The Australian Government has issued two new directives (121 and 122) that established priority processing for skilled migration and work visas. Applicants in construction, healthcare, education, mining, policing, military, fishing and agriculture are now processed within 2–4 weeks, rather than waiting months as before.

Five Levels of Visa Processing

The new priorities are divided into five levels. The first level includes specialists in construction, healthcare, education, mining, policing, military, fishing and agriculture. Their visas are processed within 2 to 4 weeks — this is the fastest processing.

The second level includes specialists on work visas who will earn more than AUD 146,500 per year. This includes engineers, IT specialists, managers and other professionals with such salaries.

The third level consists of all other occupations that are already in Australia.

The fourth level includes specialists in other occupations who are applying from outside Australia without family members. They may be married or have partners and children, but only if they do not include them in the visa application. Such applications are processed by approximately December 2025.

The fifth and final level consists of all remaining applications from outside Australia. Currently, processing has reached August–September 2025.

New Opportunities for Offshore Applicants

The key change concerns applicants who are applying for visas from outside Australia. Previously, they held the lowest priority and waited in queue much longer than those already in Australia. Now specialists in priority sectors can receive an outcome in just 2–4 weeks regardless of where they apply.

For someone in Russia who works as a builder, in agriculture, mining or fishing, submitting an application for a work visa or skilled migration visa means it will be processed at first priority timelines — 2 to 4 weeks.

Why This Matters and Why Now

Australia is experiencing an acute shortage of skilled workers, particularly in the construction sector. Vacancies in priority areas are filling quickly, and there is a strong likelihood that priorities will shift in the coming months as demand levels off. For those planning to relocate and who fit the priority sectors, now is the most favourable window for applying.