Industry Labour Agreement
Minister of Religion Labour Agreement
Minister of Religion Labour Agreement: Minister of Religion (ANZSCO 272211) and Religious Assistant (451816), IELTS 4.0 English, age to 60, vow of poverty.
Administered By
Department of Home Affairs
Key Benefit
Sponsorship of ministers and religious assistants by religious organisations, with English, age and salary concessions that no other industry agreement offers
Eligible occupations
Two occupations are available: Minister of Religion, who must hold a senior leadership role, and Religious Assistant, who supports that leadership. Home Affairs considers the organisation's size and workforce when more than one worker is requested.
Occupations Covered
Minister of Religion (ANZSCO 272211, skill level 1, senior leadership role) and Religious Assistant (ANZSCO 451816, skill level 4)
The request process
The requesting body must be a religious organisation as defined in the Migration Regulations, show its charitable status and its position on the National Redress Scheme, and satisfy section 50-50 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. The Department decides whether the subclass 482 or subclass 186 visa is appropriate from the organisation's business case, and an immediate permanent pathway is only available to the most senior minister in the institution.
What the Minister of Religion Labour Agreement provides
The Minister of Religion Industry Labour Agreement (MoRLA) lets a religious organisation sponsor a Minister of Religion (ANZSCO 272211, skill level 1) or, since the June 2026 change, a Religious Assistant (ANZSCO 451816, skill level 4) on the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) or the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186), for up to four years or permanent residence. The organisation must be a religious organisation under the Migration Regulations, meet section 50-50 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 with income exempt under section 50.1, and evidence its charitable status, including any participation in the National Redress Scheme.
The concessions are the most extensive on the Home Affairs page. English for the subclass 482 Labour Agreement stream is IELTS 4.0 in listening and speaking, or 4.5 overall with 4.0 in each component if transitioning to the subclass 186 visa, or five years of secondary or higher study in English; the subclass 186 visa requires functional English of IELTS 4.5 with 4.0 in each band or the same five years of study. Either may be treated as met for a monastic or cloistered role. Subclass 186 applicants may be up to 60 at the time of application. On salary, Home Affairs may accept a non-monetary benefit of up to 10% of the TSMIT or CSIT, a reduced threshold concession at the national minimum wage, or a vow of poverty or vow of service concession for a Minister of Religion; no vow of poverty concession is available for a Religious Assistant.
A Minister of Religion must be ordained or have professed to a religious life and hold a qualification equivalent to an AQF bachelor degree, or have five years of structured training, or five years of relevant experience where those are unavailable; an Archbishop or equivalent senior minister on the Direct Entry stream must have been ordained for at least five years. A Religious Assistant needs an AQF Certificate II or III equivalent, two years of structured training or two years of experience. Permanent residence otherwise requires two years in the occupation on a subclass 457, TSS or 482 visa. The MoRLA template and fact sheet are published by Home Affairs. Read from the Home Affairs page on 25 September 2026.
Visa Plan Lawyers and the Minister of Religion Labour Agreement
Visa Plan Lawyers prepares the religious organisation evidence and business case for churches, temples, mosques and other faith bodies, advises on whether a vow of poverty, reduced threshold or non-monetary benefit concession is open on the facts, and runs the subclass 482 and 186 nominations and visas.
Reviewed by Visa Plan Lawyers · Last updated: September 2026 · Agreement terms are set by the Department of Home Affairs and change without notice. General information only, not legal advice.