Australia Lists 6 Conditions Skilled Workers Must Meet for Special Visa to Work and Live Permanently
- Australia's Department of Home Affairs has published the requirements for the Employer Nomination Scheme visa subclass 186 under the Direct Entry stream
- Skilled workers must meet six conditions, including age limits, occupation lists, and English language standards, to qualify for the permanent visa
- Interested applicants are required to secure a positive skills assessment and employer nomination before lodging their application
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Australia's Department of Home Affairs has outlined six conditions that skilled workers must satisfy before they can apply for the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa subclass 186 under the Direct Entry stream, a visa that allows successful applicants to live and work in Australia permanently.
The requirements were published on the department's official immigration portal and apply to applications lodged in 2026.
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Australia: Who qualifies for the ENS visa
According to the Department of Home Affairs, applicants must meet all of the following conditions:
1. Be under 45 years of age on the date the application is lodged, unless an exemption applies.
2. Be nominated by an employer for an occupation listed on the Core Skills Occupation List.
3. Have at least three years of relevant work experience, unless exempt.
4. Hold a positive skills assessment obtained before the application is submitted, unless an exemption applies.
5. Meet the minimum standards for English language proficiency.
6. Satisfy both health and character requirements.
The visa is employer-driven, meaning a prospective migrant cannot apply independently. A qualifying Australian employer must first nominate the worker for a role that appears on the Core Skills Occupation List, which sets out the occupations eligible under the Direct Entry stream.
Australia ENS visa: Key steps before lodging
One of the more critical conditions is the skills assessment requirement. Unlike some visa categories where skills can be assessed concurrently, Direct Entry stream applicants must have a positive skills assessment in hand before they lodge their application, unless they fall within an exempt category.
Similarly, the age cap of 45 is assessed at the moment of lodgement, not at any earlier or later stage of the process.
Applicants who are 45 or older at the time they submit their application will generally not be eligible unless a specific exemption covers their situation.
The English language condition requires applicants to demonstrate a set minimum level of proficiency, though the exact test scores and accepted qualifications are detailed separately on the department's portal.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Australia had announced a special visa that permits skilled workers to work and live permanently in the country.
Australia names people approved to render visa application assistance
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia had identified three categories of people approved to help people with their visa applications.
According to the department, any support that involves using knowledge or experience of migration procedures to assist someone with a visa matter counts as immigration assistance.
This includes preparing or helping to prepare a visa application or related document, advising an applicant about a visa application or any visa matter, and representing or preparing someone for proceedings before a court or review authority in connection with a visa matter.
Source: Legit.ng
