Direct Entry stream

Get your skills assessed

Get a skills assessment if you need to. The assessment will prove you have the right skills and qualifications to do your job.

You must have received a positive outcome for your skills assessment before you apply for your visa. It cannot have been issued more than 3 years before the date you make your application.

Occupations in the CSOL are benchmarked to the 2022 version of ANZSCO. Where occupation classifications have changed through ANZSCO updates, a skills assessment under the earlier ANZSCO classification will generally be accepted if:

• the skills assessment issued is still valid (up to three years, or less if the assessing authority specifies a shorter period),
• the assessing authority was specified for the occupation at the time of the skills assessment, and
• the nominated occupation corresponds to the historical classification of the occupation in ANZSCO.

We do not accept skills assessments obtained for a subclass 485 visa.

Organise English exams

Make sure your English test results are current for this visa. Your English test results cannot have been issued more than three years before you make your application. You must also receive your test results before you lodge your visa application. Have English exams if necessary.

Get help with your application

Only some people can help you with your application. If you appoint someone to give you immigration assistance they must be:

• a registered migration agent
• a legal practitioner, or
• an exempt person.

You can appoint anyone to receive documents on your behalf relating to your visa matter.

Get the nomination Transaction Reference Number

Make sure your employer has submitted a nomination application. They will receive a nomination Transaction Reference Number (TRN) when they do.

Ask your employer for the TRN. You need it to apply for the visa. You do not need to wait for the nomination to be approved to lodge your visa application.

Your rights and your employer's obligations

Criminal and civil penalties can be applied to anyone who asks for, receives, offers or provides a benefit in exchange for visa sponsorship. Learn more about work visa scams.

Provide accurate information

Provide accurate information. See what happens if you can't prove your identity or don't provide true information.

Identity documents

Provide the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.

If you have changed your name for any reason, you must also provide evidence of this.

Documents that prove a change of name include:

• a marriage or divorce certificate
• change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
• documents that show other names you have been known by

Licencing, registration or membership

Provide evidence of any licence, registration or professional membership mandatory to perform the nominated occupation in the state or territory you intend to work in, if applicable.

If you are a doctor, provide one of these certificates issued by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency as proof of full registration:

• unconditional or general medical registration
• conditional specialist registration which allows you to practise only in your particular specialty with no further training or supervision requirements

If you are a barrister or solicitor, provide proof of admission to practise as a lawyer in the relevant state or territory.

Skills and qualifications documents

Provide either:

• documents that prove your skills and qualifications
• documents to prove you are exempt from proving your skills and qualifications

Age exemption documents

If you are 45 years old or older, provide documents to show you are exempt from the age eligibility criteria.

You are exempt from this criteria if any of the following apply to you:

• you are nominated as an academic (university lecturer or faculty head at Academic Level B, C D or E) by a university in Australia
• you are nominated as a scientist, researcher or technical (scientific) specialist at ANZSCO skill level 1 or 2 by a Federal, State or Territory government science agency, or an Australian university
• you currently hold a Special Category (subclass 444) or New Zealand citizen's family member (subclass 461) visa and have worked for the employer who nominated you, in the nominated position, for at least 2 years in the last 3 years immediately before you apply. The 2 years excludes periods of unpaid leave.

English language documents

Provide documents that show you have Competent English.

Health documents

You do not need to provide health documents. If you have had medical exams, the results are sent to us by your doctor.

Character documents

Provide an Australian police certificate if you have spent a total of 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since you turned 16. We only accept complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police. We do not accept standard disclosure certificates or national police certificates issued by Australian state or territory police. For immigration purposes, Australian police certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

Also provide:

• an overseas police certificate from every country, including your home country, where you have spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16
  • if required, penal check letters are available by contacting espd@homeaffairs.gov.au and include the words “Front end load – Penal Check Letter” in the subject line of your email.
• military service records or discharge papers if you served in the armed forces of any country

Further information is available at: Character requirements for visas

Tell us you are getting help

To nominate someone to:

• receive your correspondence, use Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient
• provide immigration assistance, use Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person.

Upload your written notification or your forms to ImmiAccount.

Partner documents

Provide:

• identity documents
• character documents

Provide either:

• your current marriage certificate or
• enough documents to prove your partner has been in a de facto relationship with you for at least 12 months before you apply

Documents that prove a de facto relationship include:

• joint bank account statements
• billing accounts in joint names
• joint leases or mortgages
• documents that show you have both lived at the same address

Dependants under 18 documents

For every dependant under 18 years who is applying with you provide:

• identity documents (if your child is under 5 years old you can include them in the application without a passport)
• proof of their relationship with you such as a birth or marriage certificate
• character documents, if applicable.

Dependants over 18 documents

For every dependant 18 years old or older who is applying with you provide:

• identity documents
• documents about other relationships, if applicable
• character documents

Translate

Have all non-English documents translated into English.

Provide original and translated documents in your application.

Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited. But on each translation, they must include their:

• full name
• address and telephone number
• qualifications and experience in the language they are translating

These details must be in English.

Note: You do not need to have any documents certified.

Scan or photograph

Scan or photograph all documents (English and non-English) in colour.

The scans and photos must be clear.

If a document is more than one page, save it all as one file.

Provide accurate information

Provide accurate information. See what happens if you can't prove your identity or don't provide true information.

Apply for the visa online in ImmiAccount

1. Login or create an ImmiAccount.
2. Attach documents.
3. Pay the application charge. We will not process your application until you pay.
4. Note the Transaction Reference Number (TRN).

What will happen after you apply

We will let you know when we have received your application.

Status updates

We can’t give updates on applications within the standard processing time.

You can check if we need more information from you in ImmiAccount.

Travel after you apply

If you are in Australia, you don't have to tell us if you want to travel outside Australia while we process your application. This is because you can be outside Australia when we decide on your application.

If you leave Australia, you must make sure you have a valid visa to return.

Learn about visa expiry.

Learn about Bridging visas.

Health exams

If you didn't have health examinations before you applied, we will let you know if you need them. Check ImmiAccount.

Biometrics

We might ask for biometrics (fingerprints and photo). We will let you know if you need to provide them.

Attach more information

We might ask you to provide more information. Attach any additional documents we ask you for as soon as possible in ImmiAccount.

Stay lawful

Make sure you stay lawful by holding a valid visa while we process your application.

When you apply for this visa in Australia, you are likely to be granted a bridging visa. If your current visa expires before we decide your application, the bridging visa will start. You can stay in Australia on the bridging visa while we process your new visa application.

Learn more about visa expiry.

Pay the second instalment

If you need to pay a second instalment, we will send you an invoice after you have met all other requirements for the visa.

Add family

You can add family members to your application after you apply but before we decide on your visa.

For this visa your family members are:

• your partner
• your dependent child
• your partner’s dependent child

Mistakes on your application

Let us know as soon as you can if you made a mistake on your application.

Complete Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers.

Help with your application

Let us know if you no longer want someone to:

• receive your correspondence - complete Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient
• provide immigration advice - complete Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person.

Upload your written notification or your forms to ImmiAccount.

For more information see Who can help you with your application.

Tell us if things change

Tell us if things change after you submit your application but before we decide on your application.

Things you need to let us know about include:

• you want to withdraw your application
• changes to your phone number, address or passport
• changes to your relationship status
• the birth of a child

See what to do if your situation changes.

Check the applicant is eligible

Check that the applicant you want to nominate is eligible for this visa through the Direct Entry stream.

If they are not eligible we might refuse your application.

Applicant's employment contract

The contract must indicate:

• the base salary - if the worker will earn less than AUD250,000 a year, their salary must not be less than the annual market salary rate
• the total remuneration and terms and conditions of employment - these conditions must not be less favourable than the conditions that would apply to an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• that the position is full-time, ongoing and available for at least 2 years

Proof your business is actively and lawfully operating

Provide:

• relevant pages of the trust deed specifying the parties to the trust (if you are a trust or trustee of a trust)
• current lease agreement

Also provide either:

• audited balance sheet and profit and loss statement for the most recently concluded financial year with comparative figures for previous financial year, or
• business tax returns and associated tax assessment notices for the most recently concluded financial year

If the period of the financial statements or tax returns ended more than three months before you lodge your application, also provide a business activity statement (BAS) for each complete quarter from the end of the financial period to the date you lodge your application.

If your business has operated for less than 12 months, also provide:

• business activity statements (BAS) for each complete quarter from the start of operations to the time you lodge the nomination, and
• statements for the business bank account from the start of operations to the time you lodge the nomination.

Proof you have a genuine need for a paid employee

Businesses seeking to nominate overseas workers for a permanent employer sponsored visa are required to demonstrate that there is a genuine need to employ a person in the position.

Provide:

• a detailed organisational structure chart
• the name of the occupation and its ANZSCO code
• a detailed position description including specified tasks and duties of the position

Also provide these where applicable:

• evidence that the position has existed and been previously occupied but has become vacant through attrition
• evidence that the position is currently occupied by a temporary resident
• evidence of an increase in business activity (e.g. new contracts won) requiring workers in the nominated occupation
• evidence of overtime work or increase in overtime work for employees currently in the nominated occupation
• if your business is diversifying, evidence of appropriate market research, business plans detailing proposed expansion and timelines, financial budgets covering expenditure and anticipated revenue and evidence of availability of funding (such as own funds or bank loans)

Proof you will pay the annual market salary rate

If the applicant will earn less than AUD250,000 a year, prove you will pay them the annual market salary rate (AMSR) for their occupation.

Clearly identify and explain your evidence. If you provide unlabelled salary surveys or vague details on how you determined the AMSR, we might refuse your nomination.

Where there is a difference between the determined AMSR and the nominee's proposed salary, explain why.

Where a caveat applies

Caveats apply to some occupations for the subclass 186 visa. These caveats exclude the occupation from eligibility under the employer nomination scheme in some circumstances.

Where we might assess the occupation you are nominating as ineligible due to a caveat, provide evidence that indicates the position satisfies those caveats.

For example, one caveat applied to the occupation of chef is that the nominated position can’t be in a fast food or takeaway food service. Provide evidence to show the caveat does not apply to the position so that we don’t assess it as ineligible, such as:

• a detailed position description
• an explanatory statement and evidence that describes the core activities of your business
• a copy of the menu
• a link to your website
• a floor plan
• photographs of the premises that show the size and type of your establishment
• details of food preparation done on the premises
• details of table service provided and the volume of in-restaurant dining
• any other evidence you consider relevant

You can also ask us to consider the broader circumstances when we assess caveats - for example, the turnover and salary caveats, including those of an overseas parent company. Submit your request to us in writing.

We list any caveats that apply to occupations on the skilled occupations list.

Apply online

1. Complete your nomination application in ImmiAccount.
2. Attach documents.
3. Pay the application fee. We will not process your application until you pay the fee.
4. Pay the Skilling Australians Fund levy.
5. Note the nomination Transaction Reference Number (TRN). Your employee will need it to apply for their visa.

Send more documents

If you did not attach all documents when you applied, attach them as soon as you can. We might also ask you to provide more information, however we can make a decision without making a further request.

Tell us if things change

Contact the relevant visa processing office to report changes that could affect your application.

When you write to us, include your:

• business name
• ABN or ACN
• nomination Transaction Reference Number (TRN)

Withdraw your nomination application

You can withdraw your application any time before we make a decision. If we approve your application and circumstances change (for example, your nominee is no longer working for you), you need to notify us before we decide on your nominee's visa application.

To withdraw your nomination, email the processing area.

Note: Removing your application from ImmiAccount does not withdraw the nomination. Generally, we do not refund the nomination fee.