Key migration news this week
- Are the reforms finally here? Will student visa renewals switch to an EOI invitation system?
- The Department updates visa waiting times, while actual onshore processing is speeding up across the board
- Tasmania issues invitations as scheduled, with more Green applicants invited
- A new 189 invitation round is coming soon: check that your points claims are still valid
- This week’s visa grants, invitations and skills assessment results
1. Student visa reforms may take effect: onshore renewals could switch to an EOI invitation system
Discussions about reforming Australia’s migration system have been continuing for some time, with further developments this week. Media reports suggest the government may formally put a reform bill to Parliament as early as next week to further tighten migration policy.
One of the biggest uncertainties at present is whether the government can secure passage through Parliament.
As the governing party does not have an absolute majority in the Senate, the reforms would need support from other parties if they proceed through the normal legislative process. The Liberal Party currently considers the government’s proposed net overseas migration (NOM) target too high and has called for further cuts to migration numbers, among other demands, so significant differences remain between the two sides.
Alongside pursuing formal legislation, the government is also considering changes to administrative regulations and other ways to bring some policies into effect sooner. If some measures can be implemented through administrative regulations or visa officers’ existing discretionary powers, they may take effect sooner than formal legislation.
Among the reform details that have emerged, one change attracting considerable attention from international students is that future onshore student visa applications for further study may first require an EOI (Expression of Interest).
Under the proposal currently being reported, applicants may need to submit an EOI before applying for another student visa within Australia, with the government screening applications based on factors such as the value of the course. Applicants pursuing some courses considered to be of lower value or lacking meaningful educational benefits may not be given the opportunity to lodge a further visa application.
If this mechanism is ultimately implemented, one of its biggest effects could be to screen out some applicants before they reach the visa application stage, reducing the number of refusals that subsequently go to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).
Beyond student visas, the government is also considering further restrictions on some onshore protection visa applications, such as setting a time limit for applying for a Protection Visa. The aim is to reduce cases in which applicants spend extended periods switching visas within Australia and eventually seek to remain through an asylum application.
It is important to understand that the details announced or circulated so far do not mean that a final policy has officially taken effect. These reforms involve several visa categories, and the final implementation arrangements and specific timing still await an official government announcement.
However, the current policy direction points fairly clearly towards further control of net overseas migration numbers and tighter restrictions on some pathways for switching visas onshore.
If you currently hold an Australian visitor visa and plan to apply onshore for a partner visa or another category, or if you hold a 485 graduate visa and plan to apply for visas for your spouse or children within Australia, we recommend assessing your circumstances early.
Visitor visa holders whose visas currently have no “No Further Stay” restrictions such as condition 8503 should pay particular attention to policy changes and their own timing.
2. The Department updates visa processing times: marked differences between categories
The Department has recently updated its estimated processing times for various visa categories. Official data generally does not distinguish further between onshore and offshore applications, so the actual processing speed of individual cases may differ considerably from the published ranges.
For family visas, processing of 143 parent visas remains relatively slow. Recent requests for further information appear to be reaching applications lodged around early December 2018. As we do not have data on every case, the specific date may be subject to some margin of error.
For 101 child visas, 50% of applications currently take around 23 months, about 3 months less than previously; 90% take around 33 months, which is largely unchanged.
For partner visas at the 820 stage, 50% of applications take around 23 months, about 5 months longer than previously, while 90% take around 29 months, about 3 months faster. At the 801 stage, 50% take around 3 months, about 2 months faster; 90% take around 17 months, about 5 months longer than previously.
For offshore partner visas at the 309 stage, 50% of applications take around 21 months and 90% around 39 months, with processing slower overall than previously. At the 100 stage, 50% take around 9 months and 90% around 18 months, both about 1 month longer than previously.
Changes in skilled migration and employer-sponsored visa categories can be monitored using the Department’s latest data. Although the published figures do not distinguish between onshore and offshore applications, recent actual cases suggest that onshore skilled visas are still being processed relatively quickly.
Some cases in priority occupations, particularly construction, healthcare and teaching, are showing a clear acceleration. For example, one of our 482 employer-sponsored carpenter cases this week received both sponsorship and position nomination approval in around a week.
By contrast, some offshore applications remain relatively quiet, with a marked difference in processing speed compared with onshore cases.
3. Tasmania continues issuing state nomination invitations: a clear increase in the Green share
Tasmania continued issuing invitations this week at its previous pace.
Tasmania issued 40 invitations for 190 state nomination this week, an increase on previous numbers, with a marked rise in invitations to Green applicants.
In this 190 round, Green applicants received 34 invitations and Gold applicants received 6, while the lowest invitation score fell to 502 points.
For the 491, this round issued 26 invitations, of which just 3 went to Gold applicants, while the lowest invitation score fell to 74 points.
Tasmania’s ROI pool currently still contains around 890 applications for the 190 and 603 for the 491, while remaining allocations are around 1018 for the 190 and 732 for the 491.
The current figures show relatively few ROIs awaiting assessment in Tasmania, at around 21, so invitation numbers in the coming rounds remain worth monitoring.
4. A new 189 Skilled Independent invitation round is approaching
The Department previously indicated that it would issue a new round of 189 Skilled Independent invitations before 30 September 2026.
If you are waiting for a 189 invitation, we recommend checking now that each points claim in your EOI remains valid. Pay particular attention to English test results, skills assessments, partner points and work experience, which may be subject to validity periods or timing requirements.
5. This week’s Australian visa grants, state nomination invitations and skills assessment cases
We have compiled recent actual case results this week for applicants’ reference.
State government invitations
Tasmania had 2 ROI pre-invitation cases this week, both through the graduate pathway: 1 received a 190 pre-invitation and the other a 491 pre-invitation.
189 Skilled Independent visas
The onshore Speech Pathology (252712) application lodged on 12 June 2026 was approved on 9 September 2026.
The 189 application lodged on 16 July 2026 was approved on 9 September 2026.
190 state nomination visas
The Engineering Technologist application lodged on 30 June 2025 was approved on 7 September 2026.
The onshore Quantity Surveyor (241932) application lodged on 5 June 2026 was approved on 9 September 2026, with a spouse included in the application.
The onshore Architect (232111) application lodged on 4 June 2026 was approved on 9 September 2026.
The 190 nursing application lodged on 2 June 2026 was approved on 9 September 2026.
491 regional state nomination visas
There were no new 491 visa grant cases this week.
191 and 887 regional permanent residency
The application lodged on 11 December 2025 was approved on 11 September 2026.
Employer-sponsored visas
The 482 Accountant General application lodged on 5 March 2026 was approved on 7 September 2026.
The 482 Sales Representative (Medical and Pharmaceutical Products) (225412) application lodged on 15 April 2026 was approved on 9 September 2026.
The 186 Accountant application lodged on 17 July 2024 was approved on 9 September 2026.
The 482 Chef application lodged on 23 June 2026 was approved on 5 September 2026.
The 482 Advertising Specialist nomination lodged on 25 February 2026 was approved on 5 September 2026.
The 482 sponsorship application lodged on 23 August 2026 was approved on 7 September 2026.
The 482 sponsorship application lodged on 4 September 2026 was approved on 7 September 2026.
The 186 TRT Marketing Specialist nomination lodged on 5 February 2025 was approved on 10 September 2026.
The 482 carpenter nomination lodged on 4 September 2026 was approved on 11 September 2026.
Partner migration
The 820/801 partner visa application lodged on 24 May 2024 received both 820 and 801 grants on 10 September 2026.
Parent visas
The parent visa application lodged on 26 November 2018, for which a request for further information was received on 8 May 2026, was approved on 8 September 2026.
485 graduate visas
The 485 application lodged on 27 August 2026 was approved on 11 September 2026.
The application for a second 485 visa lodged on 19 June 2026 was approved on 8 September 2026.
Another 485 application lodged on 19 June 2026 was also approved on 8 September 2026.
500 student visas
The student visa application lodged on 16 June 2026 was approved on 10 September 2026.
The application lodged on 21 August 2026 was approved on 10 September 2026.
The 500 student visa application lodged on 30 August 2026 was approved on 9 September 2026.
600 visitor visas
The offshore Sponsored Family Stream application lodged on 16 July 2026 was approved on 8 September 2026.
The 600 visitor visa application lodged on 8 August 2026 was approved on 5 September 2026.
Skills assessments
For ANMAC skills assessments, an application lodged on 14 August 2026 was completed on 7 September 2026.
There were no new visa grant cases this week for 155 visas, investor visas, GTI, 491 regional visas or child visas.
