To move from a 482 visa to permanent residency in Australia, you generally need at least two years of full-time work as a 457 or 482 holder within the three years before you apply. Your current sponsor then nominates you for the subclass 186 visa in the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream, and you lodge your own 186 application within six months of the nomination being approved.
By Hugo Leal, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2217825), at Concord Visa. This article is general information about Australian migration law as at October 2026. It isn't advice for your situation and doesn't promise any outcome; your options depend on your own facts.
How does the 482 to 186 pathway work?
The 186 has two halves: the employer's nomination and the worker's visa application. Both must succeed: if the nomination is refused, the visa application can't be granted.
My view is that the TRT stream is less about the two-year mark and more about what happens during those two years. Occupation, salary and dates are all tested at the end, and the time to fix them is while they are happening.
The sequence on the Home Affairs TRT page is straightforward. You work full-time for your sponsor in your nominated occupation. Your current employer, who must be your most recent sponsor, lodges the 186 nomination. You lodge the visa application within six months of that nomination being approved. Many employers lodge the two close together.
How long do you need to be on a 482 before applying for the 186?
You need at least two years of full-time eligible sponsored employment as the holder of one or more 457 or 482 visas, within the three years before you apply. Time on a bridging visa can count in some cases, for example while a further 482 application is being processed. If you changed employer, time with the new sponsor counts from the date its approved nomination was lodged.
What I'd check first is the employment history against the nominations on file. Gaps between sponsors and periods spent outside the nominated occupation are where the count most often falls short, so I'd keep payslips, contracts and tax records from the first day.
What are the worker's eligibility requirements?
The core criteria are age, English and skills.
Age. You must be under 45 when you apply. Exemptions exist for some groups, including people who have earned at least the Fair Work high income threshold (a figure the Fair Work Commission updates each 1 July) in each of at least two years with their sponsor and some academics, researchers and regional medical practitioners. If you're approaching 45, plan the timeline backwards from your birthday.
English. The TRT stream requires Competent English, which is a higher standard than some people met for their 482. Passport holders from specified English-speaking countries meet it by nationality; everyone else needs an accepted test result.
Skills. A new skills assessment isn't always required, but Home Affairs can ask for one, so check your occupation's settings early.
What must the employer do to nominate?
The employer must show the position is genuine, full-time and ongoing for at least two years, and that the salary meets the annual market salary rate and the income threshold. The Core Skills Income Threshold (AUD79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, per Home Affairs) also applies to 186 nominations.
The employer lodges the nomination in ImmiAccount, pays the nomination fee and pays a one-off Skilling Australians Fund levy that scales with business turnover. These costs belong to the employer. A sponsor cannot recover them from the worker, and asking for a benefit in return for sponsorship is an offence.
What does the timeline look like?
Processing follows the government's current priority settings for permanent skilled visas. Home Affairs publishes fees and indicative processing times, and both change.
How the 482 and the 186 compare:
What happens if you change employer on a 482?
Your new employer must be an approved sponsor with an approved nomination before you start. Time with more than one sponsor can count, but only from the date the new nomination was lodged. If you stop working for your sponsor, you generally have up to 180 days to find a new sponsor, be granted another visa or leave Australia. I'd confirm how your history counts before resigning, not after.
What if the 186 TRT doesn't fit?
The 189 is points-tested and needs no sponsor. The 190 needs a state or territory nomination. The 491 is a regional provisional visa that leads to PR through the 191. The 186 Direct Entry stream suits people with a skills assessment and at least three years of relevant experience. The National Innovation visa is a separate route for people with an exceptional, internationally recognised record, and we assess it case by case.
If you're not on a 482 yet, start with our 482 visa requirements guide.
FAQ: 482 to 186 permanent residency in Australia
How many years on a 482 before I can apply for PR?
Generally two years of full-time work as a 457 or 482 holder within the three years before you apply for the 186 TRT. Time with a new sponsor counts from when that sponsor's approved nomination was lodged.
What is the age limit for the 186 visa?
You must be under 45 when you apply, unless an exemption applies. Exemptions include people who have earned at least the Fair Work high income threshold (a figure the Fair Work Commission updates each 1 July) in each of at least two years with their sponsor and some academics, researchers and regional doctors.
What English level do I need for the 186 TRT?
Competent English. Passport holders from specified English-speaking countries meet this by nationality, and others need an accepted test result.
Who pays for the 186 nomination?
The employer pays the nomination fee and the one-off Skilling Australians Fund levy. A sponsor cannot recover these costs from the worker.
Can I stay in Australia while my 186 is processed?
If you apply while holding a valid visa, you will usually be granted a bridging visa that keeps you lawful if your 482 expires before a decision.
Talk to a registered migration agent before you lodge
Concord Visa doesn't find jobs. Once you have a sponsor, our in-house registered migration agent in Australia helps with the 186 visa, the employer's nomination and business sponsorship, and can look at the worker's timeline and the employer's obligations together.
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