The Australian Department of Home Affairs has identified six requirements that skilled workers must meet before applying for the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa, subclass 186 under the Direct Entry stream, which allows successful applicants to live and work in Australia permanently.
The limits were posted on the department’s official immigration portal and will apply to applications submitted in 2026.
Australia has revealed six conditions that skilled workers must meet in order to acquire a special permanent visa.
Who qualifies for the ENS visa?
According to the Department of Home Affairs, candidates must satisfy all of the following requirements:
- Be under 45 years old on the date the application is submitted, unless an exemption exists.
- An employer might nominate you for an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List.
- Have at least three years of relevant work experience, unless exempt.
- Hold a positive skills assessment received before submitting the application, unless an exemption exists.
- Meet the basic requirements for English language proficiency.
- Meet both the health and character criteria.
The visa is employer-driven, which means that potential migrants cannot apply on their own.
A qualifying Australian firm must first designate the worker for a role that appears on the Core Skills Occupation List, which defines the occupations eligible under the Direct Entry stream.
Key steps before lodging the Australian ENS visa
The need for a skills assessment is one of the more crucial conditions. Unlike some visa categories, where skills can be tested concurrently, Direct Entry stream applicants must have a positive skills assessment in hand before submitting their application, unless they qualify for an exemption.
Similarly, the age limit of 45 is determined at the time of lodgment, rather than at any earlier or later stage of the process.
Applicants who are 45 or older when they submit their application are normally ineligible unless a special exemption applies to their condition.
The English language requirement requires applicants to demonstrate a specific level of competence, although the actual test scores and approved qualifications are listed separately on the department’s website.
Meanwhile, Australia names persons who have been approved to assist with visa applications. As previously reported, Australia had permitted three types of people to assist people with their visa applications.
The agency defines immigration aid as any service that entails using knowledge or experience with migration procedures to assist someone with a visa situation.
This includes preparing or assisting in the preparation of a visa application or associated document, advising an applicant on a visa application or any visa matter, and representing or preparing someone for visa-related proceedings before a court or review body.
