Skilled Visa Processing Order: What Changed on 19 September 2026 and What Has No Date Yet
Published 21 September 2026 | Last updated 21 September 2026
Three things changed on 19 September 2026, and all three concern the order in which the Department of Home Affairs processes skilled visa applications. Ministerial Direction 121 and Ministerial Direction 122 commenced, and Ministerial Direction 119 stopped applying.
The Minister also announced a wider set of migration measures on 17 September 2026. The Department says these have begun to be implemented and will be rolled out progressively over the next 12 months. We found no published start date for the individual measures as of 21 September 2026.
Key takeaways
Ministerial Direction 121 commenced on 19 September 2026. It covers the 482 visa.
Ministerial Direction 122 commenced on 19 September 2026. It covers ten other skilled visa subclasses, including the 186 visa, 189 visa, 190 visa, 191 visa, 491 visa and 494 visa.
Ministerial Direction 119 no longer applies. Section 3 of Direction 121 revoked it.
The student visa, working holiday, visitor visa and points test measures announced on 17 September are being rolled out over the next 12 months. We found no published start dates for them yet. See our student visa guide and our migration overhaul article.
Find your visa in the guide list below to see which direction applies to you.
What changed on 19 September 2026?
Change | Visas affected | What it means | RACC guide |
Ministerial Direction 119 stopped applying | The skilled visas it covered, now split between MD 121 and MD 122 | The old order no longer applies | |
Ministerial Direction 121 commenced | Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand and Temporary Skill Shortage) | New five-tier order for 482 visa applications | |
Ministerial Direction 122 commenced | Subclasses 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 489, 491, 494, 887 and 888 | New four-tier order for these visa applications |
The Department of Home Affairs confirms both new directions took effect on 19 September 2026 and replaced all processing priorities under Direction 119. Both Directions are dated 18 September 2026, and each commenced the day after signing.
This followed the Minister's National Press Club address on 17 September 2026. He said the government would update Direction 119 and add to its priority list, including agriculture, fisheries and resources. The Department then replaced Direction 119 with Directions 121 and 122.
Two other skilled visa directions did not change. Our guide to Ministerial Directions and visa processing lists every current direction. Ministerial Direction 114 still covers the closed Business Innovation and Investment (subclass 188) and Business Talent (Permanent) (subclass 132) visas. Ministerial Direction 120 still covers the Class BX (subclass 858) visas, which include Global Talent and National Innovation.
How do the two directions order applications?
Both directions rank visa applications in tiers, and tier 1 is considered first. RACC labels the levels tier 1 to tier 5. The directions themselves use paragraphs (a) to (e).
Tier | Direction 121 (482 visa) | Direction 122 (ten other skilled visas) |
1 | Primary applicant in a priority occupation | Primary applicant in a priority occupation |
2 | Skills in Demand application in the Specialist Skills stream | Primary applicant in Australia when they applied |
3 | Primary applicant in Australia when they applied | Primary applicant outside Australia when they applied, application not combined with another person's |
4 | Primary applicant outside Australia when they applied, application not combined with another person's | All other applications |
5 | All other applications | Not applicable |
Three points apply to both directions:
Tier 1 has no location condition. A primary applicant in a priority occupation sits in tier 1 whether they applied in or outside Australia.
A combined application takes the same tier as the primary applicant's application.
On the wording of both directions, an offshore primary applicant who includes a partner or child in the same application does not meet the "not combined" tier. Unless the application sits in tier 1, or in tier 2 under Direction 121, it falls to the last tier.
The MD 121 guide and the MD 122 guide explain each tier, the priority occupations and the exceptions in detail.
Which RACC guide covers your visa?
Find your visa in the table. Open the visa guide first, then the direction guide that sets its processing order.
Visa | RACC visa guide | Direction that sets its order |
482 (Skills in Demand and Temporary Skill Shortage) | ||
186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) | ||
189 (Skilled Independent) | ||
190 (Skilled Nominated) | ||
191 (Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional)) | ||
491 (Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)) | ||
494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)) | ||
187, 489, 887 and 888 | No RACC guide linked here |
Planning to move from a 482 visa to a permanent visa? Read our 482 visa to permanent residency guide.
What do the two new directions have in common?
Both directions put the same group of priority occupations in tier 1. That group covers construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, resources, law enforcement and defence occupations. An applicant in one of these occupations sits in tier 1 whether they applied in or outside Australia. Each direction guide lists the ANZSCO codes, and you can search occupations on our skilled occupation list.
Neither direction mentions nomination applications. Both apply to visa applications made before 19 September that the Department had not finally determined, as well as new ones.
Both require delegates to depart from the standard order in compelling circumstances. MD 121 gives examples of those circumstances. MD 122 names two grounds.
They differ in which visas they cover and in how many tiers they use. MD 121 has a dedicated tier for the Specialist Skills stream. MD 122 does not.
What about the other changes announced on 17 September 2026?
On 17 September 2026, the Minister announced a wider package of migration changes. The Department's migration policy changes page says they have begun to be implemented and will be rolled out progressively over the next 12 months.
We found no commencement date for the individual measures as of 21 September 2026:
limits on secondary applicants for most student and graduate visas
rules on course progression, with students able to move up the qualification scale
a ballot for second and third year working holiday visas
a No Further Stay condition on future visitor visas
a new points test that gives more weight to housing and construction trade qualifications, which matters if you are considering the 189 visa, 190 visa or 491 visa
compliance measures aimed at overstayers
The Department's page also lists an update to Ministerial Direction 110 and action on migration agents. This article does not cover them.
Do not assume a measure applies to you, or that it does not, until the Department publishes its start date. Check the Department's migration policy changes page before you act. Our migration overhaul article covers the announcement in detail. If you plan to study, read our student visa guide.
What should you do now?
Find your visa in the guide list above and open the matching direction guide: the MD 121 guide for the 482 visa or the MD 122 guide for the other ten subclasses.
Check whether your occupation sits in the priority group, using our skilled occupation list.
Work out whether you were in or outside Australia when you applied.
Read our visa processing times guide for current timing.
Bookmark our guide to Ministerial Directions and visa processing. It lists every current direction.
If you are unsure how the changes affect your plans, book a consultation with our registered migration agents.
This page is general information. It is not legal or migration advice.
Frequently asked questions
What changed on 19 September 2026?
Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 commenced, and Ministerial Direction 119 stopped applying. Direction 121 sets the processing order for the 482 visa. Direction 122 sets it for ten other skilled visa subclasses. Neither mentions nomination applications.
Which direction applies to my visa?
Subclass 482 falls under Ministerial Direction 121. Subclasses 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 489, 491, 494, 887 and 888 fall under Ministerial Direction 122. Direction 119 no longer applies to any visa. Open the matching guide to see your tier.
Did the student visa family restriction start on 19 September 2026?
Not as far as we can find. The Minister announced the restriction on 17 September 2026. The Department says the announced changes are being rolled out over the next 12 months, and we found no published start date for this one as of 21 September. The 19 September changes concern skilled visa processing order only. Check the Department's migration policy changes page for updates, and read our student visa guide if you plan to study.
Is Ministerial Direction 119 still in force?
No. Section 3 of Ministerial Direction 121 revokes Direction 119, which is dated 24 July 2026. Our Direction 119 archive guide explains what it covered. Direction 119 no longer governs any application, including applications lodged before 19 September 2026. Directions 121 and 122 apply to visa applications that had not been finally determined by then.
Disclaimer
The information in this article provides general guidance only. It does not constitute migration or legal advice.
Migration policies, nomination allocations, and visa requirements may change and may vary depending on each applicant's circumstances.
Applicants should seek advice from a MARA-registered migration agent or qualified immigration professional before making migration decisions.
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