For employers · Labour agreements · Timeline
How long does a labour agreement take?
A labour agreement case runs in three stages: the agreement, the nomination and the visa. Home Affairs publishes processing times for the visa stage only. This page puts the published figures (updated 2 November 2026) next to the stages it does not publish, so you can plan a realistic timeline.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed on 11 November 2026 · Check the OMARA register
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - 482 LA visa
- 50% in 6 months
- 494 LA visa
- 50% in 86 days
- 186 Agreement
- 50% in 44 days
- Agreement request
- No published time
The migration agent that other migration agents learn from. WIDEN is an OMARA-approved CPD provider — our training is rated ★4.8 by 40+ registered migration agents.
About the CPD →The three stages
- The labour agreement. Access to an industry agreement or DAMA, or a negotiated company-specific agreement. Nothing can be nominated under it until it is in place.
- The nomination. Each position, nominated under the agreement and within its occupations, numbers and terms. For comparison, Home Affairs reports 50% of standard 482 nominations decided within 36 days.
- The visa. The worker's application in the 482, 494 or 186 labour agreement stream.
Visa processing times
| Visa stream | 50% within | 90% within |
|---|---|---|
| 482 Labour Agreement stream | 6 months | 10 months |
| 494 Labour Agreement stream | 86 days | 13 months |
| 186 Agreement Pathway | 44 days | 13 months |
Source: Home Affairs global visa processing times, updated 2 November 2026. The figures describe applications already finalised. The gap between the 50% and 90% figures for the 494 and 186 shows that a minority of cases take far longer than the typical one; plan for the longer figure if a start date matters.
The agreement stage, by type
- DAMA: the business first gets endorsement from the region's Designated Area Representative, then requests the labour agreement. The endorsement step has its own timing, set by the region. See DAMA processing time and DAMA by region.
- Industry labour agreements (aged care, meat, dairy, pork, horticulture, fishing, restaurant and others): the terms are set in a template, so the request shows the business fits it. The aged care agreement gives streamlined access to providers with a memorandum of understanding with the unions. See labour agreements.
- Company-specific agreements: negotiated, after showing that no standard visa, industry agreement or DAMA fits, with evidence of consultation with unions and industry bodies. This is the longest route, and not one for a vacancy that has to be filled this quarter. See how to apply.
What slows a labour agreement case
- A request that does not show genuine need and recruitment efforts, so the Department asks for more.
- Salaries or terms below what the agreement or the market requires.
- Missing consultation evidence, or a union or industry objection that has to be answered.
- Nominating outside the agreement's occupations or numbers.
- A worker whose skills, English or experience evidence is not ready when the nomination is approved.
Plan the agreement before you promise a start date
The right agreement type, and a complete request, decide most of the timeline. In a labour agreement consultation Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536, registered since 2015) looks at your industry, location, roles and numbers, tells you which agreement fits and what evidence the request needs, and maps a realistic timeline. A$330 inc. GST for 30 minutes or A$550 for 60 minutes for several roles or a company-specific case, credited in full if you engage the practice. No processing time or outcome can be promised.
Book a labour agreement consultation →
In other currencies: A$330 is about US$225, €205 or £170; A$550 is about US$380, €340 or £285 (approximate, November 2026).
General information, not migration advice. Processing times from the Home Affairs global visa processing times page, updated 2 November 2026.
Not sure which visa fits you?
Answer three questions. An automated guide points you to the route that usually applies. General information only.
Book 30 minutes with Keshab.
Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536), reads your situation with you and tells you which route fits, what it costs and what happens next.
Video consultation. A$330 inc. GST for 30 minutes, credited in full if you go ahead. Advice on your own case is given in the consultation, and you leave it with a clear plan in writing.
What you get
- 30 minutes (A$330) or 60 minutes (A$550) by video with a registered migration agent, Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536.
- A written summary of your options and next steps after the session.
- What to bring: ABN, what the business does, the role and salary, the candidate’s CV and current visa.
- Prefer no call? The sponsorship readiness check is done in writing, A$550.
Book an employer sponsorship consultation — A$330 inc. GST, credited In writing, no call — A$550
Need 60 minutes, or bringing a partner, employer or documents to go through? Extended consultation, A$550 inc. GST.
MARN 1576536 · practising since 2015 · contact details
Questions we get asked first
How long does a 482 labour agreement visa take?
Home Affairs reports 50% of 482 Labour Agreement stream visas decided within 6 months and 90% within 10 months (updated 2 November 2026). That is the visa stage only; the agreement and the nomination come first.
How long does it take to get a labour agreement?
Home Affairs does not publish a processing time for labour agreement requests. It depends on the type: an industry agreement or DAMA starts with an endorsement or union step, and a company-specific agreement involves consultation and negotiation with the Department. Plan in months.
How long does the 186 labour agreement stream take?
For the 186 Agreement Pathway Home Affairs reports 50% within 44 days and 90% within 13 months. The wide spread means many cases are quick and a minority take much longer.
Can a labour agreement be sped up?
Not by request. What shortens it is a complete request: evidence of the need, recruitment efforts, salaries, consultation and, where required, the endorsement or union memorandum, all lodged together so the Department does not have to ask.
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