186 Direct Entry visa eligibility, occupations and skills assessments
Employer Nomination Scheme · Direct Entry
Does the occupation and skills evidence fit Direct Entry?
Start with the work the employee will actually do, then check the occupation, caveats and assessing authority in the subclass 186 instrument. This check can save an employer from nominating a position that the occupation entry excludes.
Match the workplace to the occupation
Use the latest 186 occupation instrument and read across the entry. Check both the code and any numbered exclusions. For Chef (351311), Trades Recognition Australia is the listed authority. Caveats cover mass production in a factory and positions in a limited-service restaurant. Compare the menu, service model, rosters and kitchen duties with the instrument.
Obtain the right assessment before lodging
Unless an exemption applies, obtain a suitable assessment for the nominated occupation before the visa application. Check the authority, purpose, result date and expiry date. Home Affairs applies a maximum of three years and a shorter validity period if the authority specifies one. An assessment issued for subclass 485 cannot be used for this purpose. Check occupational licensing separately.
Document skilled work and English
Ordinarily the applicant needs three years of full-time employment in the occupation at the required skill level, competent English and to be under 45 at application. Match references with hours, duties, payroll or tax evidence. For an exemption, identify the precise criterion covered. For English, check passport eligibility or the test-specific scores for the date of the sitting.
An overseas chef receives an offer from a takeaway business
Even a strong TRA assessment only addresses the worker’s skills. First check whether the actual business falls within the limited-service restaurant caveat. If the job qualifies, check that the assessment and skilled employment evidence support the same occupation before lodging.
Frequently asked questions
Can full-time hours worked on a casual contract count?
The ordinary Direct Entry rule requires three years of full-time employment in the occupation at the required skill level. A casual contract alone does not establish or rule out full-time work. Supply rosters, payslips and an employer statement showing the hours and duties actually worked. Adding sporadic shifts together does not by itself prove the requirement.
My ACECQA assessment says Child Care Worker (Group Leader). Is that the right occupation?
Group Leader is a specialisation under Child Care Worker, ANZSCO 421111. Check that your assessment is suitable for migration, matches the nominated occupation, is valid at the relevant date and comes from the specified assessing authority. A qualification assessment alone is a different document.
Do I need to hold a 482 first?
Direct Entry can be available to an eligible applicant in or outside Australia. Assess the occupation, nomination, skills, experience and personal criteria directly.
My assessment is due next week. Can I lodge the visa today?
Where an assessment is required, wait for a suitable outcome. A receipt for an assessment in progress cannot establish the required result at application.
Does an IELTS overall score of 6 establish competent English?
For the usual IELTS competent-English test route, check for at least 6 in each component. For a different test or an earlier sitting, use the Home Affairs table for that test date.
I moved from technician duties into an engineering role. Can I use my whole work history for Direct Entry?
Record when your duties actually changed, including any period between graduating and taking responsibility for engineering work. Compare each period with the nominated occupation and required skill level. A promotion letter, project responsibilities and a supervisor’s reference can help establish the date. Check the six-digit occupation code on the skills assessment. If earlier sponsored duties also changed, assess the conditions of that earlier visa separately. Migration Regulations 1994.
Sources and related guides
Reviewed 7 November 2026.
