Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Lawyers
Permanent workforce retention strategy for employers nominating skilled workers under the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186), including Temporary Residence Transition, Direct Entry and Labour Agreement pathways.
A 186 nomination should be part of workforce planning—not an afterthought at visa expiry.
Subclass 186 can allow an employer to nominate a skilled worker for permanent residence. The employer nomination and the applicant’s visa criteria remain separate, and the appropriate stream should be planned around the worker’s history and the position.
Temporary Residence Transition
For eligible sponsored workers transitioning from qualifying temporary sponsored employment into permanent residence.
Direct Entry
For eligible workers who meet the Direct Entry requirements, including occupation, skills assessment and experience settings that apply to the applicant.
Labour Agreement
For employers whose labour agreement provides an Employer Nomination Scheme pathway on the negotiated terms.
Protect the employer nomination and the retention objective.
Permanent sponsorship requires more than a commitment to keep the worker. The nomination must satisfy the employer-side criteria and align with the stream under which the employee is applying.
What we handle
- 186 stream selection and retention planning
- Employer eligibility and nomination strategy
- Position and employment evidence
- Occupation and salary analysis
- Temporary Residence Transition history review
- Direct Entry employer-side nomination preparation
- Labour Agreement permanent residence pathways
- Business restructure and continuity issues
- Coordination with the worker’s separate visa application
Where employers get exposed
- Selecting the wrong stream for the worker’s history
- Assuming previous 482 approval guarantees a 186 outcome
- Changes to the employing entity or position before lodgement
- Role or salary evidence inconsistent with the permanent position
- Applicant age, skills assessment, English or work history issues discovered too late
- Labour agreement terms that do not provide the assumed PR pathway
Commercially clear. Legally defensible.
We structure the employer case before lodgement so the documents, position, salary and workforce rationale tell the same story.
Retention plan
Assess the intended long-term role and the worker’s likely stream.
Employer evidence
Prepare the nomination around the ongoing business need and employment position.
Applicant alignment
Identify individual eligibility issues early so the nomination is not pursued in isolation.
Lodge & manage
File the nomination and visa in the appropriate sequence and address Department requests.
Have a role, worker or deadline already in play?
Send us the business, proposed worker, position, location and target commencement date. We can use the first strategy call to identify the viable pathway, immediate evidence requirements and legal risks.
Corporate employers · HR teams · recruiters · founders · in-house counsel
Employer questions about permanent nomination.
General information only. Current law, policy and evidence requirements should be checked for the specific business and proposed worker.
Does the employer need Standard Business Sponsorship for a 186 nomination?
Can we sponsor an employee directly for 186 without a 482 first?
Is 186 permanent residence?
Can we use 186 to retain a key employee?
What if our business restructures before grant?
Legal review: 25 September 2026. Official resources: Home Affairs — Employer Nomination Scheme 186 · Home Affairs — Direct Entry stream.
Turn temporary talent into a planned retention pathway.
We can map the employer nomination and employee eligibility together so permanent sponsorship is pursued on the correct stream and evidence.
