Head to head · Checked 30 October 2026
186 Temporary Residence Transition vs 186 Direct Entry
Same permanent visa, same $6,140, same employer nomination — the stream is decided by history. A worker who has held a 482 and worked for the nominating employer in the nominated position for two years uses the Transition stream: no skills assessment for most occupations, no age limit in the ordinary case for the stream’s own criteria, and the position already proven. A worker without that history uses Direct Entry: a skills assessment, three years of relevant experience, under 45 unless an exemption applies, and the employer proving the position from scratch. If you are on a 482 with the employer, wait for the two years unless age or a change of employer forces Direct Entry.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 30 October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Who it is for
- 482 (or 457) holders after 2 years with the nominating employer in the nominated position · Anyone the employer nominates, including from offshore
- Skills assessment
- Not required for most occupations · Required, from the relevant assessing authority
- Experience
- The 2 years on the 482 count · 3 years of relevant post-qualification experience
- Age
- No age limit under the stream’s criteria in the ordinary case · Under 45 at application, with listed exemptions
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About the CPD →Side by side
| 186 Temporary Residence Transition | 186 Direct Entry | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | 482 (or 457) holders after 2 years with the nominating employer in the nominated position | Anyone the employer nominates, including from offshore |
| Skills assessment | Not required for most occupations | Required, from the relevant assessing authority |
| Experience | The 2 years on the 482 count | 3 years of relevant post-qualification experience |
| Age | No age limit under the stream’s criteria in the ordinary case | Under 45 at application, with listed exemptions |
| English | Competent English | Competent English |
| Salary | At or above the threshold and the market rate at the 186 nomination | At or above the threshold and the market rate |
| Government charge | $6,140 primary applicant | $6,140 primary applicant |
| Watch out | A change of employer, a different position, or long unpaid leave can break the 2 years | The skills assessment and the age limit decide it before anything else |
Charges are the current government application charges (from 1 July 2026, main applicant) — see the fee calculator for your family's total. Checked 30 October 2026.
The honest verdict
Same permanent visa, same $6,140, same employer nomination — the stream is decided by history. A worker who has held a 482 and worked for the nominating employer in the nominated position for two years uses the Transition stream: no skills assessment for most occupations, no age limit in the ordinary case for the stream’s own criteria, and the position already proven. A worker without that history uses Direct Entry: a skills assessment, three years of relevant experience, under 45 unless an exemption applies, and the employer proving the position from scratch. If you are on a 482 with the employer, wait for the two years unless age or a change of employer forces Direct Entry.
Which side of that line you fall on depends on facts a table cannot hold — your age, score, occupation's lists, and what evidence you can actually assemble. That is consultation territory, not guesswork territory.
More head-to-heads: 482 vs 494 · 190 vs 491 · 189 vs 190 · 482 vs 186
General information only, not migration advice. Settings shown are the general rules; exemptions and stream variations exist. Migration advice is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) after a paid consultation under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct.
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Questions we get asked first
186 Temporary Residence Transition or 186 Direct Entry — which is better?
Same permanent visa, same $6,140, same employer nomination — the stream is decided by history. A worker who has held a 482 and worked for the nominating employer in the nominated position for two years uses the Transition stream: no skills assessment for most occupations, no age limit in the ordinary case for the stream’s own criteria, and the position already proven. A worker without that history uses Direct Entry: a skills assessment, three years of relevant experience, under 45 unless an exemption applies, and the employer proving the position from scratch. If you are on a 482 with the employer, wait for the two years unless age or a change of employer forces Direct Entry.
What is the main difference between the 186 Temporary Residence Transition and the 186 Direct Entry?
Who it is for: 186 Temporary Residence Transition — 482 (or 457) holders after 2 years with the nominating employer in the nominated position; 186 Direct Entry — Anyone the employer nominates, including from offshore. Skills assessment: 186 Temporary Residence Transition — Not required for most occupations; 186 Direct Entry — Required, from the relevant assessing authority. Experience: 186 Temporary Residence Transition — The 2 years on the 482 count; 186 Direct Entry — 3 years of relevant post-qualification experience.
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