Your Australian permanent residency application’s success largely depends on meeting the 186 visa partner requirements.
The 186 visa (Employer Nomination Scheme visa) opens doors for skilled professionals to become permanent residents through employer sponsorship. The process needs extra attention and specific documents if you plan to include your partner.
Your application must include identity documents, relationship proof, and your partner’s English language proficiency evidence. Your partner should be financially dependent on you for at least 12 months. Tax records and shared living arrangements can prove this dependency.
English requirements for your partner on a 186 visa need careful attention. Your partner must prove functional English through education in English-speaking institutions or other accepted methods. The required documents and processing duration change based on your chosen stream – Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition, or Labour Agreement.
The application costs start at AUD 4,045 and increase with family additions. Processing takes 6 to 18 months. Getting these partner requirements right from the start leads to a positive outcome.
This piece explains everything you need to meet your 186 visa partner requirements in 2025.
Understanding the 186 Visa Streams
You need to understand the three different pathways for your 186 visa. Each pathway has specific partner requirements that you should know before you begin your application.
Direct Entry Stream
The Direct Entry Stream works best for skilled workers who have limited or no work experience in Australia. You must be under 45 years of age when you submit your application, unless you qualify for an exemption. Your job must be listed on the Core Skills Occupation List, and you need three years of relevant work experience.
On top of that, you need a positive skills assessment before you can submit your application. The visa costs AUD 4,770.00 for the main applicant, and you’ll pay extra for family members. Your partner needs to show at least functional English skills, or you’ll have to pay an extra AUD 4,890.00.
Temporary Residence Transition Stream
This stream helps people already working in Australia on temporary visas. You need to have worked for your sponsoring employer for two years to qualify. This time requirement used to be three years but has been reduced now.
The good news is that this stream doesn’t need a skills assessment, which makes it easier to access than the Direct Entry Stream. Your partner must meet the same health and character requirements as you. This stream takes a bit longer to process than Direct Entry, with 90% of applications completed within 11 months.
Labour Agreement Stream
The labour agreement stream is for workers whose employers have special agreements with the Australian government. Companies usually create these agreements when they can’t find skilled workers through normal immigration programmes.
You must work for an employer who has a labour agreement. Your age, skills, and English language requirements will depend on what’s written in the labour agreement. So, your partner’s requirements might change based on your employer’s agreement terms.
The visa fee is AUD 4,770.00 for the main applicant across all streams, plus extra fees for family members. Partners who don’t have functional English skills will need to pay an additional AUD 4,890.00.
Who Qualifies as a Partner Under the 186 Visa
A successful 186 visa application requires you to know exactly who qualifies as your partner. The Department of Home Affairs sets specific criteria that determine eligible partners.
Definition of a spouse or de facto partner
Your 186 visa application allows you to include either a spouse or de facto partner. A spouse means someone you have legally married and can prove with a valid marriage certificate. Your de facto partner must meet these requirements:
- Not legally married to you
- Committed to sharing life exclusively with you
- Maintains a genuine and continuing relationship
- Lives with you or isn’t permanently separated
- Not related by family
Australian immigration law recognises both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships equally that meet these criteria.
Minimum relationship duration requirements
De facto partners need to show they have lived together for at least 12 months right before applying for the 186 visa. This requirement applies to every permanent visa application, including the 186 Employer Nomination Scheme.
You’ll need strong evidence to prove your relationship meets this requirement, such as:
- Joint bank account statements
- Billing accounts with both names
- Joint leases or mortgages
- Documents that show you share a home
When registration of relationship is needed
Relationship registration is a great way to get an alternative if your de facto relationship is less than 12 months old. The 12-month living together rule doesn’t apply if you register your relationship with an Australian state or territory government.
All but one of these states and territories offer this option – Western Australia and the Northern Territory don’t provide it. Both partners must meet these requirements to register:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Not have any other relationship (married, de facto or registered)
- Not be related by family
More importantly, one partner must live in the state or territory where you plan to register the relationship. You can submit this registration documentation after lodging your application, as long as it reaches before the final decision.
Documents Required for Your Partner
Documentation is the foundation of a successful 186 visa partner application. The Australian Department of Home Affairs needs specific evidence to verify your partner’s identity, relationship status, character, and health.
Identity and relationship documents
Your partner’s 186 visa application must include:
- Current passport pages showing photo, personal details, issue and expiry dates
- Evidence of name changes if applicable (marriage/divorce certificates or official name change documents)
- Birth certificate showing full details including parents’ names
- Documents showing other names your partner has been known by
Identity verification is a vital step before character and health assessments can begin, according to Department guidelines.
Marriage or de facto evidence
Married couples need to provide:
- Current marriage certificate
De facto partners must show proof of at least 12 months of living together before application, including:
- Joint bank account statements
- Billing accounts in both names
- Joint leases or mortgages
- Documents showing shared residence at the same address
Financial integration is everything in de facto applications. Financial documentation plays a much more important role in proving your relationship’s legitimacy.
Character documents and police checks
Character requirements include:
- Australian Federal Police (AFP) certificate for periods totalling 12+ months in Australia within the last 10 years (since turning 16)
- Overseas police certificates from all countries where your partner lived for 12+ months within the last 10 years
- Military service records or discharge papers (if applicable)
The Department accepts only complete disclosure National Police Certificates from the AFP. Standard disclosure certificates or those from state/territory police won’t work. These certificates stay valid for 12 months from their issue date.
Health examination requirements
All 186 visa applicants and their family members must complete health assessments. These include:
- Medical examination
- Chest x-ray
- Blood tests
Your partner might need more health examinations if they come from countries with specific public health concerns like polio or Ebola. You don’t need to provide health documents directly because doctors send the results. The examinations must take place at approved medical facilities using the HAP ID from your referral letter.
Meeting the English Language Requirement for Partners
Many 186 visa applicants and their partners face challenges with the English language component. You can save time and money by knowing the exact requirements.
Who needs to meet the English requirement
Your partner (secondary applicant) must prove Functional English before we can process your 186 visa application if they are 18 or older. The primary applicant needs Competent English, but partners only need to meet the Functional English standard.
Your partner can still be part of your application if they don’t meet the Functional English requirement. All the same, you’ll need to pay a second instalment fee of approximately AUD 6,115.96.
Accepted English tests and scores
Partners can prove their Functional English through these official test scores:
- IELTS (Academic or General Training): An average band score of at least 4.5 across the four components
- TOEFL iBT: A total band score of at least 32 based on speaking, reading, writing and listening
- PTE Academic: A total band score of at least 30 across all components
- Cambridge C1 Advanced: A total band score of at least 147 based on all components
Australian migration authorities only accept tests taken at secure testing centres. “At-home” or “online” versions of these tests won’t work.
Exemptions for functional English
Partners with valid passports from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland don’t need to prove their English skills. British National (Overseas) passports don’t count as valid evidence.
Alternative ways to prove English ability
Your partner can also show their Functional English through education:
- A degree, diploma or trade certificate with at least two years of full-time study in English
- Five or more years of secondary school education in English
- At least one year of full-time study toward a qualification in Australia in English
Educational qualifications offer an easier path than language tests, especially when your partner studied extensively in English-medium schools.
Conclusion
You just need careful preparation and attention to detail to handle your partner’s 186 visa requirements.If you’re seeking expert assistance, consider speaking to a registered migration agency in Sydney to assist you with any complexities. Documentation is the life-blood of a successful application. Your relationship evidence, identity verification, character assessments, and health examinations play vital roles in getting approved.
Money matters should be part of your planning. Partners who can’t meet English requirements must pay a second instalment fee of AUD 4,890, which increases your total costs by a lot. Learning about all options to show English proficiency becomes crucial if you’re watching your budget.
The best strategy for success lies in thorough preparation. Getting your partner requirements right the first time saves time, money and boosts approval chances. Yes, it is worth putting in the effort now for proper documentation. Processing times range from 6 to 18 months with substantial fees at stake, but this investment pays off throughout your permanent residency trip.