The Department of Home Affairs has recently updated the progress of skilled visa processing once again in line with the new visa-processing priorities.
Compared with the previous update, the clearest change is that: onshore applications are advancing to varying degrees, while offshore applications remain largely stalled overall, and the processing gap between onshore and offshore applications is beginning to widen.
Employer-sponsored visas for priority construction occupations stand out in particular, with the processing dates for some visa categories advancing by nearly a year in about one month.
Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa
According to the latest information published by the Department of Home Affairs, onshore priority-occupation applications for Subclass 190 are now being processed up to August 2026. In the July update, onshore priority occupations were shown as processed only up to April 2025, with no clear gap from other onshore occupations at that time. Following this update, the effect of the priority settings is now very clear.
Other onshore occupations are currently being processed up to April 2025, an advance of about two months; offshore applications remain at February 2025, with no significant progress for now.
Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional visa (state-nominated)
Subclass 491 has shown a similar trend.
Onshore priority occupations are now being processed up to May 2026. The July update showed processing only up to April 2025, so the movement in this update is similarly substantial.
Other onshore occupations are still being processed up to March 2025, with no movement for now; offshore applications remain at February 2025.
For Subclass 491 applicants, this means a processing gap is also beginning to emerge between onshore priority occupations and other categories.
Subclass 191 Permanent Residence visa
Onshore Subclass 191 applications have now advanced to February 2026, about one month ahead of the July update.
Notably, the data published by the Department of Home Affairs in this update begin to distinguish the different priorities more clearly. The processing priorities under Ministerial Direction 119 also cover Subclass 191, whereas the relevant data were not yet shown separately in the July update.
The other category currently remains at around January 2026, with no significant movement.
Because the vast majority of Subclass 191 applicants hold a Subclass 491 or 494 visa and generally live and work in Australia, onshore applications still account for the great majority. However, the current trend suggests that the processing-speed gap between the small number of offshore applications and onshore applications may widen further.
Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa
There is no new update for Subclass 189 this time. The official website still shows:
onshore priority occupations processed up to June 2026, other onshore occupations processed up to January 2026, and offshore applications processed up to November 2025.
Compared with Subclasses 190 and 491, Subclass 189 currently shows a less pronounced processing gap between onshore and offshore applications and between priority and other occupations.
Based on our recent cases, applications invited and lodged last November are progressively being cleared. Among clients recently granted Subclass 189 visas, many were invited this June and lodged their visa applications afterwards.
Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa
The Department of Home Affairs website does not currently distinguish further between Subclass 482 nomination and visa applications.
Onshore Healthcare and Teaching and Construction priority occupations are now being processed up to August 2026. Healthcare and Teaching occupations have advanced by about one month since the previous update, while the movement for Construction occupations is especially substantial; they were still at October 2025.
Other onshore occupations are currently being processed up to December 2025, an advance of about two months; offshore applications remain at October 2025, with no movement for now.
Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa
The official Subclass 186 information likewise does not currently distinguish further between the Direct Entry (DE) and Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) streams.
Onshore Healthcare and Teaching and Construction priority occupations are currently being processed up to August 2025. Healthcare and Teaching occupations have advanced by about two months since the previous update, while Construction occupations were still at September 2024, making the movement in this update close to one year.
Other onshore occupations are currently being processed up to July 2024, an advance of about four months; offshore applications remain at July 2024.
Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa
Onshore Healthcare and Teaching and Construction priority occupations under Subclass 494 are currently being processed up to June 2026.
Healthcare and Teaching occupations have not advanced significantly since the previous update, but Construction occupations had only been processed up to September 2025, so this update also shows a substantial advance.
Other onshore occupations are currently being processed up to August 2025, an advance of about one month; offshore applications remain at August 2025.
The impact of the new processing priorities is becoming clear
The previous update was one of the earlier data releases after the new processing priorities took effect. At that time, the gaps between onshore priority and other occupations, and between onshore and offshore applications, were not yet pronounced.
About one month later, these differences have begun to emerge.
At present, processing has clearly accelerated for onshore priority occupations, while other onshore occupations are also advancing gradually; offshore applications in several categories have shown no significant change for now.
The movement for employer-sponsored Construction occupations is especially pronounced. This relates partly to the new processing priorities and partly to the existing number of backlogged applications in each visa category. Compared with points-tested skilled migration, some employer-sponsored Construction occupations have fewer applications on hand, allowing their processing dates to move forward more quickly once priority processing is applied.
Applicants who are still eligible to lodge onshore can plan ahead based on their visa status, occupation and application requirements. Whether the current processing advantage will persist over the long term remains to be seen, so applicants are not advised to make rushed visa or travel arrangements solely to pursue faster processing.
In addition, a substantial share of the priority Construction occupations are construction trades and blue-collar roles. For applicants already working in a related role in Australia, if English results, skilled-migration points or a skills assessment are the main obstacles to points-tested skilled migration, Subclass 482, 186 or 494 employer-sponsored pathways may be options worth assessing closely.
Which visa is suitable still requires an overall assessment of the applicant’s occupation, work experience, employer eligibility, location and long-term permanent residency plans.
