Thoracic Medicine Specialist — Subclass 186 Pathway
Employer Nomination Scheme visa · Permanent
At a glance
- Visa
- Subclass 186 — Employer Nomination Scheme visa
- Points test
- Not points-tested
- Sponsor
- Employer sponsor required
- Eligibility list
- MLTSSLSTSOLROLCSOL
- Base fee
- from $4,770 (check immi.gov.au for current fee)
- Processing time
- ~6-15 months (median)
Skills assessment for this occupation
Assessing Thoracic Medicine Specialist for migration purposes is handled by: MedBA.
Each occupation has a single designated assessing authority — refer to the occupation page for the body that assesses it.
Thoracic Medicine Specialist × Subclass 186 — pathway overview
Thoracic Medicine Specialists (ANZSCO 253324) are eligible for the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa, appearing on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List (CSOL). This permanent employer-sponsored visa enables Australian healthcare organisations to directly nominate skilled overseas thoracic medicine specialists for positions that cannot be filled locally, supporting consistent demand across respiratory medicine units, sleep laboratories, and thoracic oncology services throughout Australia. Skills assessment is required from the Medical Board of Australia (MedBA) with specialist respiratory medicine recognition through the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), verifying that overseas qualifications and clinical training meet Australian specialist equivalence standards. Sponsoring employers must be approved by the Department of Home Affairs and must complete labour market testing prior to nomination. Applicants must satisfy English proficiency requirements and standard health and character conditions. Government application charges, skills assessment fees, and processing times apply; timelines range from several months to over a year depending on stream and caseload. The Subclass 186 grants permanent residence with a pathway to Australian citizenship after the required residence period. For advice tailored to your individual circumstances, always consult a registered MARA migration agent.
Content last generated: 2026-06-26
Key requirements
High-level criteria for Subclass 186. Verify every requirement on immi.gov.au before applying.
- Under 45 years of age at application (with limited exemptions)
- Competent English (IELTS 6 or equivalent)
- Nominated by an approved Australian employer
- Positive skills assessment in the nominated occupation (Direct Entry stream)
- At least three years of relevant work experience (Direct Entry stream)
- Health and character requirements
Other visa pathways for Thoracic Medicine Specialist
- 189Details →Skilled Independent visa
Permanent points-tested visa for workers not sponsored by an employer, family member, or state.
- 190Details →Skilled Nominated visa
Permanent visa for workers nominated by a state or territory government.
- 482Details →Skills in Demand visa
Employer-sponsored temporary visa (formerly TSS) for occupations on the relevant list.
- 485Details →Temporary Graduate visa
Post-study work visa for recent graduates of Australian qualifications.
- 491Details →Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa
Five-year provisional visa for workers willing to live and work in regional Australia.
- 494Details →Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa
Five-year employer-sponsored provisional visa in regional Australia, with a path to PR.
State nominations for Thoracic Medicine Specialist
States currently nominating this occupation — see the dedicated pages for state-specific criteria.