Skilled visa priority processing: Directions 121 and 122 from 19 September 2026

What changed

From 19 September 2026, the government changed the order in which skilled visa applications are processed.

For Skills in Demand (482) visas, applications are generally prioritised in this order:

1. Priority sectors first – roles in construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and resources, as well as roles supporting Australia's law enforcement and defence interests.
2. Specialist Skills applications – applications under the Specialist Skills stream come next.
3. People already in Australia – other applicants who were in Australia when they lodged their application are prioritised next.
4. Certain applicants outside Australia – primary applicants applying from overseas come next.
5. Other applications – remaining applications are processed after these groups.

For permanent and provisional skilled visas, including the 186, 187, 189, 190, 491 and 494 visas, the order is similar: priority sectors come first, followed by people who were in Australia when they applied, certain applicants applying from overseas, then remaining applications.

What changed? The processing order now gives the highest priority to certain sectors, followed by other priority groups based on the visa type and where the applicant was when they applied. Accredited sponsor status and regional location are no longer separate priority groups.

Who it affects

• Employers sponsoring workers in construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing or resources roles, whose applications now sit in the first priority group whether the worker is in Australia or overseas.
• Accredited sponsors and regional employers outside the priority sectors, who no longer receive faster processing because of their status or location.
• Employers nominating for permanent residence through the 186 or 494 visas, and workers with applications already lodged, whose place in the queue may have changed on 19 September 2026.

What to do

• Check whether the nominated occupation falls within one of the priority sectors in the current Directions.
• Confirm the ANZSCO code on the nomination is accurate for the actual duties of the role, as the occupation drives which priority group applies.
• Do not rely on accredited sponsor status or a regional location to speed up processing, and plan start dates on that basis.
• Ask where overseas candidates with family members sit in the queue, as combined applications from outside Australia fall into the last group.
• Lodge complete, decision ready applications with all skills assessments, licences and registrations included, as priority does not help an application that is missing evidence.