Key migration news of the week
1. First state-nomination approval? The Northern Territory is already at work
2. After the steep visa-fee hike, the Department gets straight to work
3. Parent-visa AoS rises as usual; the contribution-payment deadline is extended
4. End-of-June processing-time estimates updated across visa categories
5. This week’s grants, invitations and skills-assessment data roundup
1. First state-nomination approval? The NT Government gets to work
This week, on 3 July, one of our clients received a letter from the Northern Territory Government asking them to sign a declaration — meaning the state’s assessment has passed and a formal invitation is imminent. The Government was already at work on the third day of the financial year. This client is a graduate who studied within the state, lodged as soon as the 25-26 financial year opened, and had never been invited; we wrote to the Government at the end of June to press their case.
On the same day, 3 July, the Northern Territory Government sent out a broadcast message. First, the state-nomination allocation for the 25-26 financial year is fully used up. Second, applications the Government has already assessed will be issued a formal nomination once the 26-27 financial year allocation comes through. Third, applications not yet reached will remain in the assessment queue and be reviewed under the standard processing procedure later on. In practice, the arrangements for applications not yet reached (many of them offshore Subclass 491 cases) still aren’t especially clear — we can at least confirm they remain valid for now.
The Northern Territory’s notice also states the Government has not yet received its 26-27 financial year allocation. Even so, at least one state government has begun to act — earlier than in previous years.
2. After the steep visa-fee hike, the Department gets straight to work!
This week, new migrants, established migrants and applicants mid-process alike were all stunned by the Department’s new-financial-year visa fees. In the past the Department would occasionally “pick on” a few visa categories with large manual increases while most others simply followed CPI; this time, almost every category rose by 25% or more. The long-quiet RRV Subclass 155 tripled to nearly AUD 1,500, and Bridging visa B also tripled.
There has been plenty of griping over the past few days, but the takeaway is that the Department began processing on the second day of the new financial year. We’ve had Subclass 186 nominations, Subclass 500 student visas, Subclass 485 visas and Subclass 100 visas approved, though we haven’t yet seen any grants in the quota-capped categories.
On top of that, the new financial year’s grant letters have switched to a colour-printed version.
3. Parent-visa AoS rises as usual; contribution-payment deadline extended
Parent-visa fees have also risen considerably. Fortunately, the Subclass 143 and Subclass 864 contribution charge stays at AUD 43,600. The new change is that payment must now be made within 70 days of receiving notice, up from the previous 28 days.
The routine increase is still the AoS, usually around 2-3%; this financial year it rose 3.53%, which is fairly reasonable. The new income requirement applies to any AoS lodged after 1 July 2026 — so, for instance, if you received a request for further information in the 25-26 financial year but haven’t yet lodged the AoS, the new requirement still applies.
The AoS bond is unchanged: for the contributory (paid) stream, AUD 10,000 for one person and AUD 14,000 for two; for the queued stream, AUD 5,000 for one person and AUD 7,000 for two.
4. End-of-June processing-speed update — Subclass 186 accelerates
The Department updated its June processing-time estimates on schedule. It was still granting at full speed in May but gradually slowed through June, and over the past 1-2 weeks the quota-capped categories have shown no grants for now. This update shows a clear acceleration in employer-sponsored visas, especially Subclass 186 — our latest approval is a Subclass 186 DE nomination lodged in late November 2024.
Employer-sponsored category
Subclass 482 SID nomination
50% within 17 days — 12 days faster
90% within 9 months — unchanged
Subclass 482 SID Core Skills stream visa
50% within 83 days — 3 days faster
90% within 10 months — 1 month slower
Subclass 482 SID is currently processing applications lodged in late August 2025
186DE
50% within 9 months — 1 month faster
90% within 12 months — 8 months faster
186TRT
50% within 9 months — 1 month faster
90% within 14 months — unchanged
Last week our latest approval was a DE nomination lodged in October 2024 for a non-regional area, while for a regional-area position a nomination lodged in August 2025 received approval.
The Department’s website also shows Subclass 186 speeding up:
Regional-area applications are being processed up to those lodged in June 2025 — one month’s progress
Healthcare and teaching positions are being processed up to those lodged in June 2025 — one month’s progress
Accredited employer-sponsored applications are being processed up to those lodged in April 2025 — one month’s progress
Other non-priority applications are being processed up to those lodged in July 2024 — one month’s progress
Subclass 494 Regional Employer-Sponsored
50% within 5 months — 2 months faster
90% within 11 months — 1 month slower
Subclass 407 Training visa
50% within 79 months — nearly 40 days faster
90% within 17 months — 3 months slower
Subclass 407 has also been processing fairly quickly of late — we had a nomination for a joinery position lodged on 22 May 2026 and approved on 9 June 2026.
For other categories, see: Subclass 186 and 482 employer-sponsored visas accelerate markedly across the board! Subclass 191 races ahead by 2-3 months? Subclass 189/190/491 grants remain steady!
This week’s grants, invitations and skills assessments
State-government invitations
None this week
Visa grants
Subclass 189 Skilled Independent
None this week
Subclass 190 State Nominated
None this week
Subclass 491 Regional State Nomination
None this week
Subclass 191/887 Regional Permanent Residence
None this week
Employer-sponsored
Lodged 22 November 2024, Subclass 186 DE nomination approved 2 July 2026 — Accountant
Investment visa / GTI visa
None this week
Partner migration
Lodged 3 October 2025, Subclass 100 granted 29 June 2026
Parent visas
None this week
Child visas
None this week
Subclass 485 Graduate Work visa
Submitted on 10/6/2026, Granted on 2/7/2026
Lodged 7 May 2026, granted 2 July 2026 (no request for further information)
Subclass 500 Student visa
Lodged 23 June 2026, Subclass 500 granted 29 June 2026
Lodged 13 April 2026, Subclass 500 granted 2 July 2026
Lodged 30 August 2025, Subclass 500 granted 2 July 2026 — had received an S57
Submitted on 5/12/2025, Granted on 30/6/2026
Subclass 600 Visitor visa
Lodged 11 June 2026, granted 26 June 2026 — offshore application, PR parents
Subclass 155 visa
Lodged 26 June 2026, Subclass 155 granted 29 June 2026 — under 2 years’ residence
Child visas
None this week
Skills assessments
ACS skills assessment
Lodged 15 May 2026, ACS skills assessment passed 29 June 2026
ACECQA
Lodged 23 April 2026, approved 30 June 2026 (no request for further information)
