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ARTICLE · 27 OCTOBER 2026

How Long Does The Subclass 186 Visa Take To Process In Australia?

Understanding the processing times for Australia's Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa is critical for workforce planning. This guide examines current processing timeframes across different streams, explains the factors that cause variation in processing duration, and provides practical recommendations for employers navigating the application process.

AustraliaImmigration

The Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) visa has no fixed processing time. The Department of Home Affairs publishes processing times as percentiles, which show how long it took to finalise 50% and 90% of recent applications in each stream. They describe past applications. They do not predict the outcome of yours.

What are the current Subclass 186 processing times?

Home Affairs reports separate times for each stream. The Skilled (Permanent) category average that appears in general guides does not describe the Subclass 186 accurately, and the streams differ by many months.

Stream Application date 50% finalised 90% finalised
Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) 8/10/2026

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The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

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