Visa and policy changes
Skilled visa processing priorities: what changed on 19 September
Home Affairs Directions 121 and 122 now set processing order for specified temporary, provisional and permanent skilled visas. Selected sectors are at the top; here’s how the rankings differ.
What to know
- Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 took effect on 19 September 2026, replacing Direction 119 for the skilled visa applications they cover.
- Applications relating to construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and resources, and to Australia’s law enforcement and defence interests, are the highest priority group under both directions.
- For subclass 482, the Specialist Skills stream ranks next under Direction 121; onshore applications follow. Under Direction 122, onshore applications are next after the sector-related group.
- After those groups, offshore primary applicants who were outside Australia at lodgement and whose applications are not combined with another person’s application at any time rank next, followed by all other applications.
- The directions change processing order, not visa criteria, and do not guarantee a processing timeframe or outcome.
What changed on 19 September
Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 came into effect on 19 September 2026. They replace the previous skilled-visa processing priorities under Direction 119 for the applications they cover.
Direction 121 applies to temporary skilled visa applications. Direction 122 applies to certain provisional and permanent skilled visas. Each direction sets its own ranked order for processing.
Which applications have top priority
Under both directions, the first priority group is applications relating to construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and resources sectors, or Australia’s law enforcement and defence interests.
After that group, Direction 121 places applications in the Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) next, followed by applicants who were in Australia when they applied. Under Direction 122, onshore applicants are next after the first group.
Which skilled visas are covered
Direction 121 covers Skills in Demand (subclass 482) applications, including legacy Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) applications listed by Home Affairs.
Direction 122 covers specified provisional and permanent visas: subclasses 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 489, 491, 494, 887 and 888. Check the official source for the direction that applies to your visa.
What this means for applicants
After the earlier priority groups, both directions rank offshore primary applicants who were outside Australia at lodgement and whose applications are not combined with another person’s application at any time. All other applications come after.
A processing priority affects the order in which applications are considered. Applicants must still meet the requirements for their visa, and a priority group does not guarantee a decision date or visa grant. Check the current Home Affairs priorities and keep your application information up to date.