Australia’s Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Subclass 186 visa under the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream has seen a recent regulatory change on 29 November 2025. In which amendments were made to Regulation 186.227(1) and (2) about how work experience is evaluated for eligibility under the TRT stream.
Many aspirants have misinterpreted this update in a way that an employer must keep the sponsorship approval throughout the entire period of their qualifying work experience to remain eligible for the TRT stream of the ENS program.
To address these concerns, the Department of Home Affairs has now provided formal clarification. So, if you also feel uncertainty, here is the exact information about these amendments:
What the Department Actually Intended
The Department confirmed that the intent of the amendment is simple:
Only sponsored, full-time employment can be counted toward the ENS TRT work-experience requirement.
This means:
- Your experience must be with an employer who has sponsored you for the role.
- The work should be relevant to the visa for which the nomination was granted.
- The experience must have been undertaken in Australia.
Changing Employers? Your Experience Still Counts
One of the biggest concerns was whether changing employers would invalidate previous work experience.
But the Department has clearly eliminated that fear.
Under the current policy, which the amended regulation now aligns with, applicants can still consider work experience from:
- the date a new nomination is lodged,
- until the date that the nomination is approved.
What If a Previous Employer Was Non-Compliant?
The Department made one crucial point very clear:
If a previous employer has been barred, sanctioned, or cancelled, then the time you worked for that employer cannot be counted for meeting 186 TRT requirements.
What Actually Counts as Valid Work Experience for 186 TRT
Your eligibility depends on whether your work experience was:
- full-time,
- sponsored,
- in the correct occupation,
- and performed in Australia,
- your employer was compliant during your employment,
- and the experience clearly aligns with TRT requirements.
Nothing more complicated than that.
Stay Updated with Growmore Immigration
Growmore Immigration keeps you ahead of every policy shift that can impact your Australian PR pathway. So, stay connected with us for real-time updates and expert interpretation of regulatory changes.
For personalised guidance on your ENS 186 TRT eligibility or any employer-sponsored visa pathway, contact us today:
Email: info@growmore.one
WhatsApp: +61434202021
Phone: +61387643334
And if this update matters to someone you know, share this news with them immediately so they don’t miss a critical change.
Source: MIA Notice 33