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Minister’s Recent Announcement

On 17 September 2026, Tony Burke, Minister for Home Affairs, announced changes to the Skilled, Student, Working Holiday, and Visitor visa programs as part of measures aimed at reducing migration numbers.

Summary of reforms announced:

  • Strengthening compliance measures to ensure people without valid visas leave the country.
  • Updating Ministerial Direction 119 to ensure the skilled migration program supports priority processing for a range of key sectors (including healthcare, construction, education, law enforcement, defence, resources, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing).
  • Improving the integrity of Student visas by stopping visa hopping and restricting secondary applicants on most Student visas.
  • Cracking down on rogue migration agents who knowingly support visa applications without merit.
  • Introducing a No Further Stay condition to all Visitor visas to ensure they are only used by genuine visitors and not as a pathway to extending a stay in Australia. Visa holders will need to seek a waiver based on exceptional circumstances if they wish to lodge an application for a further visa while onshore.
  • Updating Ministerial Direction 110 to combat hate and criminal behaviour by: ​better protecting children who are victims of crime; better protecting victims of domestic and family violence; and reflecting modern Australia’s commitment to stamping out hatred.

On 19 September 2026, Ministerial Direction 121 and Ministerial Direction 122 replaced Ministerial Direction 119 (see below).

Applicants for Student (Subclass 500) visa and Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa will not be able to include family members in their application, with exceptions for applicants from ASEAN and Pacific Regional countries, and PhD students.  Existing Student visa holders will only be able to obtain a further Student visa onshore if they enrol in a higher-level course (.e.g., a Bachelor degree student can move to a Masters course, but not a Diploma course).

For Working Holiday Makers (Subclass 417 visa and Subclass 462 visa) processing of first Working Holiday Maker visas will resume.  A ballot system will be introduced for second and third Working Holiday Maker visas for those who have completed their specified regional work and wish to renew their visa onshore.  A reduced cap will be set at 45,000 for second-year visas and 5,000 for third-year visas.

The Minister did not confirm the effective date for these measures but as they do not require legislation to be passed by Parliament it is expected that the changes will be implemented shortly.

Skilled Visa Processing Priorities

Ministerial Directions guide the order in which the Department of Home Affairs considers applications.  They do not guarantee a particular processing timeframe.

Ministerial Direction 119 which commenced on 25 July 2026 has been replaced by Ministerial Direction 121 and Ministerial Direction 122.

The two new Ministerial Directions revise the processing priorities for certain temporary and permanent skilled visa applications and apply to applications lodged on or after 19 September 2026 as well as all unfinalised applications.

The revised framework gives priority to a broader range of occupations (including those in the newly added resources, agriculture, aquaculture and fishing sectors).

The changes do not affect visa eligibility requirements or skilled occupation lists, though some initial processing delays may occur as the Department of Home Affairs implements the new priorities.

Ministerial Direction 121 (Subclass 482 visa)

Ministerial Direction 121 details the following processing order for Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa applications.

Priority Group 1 (priority-sector occupations)

All occupations in the specified priority sectors are now grouped together and have equal priority.  Onshore and offshore primary applicants receive equal priority within this group.

The priority sectors includes:

  • Defence (which covers AUKUS-related positions and other certain position);
  • Law enforcement;
  • Healthcare;
  • Teaching (now includes Faculty Head);
  • Construction (now includes Engineering Manager, Civil Engineering Draftsperson, and Civil Engineering Technician);
  • Resources; and
  • Agriculture, aquaculture and fishing.

Priority Group 2 (Specialist Skills Stream applications)

The nominated base annual salary must meet the Specialist Skills Income Threshold of A$146,576.

Priority Group 3 (other onshore applications).

Covers all other applications where the applicant was in Australia when the application was lodged.

Priority Group 4 (unaccompanied offshore applications)

Covers all other applications where the applicant was outside Australia when the application was lodged and did not include family members in the application.

Priority Group 5 (remainng applications)

Covers all other Subclass 482 visa applications.

The Department may depart from this processing order in limited scenarios where compelling circumstances affect community safety; the continuity of essential religious, cultural, or community services in Australia; or Australia’s international relations.

Employers should consider whether offshore applicants should include family members as this may affect their processing priority.

Ministerial Direction 122 (Other Skilled Visas)

Ministerial Direction 122 details the following processing order for:

  • Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa
  • Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (Subclass 187) visa
  • Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) visa
  • Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) visa
  • Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (Subclass 191) visa
  • Skilled-Regional Sponsored (Subclass 489) visa
  • Skilled Work Regional (Subclass 491) visa
  • Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Subclass 494) visa
  • Skilled Regional (Subclass 887) visa
  • Business Skills (Subclass 888) visa

Ministerial Direction 122 details the following processing order:

Priority Group 1 (priority-sector occupations)

Applications involving a specified occupation in one of the priority sectors identified under Ministerial Direction 121 (see above).

Priority Group 2 (other onshore applications)

All other applications where the applicant was in Australia when the application was lodged.

Priority Group 3 (unaccompanied offshore applications)

All other applications where the applicant was outside Australia when the application was lodged and did not include family members.

Priority Group 4 (remaining applications)

All other applications covered by the Direction.

The Department may depart from this processing order in limited scenarios where compelling circumstances affect community safety; the continuity of essential religious, cultural, or community services in Australia; or Australia’s international relations.

Some initial delays and disruptions may occur while the Department reviews pending cases and implements the new priorities.

The Department is expected to update its webpages for the Subclass 482 visa and Subclass 186 visa to reflect allocation dates for the new priority groups.