Eligible visa history
The applicant generally holds a subclass 457 or 482 visa, or an eligible bridging visa associated with one of those visas.
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482 TO 186 · TRT PATHWAY
A 482 visa can support a later 186 application, but it does not convert automatically.
The Temporary Residence Transition stream connects eligible sponsored work with an employer nomination. Timing, employment history and the employer’s continuing role all need to align.
The usual benchmark is two years of eligible sponsored employment in the previous three years.
That benchmark is only one part of the case. The employer nomination, position, age, English, visa history and any exemption must be checked under the rules applying when the applications are lodged.
TRT eligibility checks
Six issues should be resolved before relying on this pathway.
Two years of eligible sponsored work
Usually at least two years of eligible full-time sponsored employment in Australia during the three years immediately before the visa application.
Employer nomination
An approved 186 TRT nomination is required. The nomination generally needs to have been approved within six months before the visa application.
Age and English
The applicant is usually under 45 and has Competent English unless a current legislative or agreement exemption applies.
Genuine ongoing position
The employer and position must support genuine, ongoing full-time employment and satisfy nomination, salary and compliance requirements.
Health, character and evidence
The applicant and relevant family members still need to satisfy the applicable visa, health and character criteria.
Application timeline
Nomination and visa preparation should be planned together.
01Audit visa and sponsored employment history
02Confirm employer eligibility and the ongoing position
03Resolve age, English and any exemption question
04Prepare and lodge the 186 TRT nomination
05Lodge the 186 visa within the applicable timing
06Respond to requests and maintain lawful status and employment
Common mistake
Treating two calendar years as the whole test
Employment periods need to be eligible and evidenced. Unpaid leave, work outside Australia, changes in visa status, occupation or sponsorship, and interrupted employment can affect the calculation and evidence required.
Alternative route
Direct Entry is a separate 186 stream
A person who does not fit TRT may still examine Direct Entry, but that stream applies its own occupation, skills assessment, experience, age and English criteria. It is not a shortcut around an ineligible TRT case.
Evidence checklist
Prepare one evidence chain across the business, role and applicant.
The exact list depends on the stream and facts. These are planning categories, not a guarantee that the application is complete.
Employer evidence
- Business registration, operations and financial capacity
- Sponsor status, compliance history and organisation chart
- Capacity to sustain the market salary
Position and nomination
- Position description, contract, reporting line and business need
- Occupation, work location and market salary evidence
- Applicable labour market testing, RCB or agreement evidence
Applicant evidence
- CV, qualifications, employment references and pay records
- English, skills assessment, registration or licensing
- Identity, visa history, health and character evidence
Build a dated timeline covering visas, every nomination, work commencement, leave, travel, salary and employer changes.
Government charges
A 482-to-186 plan uses the subclass 186 nomination and visa charges.
The current subclass 186 guide separates the nomination, SAF levy, main applicant, family and possible second-instalment charges. Do not treat historic 482 fees as a credit against the permanent application.
View current 186 costs →Changing employer
Do not assume all work periods count in the same way.
Map each visa, nomination, work commencement and employment period. If the employer changed, retain the former and new nomination records and evidence of the exact dates.
Read the employer-change guide →Frequently asked questions
The timing questions that change a 482-to-186 plan
Can sponsored work with more than one employer count?
Potentially. Eligible sponsored employment on more than one subclass 457 or 482 visa can count. After changing employer, work may count from the date the new employer lodged the nomination if the person started work before that nomination was approved. The exact visa, nomination and employment dates still need evidence.
Does exactly two calendar years guarantee TRT eligibility?
No. The employment must be eligible full-time sponsored work in Australia during the three years immediately before application. Leave, overseas work, visa status, nomination timing and interruptions can affect the calculation.
Must the 186 TRT nomination be approved first?
An approved 186 TRT nomination is required and generally must have been approved within the six months before the visa application. Nomination and visa preparation should therefore be planned together.
What if I do not meet the TRT work requirement?
Direct Entry is a separate subclass 186 stream, but it applies its own occupation, skills assessment, experience, age and English criteria. It is not an automatic substitute for an ineligible TRT case.
Employer sponsorship Q&A
Answers to the questions that shape a workable pathway.
Each answer has its own reference page so it can be found, shared and kept current. General information only—not an individual eligibility conclusion.
PERMANENT PATHWAY
Plan the overall 482-to-186 pathway
Understand the TRT two-year work period, nomination timing and the checks that still apply.
Read the answer →EMPLOYMENT EVIDENCEHow should I document my TRT work history?
Reconcile visa and nomination dates with payroll, tax, leave and interruption records.
Read the answer →PATHWAY COMPARISON482, 186 or 494: which visa fits?
Start with the employer, position, location and intended outcome—not the visa number.
Read the answer →OCCUPATION & ASSESSMENTWhich occupation list and skills assessment apply?
Check ANZSCO versions, occupation lists, caveats and assessment settings for 482, 186 and 494.
Read the answer →CHANGE OF EMPLOYERWhat happens after a 482 job ends?
Understand the 180-day period, aggregate limit, new nomination and effect on a future 186 pathway.
Read the answer →482 TO 186 REVIEW
Review my pathway