary evidence demonstrating TSMIT compliance and market salary rate

No Labour Market Testing documentation is required.

Step 6: Lodge the 186 TRT visa application concurrently

You can lodge your visa application (Form 47ES) at the same time as the employer lodges the nomination. Concurrent lodgement is recommended to reduce total processing time. Your application includes:

• Identity documents (passport, birth certificate, relationship certificates if applicable)
• Skills assessment result (if required)
• English test results (or evidence of exemption)
• Health examination results
• Police clearance certificates
• Secondary applicant documents (if including partner and/or children)

Step 7: Monitor and respond to requests

Check ImmiAccount regularly. Respond to any requests for additional information from the Department promptly and with complete documentation. Missing or incomplete responses to information requests are the most common cause of preventable processing delays.

Step 8: Await the decision

Once the nomination is approved and the visa application is fully assessed, you will receive notification through ImmiAccount. On grant, you hold permanent residency from the date of the decision.

Maintaining Lawful Status During Processing

If your 482 visa expires while your 186 TRT application is being processed, a Bridging Visa A (BVA) is automatically granted (provided your 186 application was lodged before your 482 expired). The BVA allows you to remain in Australia lawfully during the processing period.

Important points about the BVA:

• Your work rights under the BVA typically reflect your 482 conditions — you can continue working for the sponsoring employer
• You should not change employers during the BVA period without advice, as this can affect the 186 TRT application
• Travelling outside Australia on a BVA without first obtaining a Bridging Visa B will result in the BVA ceasing — and potentially your 186 application being affected. Plan international travel carefully during the processing period.

TRT Processing Times and Costs

Processing Times

The TRT stream has historically processed faster than the Direct Entry stream, reflecting the reduced evidentiary complexity of the nomination.

These are general benchmarks. Application volumes and departmental priorities affect processing times, and cases with complex health or character assessments take longer.

Fees

The SBS renewal or new SBS application fee ($420) is not typically required for TRT nominations if the employer already holds a current SBS from the 482 sponsorship.

After the 186 TRT Grant

The 186 TRT visa is a permanent visa from the date of grant. There is no obligation to remain with the nominating employer after the visa is granted. Once you hold permanent residency through the 186 TRT stream, you can:

• Work for any employer in any occupation in Australia
• Live anywhere in Australia without restriction
• Access Medicare
• Apply for Australian citizenship after meeting the 4-year residency requirement (including at least 1 year as a permanent resident)
• Sponsor eligible family members for certain Australian visa pathways

For the full scope of what the 186 grants you, see the subclass 186 visa overview.

TRT vs Direct Entry: Which Stream Applies?

If you hold a 482 and have met the 2-year work requirement, the TRT stream is the right pathway. If you do not yet meet the 2-year requirement, the Direct Entry stream is available but carries additional requirements. For a full breakdown of requirements across both streams, see our 186 visa requirements page.

Frequently Asked Questions About the 186 TRT Stream

How long do I need to work on a 482 before applying for the 186 TRT stream?

You must have worked for the nominating employer in the nominated occupation for at least 2 years in the 3-year period immediately before lodging your 186 TRT application. The 2 years must be full-time (or the part-time equivalent), must be with the same employer who is nominating you, and must be in the same ANZSCO occupation as the 186 nomination.

Do I need a skills assessment for the 186 TRT stream?

For most occupations, yes. A skills assessment is still required under the TRT stream unless you qualify for a specific exemption. The main exemption applies to trade occupations where TRA conducted the skills assessment as part of the 482 nomination process. For professional occupations — ICT, engineering, accounting, nursing — a skills assessment is required. If you have a valid positive assessment from a prior visa application (such as a 189 or 190 EOI) covering the same ANZSCO code, that assessment is typically reusable if still within its validity period.

What happens to my visa status while my 186 TRT application is being processed?

If you lodge a 186 TRT application while holding a valid 482 visa, a Bridging Visa A (BVA) is automatically granted when your substantive visa expires, provided your 186 application was lodged before that expiry. The BVA allows you to remain in Australia lawfully during processing. Your work rights under the BVA typically mirror the conditions of your 482, meaning you can continue working for your sponsoring employer. Confirm your specific BVA conditions with a migration agent.