The Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement: 31 occupations, the concessions and the path to the 186

MARN 1576536 · Checked against the Home Affairs agreement template on 8 November 2026

The occupations

The agreement lists 31 occupations, available for the 482, the 494 and the 186 in any location category, except that the 494 is not available for occupations at ANZSCO skill level 5. They fall into two groups. For these 15, the standard requirements of each visa apply, with no work experience concession for the 482 or 186 and at least two years of relevant experience for the 494:

Agriculture Technician · Agronomist · Biosecurity Officer · Entomologist · Facility Plant Manager · Fitter and Welder · Horticulture Research & Development Officer · Irrigation Designer/Manager · Maintenance Electrician · Mechanic · Mechanical Engineer · Nurseryperson · Nursery Supervisor · Quality Assurance Manager · Senior Nurseryperson

The other 16 include several roles that ANZSCO does not describe, such as growers and section managers, which the agreement defines itself with task lists and nominates under the administrative code 070499.

Tailored requirements

For the 16 tailored occupations, the worker needs a VETASSESS skills assessment, at least two years of relevant work experience, and the qualification or experience the agreement sets for the role:

The table summarises the template; the exact wording, including the hours that count towards experience, is in the agreement. The VETASSESS guide covers how assessments are run.

Salary

The worker's earnings, and the earnings of the equivalent Australian worker, need only be at least 90% of the income threshold. Some non-cash benefits, such as accommodation or board, can be counted where they meet the conditions in the template, which include being guaranteed in the employment contract; contingent payments such as bonuses cannot. The sponsor must top up a worker's pay if an equivalent Australian worker is paid more over any 12-month period.

English and age

For the 482, IELTS 5.0 overall with at least 4.0 in each component; for the 494 and the 186, 5.0 overall with at least 4.5 in each component; or the equivalent in another accepted test. For the 494 and the 186, the worker must be under 50 when the visa application is lodged. There is no age concession for the 482, which has no age limit of its own.

Labour market testing

For the 482 and 494, the advertising depends on location. In Category 1, the major cities, it is the same as for a standard nomination. In Category 2 it is at least two separate attempts with national reach; in Category 3, at least two attempts, one with national reach and one that may be local or regional. In Categories 2 and 3 the attempts must fall within the 12 months before the nomination is lodged.

Permanent residence

A 186 nomination needs the worker to have been employed directly by the sponsor as the primary holder of a 457 or 482 in the nominated occupation before the nomination: at least three years for occupations at skill levels 1 to 3, and at least four years for skill levels 4 and 5. The template sets the visa periods at up to four years for the 482 and five years for the 494. The agreement runs for five years and is reviewed after three.

Employer obligations

Accommodation and board cannot be made compulsory, and where they are provided they can be charged only at a fair and reasonable market rate. The sponsor cannot recover its recruitment costs or the worker's English testing or training costs, must pay the worker directly from its Australian bank account, and may make deductions only where the law allows, such as with the worker's written authority. Where a labour hire provider is used in recruiting, it must hold the licence required in its state or territory, and once employed each worker must work directly for the sponsor. The sponsor also commits to aim to keep overseas workers to no more than a third of its workforce in any year.

Map your roles to the agreement

A consultation matches each role to the agreement's occupations, checks your workers' qualifications and experience against them, and sets out the request, the ceilings and the first nominations.

Book a consultation — A$330 inc. GST, credited

General information only, current at 8 November 2026; not advice on your own case. Department of Home Affairs, Labour Agreement – Horticulture Industry template and industry labour agreements page. The terms of a signed agreement, including ceilings, are set when the agreement is made. Outcomes depend on the Department’s assessment of each request and application; no registered migration agent can guarantee a result (Code of Conduct, Migration Agents Regulations). Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536.