The order in which visa applications are prioritised for processing has once again changed. The Government has replaced Ministerial Direction 119 with two new directions. Ministerial Direction 121 now governs Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand / Temporary Skill Shortage) visa applications, while Ministerial Direction 122 covers the remaining permanent and provisional skilled visa subclasses. Both directions are effective from 19 September 2026.

As is often the case with immigration policy, this was a sudden change: Direction 119 itself had only taken effect on 25 July 2026, less than two months ago.

Like Direction 119, the new rules apply not only to applications lodged from 19 September onwards but also to applications already in the queue that had not yet been decided by that date. Applications on hand are re-ordered under the new priorities rather than continuing under the arrangements in place when they were lodged.

The eligibility rules and occupation lists have not changed. What has changed is the order in which applications are prioritised and processed.

Under Direction 119, the top of the queue was reserved for onshore applicants, and priority given only to applicants who were already in Australia in certain industries. Most offshore applicants, including offshore Subclass 482 applicants, fell into the lowest priority group.

The new directions remove that onshore/offshore split at the top. The highest priority tier now applies regardless of whether the applicant is in Australia or overseas, and the list of priority sectors has been expanded.

The new priority order

Direction 121 – Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand and Temporary Skill Shortage):

1. Applicants in construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing or resources, or in law enforcement or defence occupations – onshore or offshore
   
   
2. Applicants in the Specialist Skills stream – onshore or offshore
   
   
3. All other onshore applicants
   
   
4. All other offshore applicants (not combined with another application)
   
   
5. All remaining applications
   
   

Direction 122 – Other permanent and provisional skilled visas (Subclasses 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 489, 491, 494, 887 and 888):

1. Applicants in the same priority sectors as above (construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, resources, law enforcement or defence) – onshore or offshore
   
   
2. All other onshore applicants
   
   
3. All other offshore applicants (not combined with another application)
   
   
4. All remaining applications

Both directions also carry a compelling-circumstances exception with no equivalent under Direction 119: a case officer must depart from the standard order where an application involves compelling circumstances, such as community safety or the continuity of essential religious, cultural or community services in Australia. Direction 121 additionally lists Australia’s international relations.

What this means for visa applicants

• If you work in a priority sector (construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, resources, law enforcement or defence), your application now sits in the top tier whether you are in Australia or overseas. For offshore applicants in these fields, this is a meaningful improvement on the position under Direction 119.
  
  
• If you are not in a priority sector, being onshore still helps – onshore applications are processed ahead of offshore ones.
  
  
• A 482 applicant in the Specialist Skills stream benefits from a dedicated priority tier, regardless of location.
  
  
• As before, a lower processing priority does not affect your eligibility for a visa. It affects only the order in which applications are considered, and the practical impact depends on how many applications the Department is holding at the time.
  
  

What this means for employers and accredited sponsors

• Where a role falls within a priority sector, the candidate’s location now matters much less. You can sponsor a suitable overseas candidate in those fields without the automatic processing disadvantage that applied under Direction 119.
  
  
• For roles outside the priority sectors, the earlier guidance still holds: a candidate already in Australia will generally be processed faster than one offshore.
  
  
• Accreditation remains valuable for streamlined nomination processing, but the new directions cover visa applications only – they do not make accreditation a visa-processing priority. A quickly approved nomination should still not be confused with priority processing of the worker’s visa.
  
  

Direction 119 set processing priorities for both visa and nomination applications.

Directions 121 and 122 cover visa applications only. Direction 119 has been revoked in full, so nomination applications currently sit outside any processing-priority direction. This appears to be a gap rather than a deliberate change and may need further clarification with the Department.

Other points that still apply

• Occupation lists and eligibility criteria are unchanged. You still need to meet all the usual requirements.
• Decision-ready applications are processed faster. Lodging complete, well-documented applications remains the most reliable way to reduce delays.
  
  

If you have a visa application currently pending, or are planning to lodge, contact our team to review where you now sit under the new priorities and to keep your timing expectations realistic. More information is available on the Department of Home Affairs website.

This newsletter is a general summary for information only and is not legal advice. The announced reforms remain subject to detailed implementation.