Agreement Pathway
Current Home Affairs data shows 50% of recently decided applications were finalised within 8 Months, while 90% were finalised within 10 Months.
Clear data for a calmer wait
Subclass 186 processing time, without the guesswork.
Use the stream and lodgement date shown in your application to compare your wait with current Home Affairs checkpoints.
Official benchmarksHome Affairs source
No account neededStart immediately
Current figuresLatest published data
Choose your visa subclass
Your selected visa
Subclass 186
Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)
For skilled workers nominated by their employer for permanent residence in Australia.
Eligibility, costs and application stepsChoose your pathway
Enter your lodgement date
See today's timeline
Build your waiting timeline
Two details are enough to compare your wait with current Home Affairs benchmarks.
Published benchmarks
Current Processing Times
Compare how long 50% and 90% of recently decided applications took in each pathway.
What do 50% and 90% processed mean?Current data
Agreement Pathway
For workers nominated under a labour agreement between an employer and the Australian Government.
8Months
50% processed
10Months
90% processed
Last updated: 24 Aug 2026
Current data
Direct Entry Pathway
For skilled workers nominated by an Australian employer with an occupation on the relevant eligible skilled occupation list.
10Months
50% processed
14Months
90% processed
Last updated: 24 Aug 2026
Current data
Transition Pathway
For workers who hold a subclass 457 or 482 visa, or an eligible bridging visa, and have usually worked in eligible sponsored employment for at least 2 years.
11Months
50% processed
15Months
90% processed
Last updated: 24 Aug 2026
Stream-specific guide
Subclass 186 processing time by ENS stream
Employer Nomination Scheme processing times differ between Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) and the Agreement stream. Compare the stream named in your visa application rather than relying on one headline Subclass 186 timeframe.
Direct Entry Pathway
Current Home Affairs data shows 50% of recently decided applications were finalised within 10 Months, while 90% were finalised within 14 Months.
Transition Pathway
Current Home Affairs data shows 50% of recently decided applications were finalised within 11 Months, while 90% were finalised within 15 Months.
Nomination and the Subclass 186 visa are separate stages
An employer nomination can be assessed separately from the visa application. The figures on this page describe the visa stream selected in the current Home Affairs processing-time data; they are not a combined estimate for every employer and visa step.
Which date should I enter?
Use the date the Subclass 186 visa application was lodged, not the date you first discussed sponsorship or began preparing the nomination.
50% processed does not mean your application is half complete
These percentages describe recently decided applications, not progress inside one individual case.