Since 25 July 2024, Australia has changed the processing priority rules for work visas. Now the speed of application review depends on the applicant’s occupation and location when applying. These changes have affected both new and already submitted applications.
Five priority levels
Ministerial Direction 119 introduced a new priority system for skilled visas (189, 190, 491) and employer-sponsored work visas (482, 186, 494).
First priority — law enforcement and defence sector employees located in Australia.
Second priority — the same specialists but residing overseas.
Third priority — healthcare workers, teachers and builders, only if they are in Australia.
Fourth priority — all other specialists in Australia under the specified visa types.
Fifth priority (lowest) — all other applicants overseas.
Based on experience, the majority of applicants fall into priorities 3–5. A nurse, teacher or bricklayer outside Australia receives the lowest priority, regardless of profession, and falls into the fifth group.
What is no longer considered
Regional location and accredited sponsor status ceased to be priority factors. These conditions are not mentioned in Direction 119, although they previously helped expedite processing.
Why the government introduced the changes
The main reason is an attempt to reduce net overseas migration (NOM) and ease the housing market crisis. When a visa is granted to someone already living in Australia, a new migrant does not arrive. This person is already in the country and occupies a residence. Conversely, approving a visa for someone overseas leads to a new migrant’s arrival and occupation of new housing.
The government decided to prioritise local applications over overseas ones to slow the increase in the number of migrants in the country.
Industry reaction
The changes prompted criticism in some sectors. On 5 August 2024, the Minerals Council of Australia published a statement saying that the deprioritisation of offshore skilled visas will make it difficult for mining and other sectors to develop innovation and increase productivity.
The organisation proposed that the federal government suspend these changes and consult with affected industries, focusing on practical measures to address the housing crisis.
Comments
Reader experience is useful, but it is not advice: check the rules on the official site.
No account needed: click Sign in, type any name, and you are done.