If you meet the conditions for the 482 work visa or the 186 permanent visa in Australia, apply today. Changes in migration policy, reduced places and a queue of more than 80,000 applications for the 186 mean that getting a visa will become harder and slower in the future.
There are fewer places available
The government has set a quota of 58,040 permanent 186 visas for the current financial year. That’s 43.9% of all places in the skilled permanent migration program. Combined, the 189, 190, 491, 494 visas and the National Innovation Visa account for only 56%. In other words, the 186 alone takes up almost half of the entire program.
As the federal election approaches, these numbers could drop. Fewer places mean more competition and longer waits for a decision.
The occupation list could change
The Core Skills Occupation List currently contains 456 occupations. It covers the 482 stream and the direct pathway to 186. However, the list changes regularly, and politicians are already saying some occupations shouldn’t be on it.
For a 186 visa via two years of employment on a 482, the list matters less — this path (temporary-to-permanent transition) isn’t affected by list changes. But if your occupation is removed from the list before you apply, you’ll lose access to the main 482 streams and the direct 186 pathway.
Visas 482 and 186: demand and availability
How the queue stands in the program and why you need to hurry
| Parameter | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Applications awaiting a decision for 186 | ||
| Places for the financial year | ||
| People on the 482 visa in Australia | ||
| Forecast processing time |
The queue is growing faster than visas are being issued
At the moment, more than 80,000 applications for the permanent 186 visa are awaiting a decision. But there are only 58,040 places for the current financial year. That means many applications will take more than a year to process.
There are currently more than 260,000 people in Australia on a 482 work visa. Most of them will gain access to the temporary residency transition pathway after two years on the 482. When they all start applying for the 186, the queue will grow significantly. Processing could stretch to 3–4 years.
Apply onshore if you can
Applications from people already in Australia are given priority. If you apply from overseas, the wait will be longer: offshore applications are processed first, before those lodged from within Australia.
We understand not everyone can be in Australia, but if this option is available to you, it will significantly cut the processing time.
Finding an employer is harder than applying
The main challenge is finding a sponsor willing to hire you. By law, employers are not allowed to ask for payments for sponsorship, and those who do face serious penalties.
There’s a possibility on the horizon of publishing a full list of approved sponsors, which could make the search easier, but it could also mean employers get flooded with inappropriate requests.
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