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Processing time update for Subclass 482 and 186 Employer Sponsored Skilled Migration Nomination and visa application. M...
17/09/2026

Processing time update for Subclass 482 and 186 Employer Sponsored Skilled Migration Nomination and visa application.

Ministerial Direction 119 signed on the 25 July 2026, by Minister for Immigration Tony Burke has changed the order of processing priorities that previously applied under Ministerial Direction 105. This is the Minister of Home Affairs providing instruction to the Department of Home Affairs in relation to the order for which skilled nomination and visa applications are processed.

Processing priority depends on two factors: the nominated occupation and the applicant's location (inside or outside Australia) at the time of lodgement.

It does not change the visa and nomination eligibility requirements.

The direction impacts main skilled migration pathways (nomination and visa applications) and includes the following visa subclasses:

- Skills in Demand visa (Subclass 482)
- Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186DE) visa
- Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186TRT) visa
- Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa
- Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa
- Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (subclass 191) visa
- Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visa
- Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visa
- Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494) visa


Ministerial Direction 119 was introduced to prioritise occupations that contribute to Australia’s national interests, support Australia’s critical workforce shortages, and give priority to applicants who are already in Australia. The changes are intended to reflect the governments focus on addressing labour shortages and supporting Australia’s long term migration strategy. This does not mean every occupation listed in areas automatically receive faster processing. Nomination and Visa application still needs to meet all eligibility requirements and be decision ready.

Current processing times for 482 and 186 Employer Sponsored Visa Categories are provided below.

05/09/2026

PROCESSING TIMES FOR EMPLOYER SPONSORED VISAS AS AT 31/08/2026

482 PROCESSING TIMES
Processing times remain extended across key visa categories:

Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) – Core Skills Stream: 69 days -10 months
Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) – Specialist Stream: 8 – 43 days
Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) – Labour Agreement Stream – 6-9 months
BVB for travel – up to 6 weeks
(Please note that priority processing applies is in accordance to Ministerial Direction 119
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/Visa-subsite/files/md-119.pdf)

Subclass 482 visa applications – the Department is currently processing applications as follows:
As Received – Australian law enforcement or defence interests
August 2026 – Healthcare and teaching occupations (onshore applicants); October 2025 – Construction occupations (onshore applicants)
December 2025 – All other applications where the applicant was in Australia at the time the application
October 2025 – All other applications where the applicant was outside Australia at the time of application.

186 PROCESSING TIMES

186DE – Direct Entry 10 months -14 months
186TRT- Temporary Transition Pathway – 11 months -15 months
186LA – Labour Agreement Pathway – 8months -10 months
Subclass 186 visa applications – the Department is currently processing applications as follows:
DOHA are now processing applications that were generally lodged in:
As Received – Australian law enforcement or defence interests
August 2025 – Healthcare and teaching occupations (onshore applicants); September 2024 – Construction occupations (onshore applicants)
November 2024 – All other applications where the applicant was in Australia at the time of application
July 2024 – All other applications where the applicant was outside Australia at the time of application.​

Ministerial Direction 119, released of Ministerial Direction 119 on 25/07/2026 is about the order that applications are considered.
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/Visa-subsite/files/md-119.pdf

The biggest change is that priority is now based on both occupation and where the visa applicant is located at the time of application.

Priority 1 – Applications connected to Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests.
Priority 2 – Applicants in construction, healthcare and teaching occupations as defined in the link for Ministerial Direction 119 below.
Priority 3 – Applications where the applicant was in Australia at the time of application.
Priority 4 -All other applications where the applicant was outside Australia at the time of application.

09/03/2026

Annual Indexation of the CSIT and SSIT - Impacting the 482 and 186 nomination and visa applications lodged post 1 July 2026

The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) and the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) are automatically indexed each year for the Subclass 482 and Subclass 186 programs, in accordance with the formula prescribed in regulation 5.42A of the Migration Regulations.

For these visa programs, a new legislative instrument is not required to update the CSIT and SSIT. Regulation 5.42A applies the Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) figures for the relevant reference quarter and base quarter to determine the indexed amounts. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has now released the November 2025 AWOTE data, which is used to calculate the thresholds applying from 1 July 2026.

For the 2026–27 program year, commencing 1 July 2026, the indexed thresholds will be:

CSIT: $79,499 (current 2025–26 value: $76,515)
SSIT: $146,717 (current 2025–26 value: $141,210)
These updated thresholds will apply to all relevant 482 and 186 applications lodged on or after 1 July 2026.
Kind regards,

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