On 28 October 2022, the Minister for Migration released Ministerial Direction 100, for reducing the processing times across caseload and to clear the visa backlogs, while prioritising the most in demand occupations.
During the initial months of 2022, visa processing was slow due to the workforce shortage at the Department of Home Affairs. However, the Department was able to speed up its visa processing at the start of May 2022, attributable to the appointment of 260 more staff to work on visa processing.
Outlined below are the new visa priorities as per Ministerial Direction 100:
- Visa applications in relation to a healthcare or teaching occupation
- For employer sponsored visas, visa applications where the applicant is nominated by an Approved sponsor with Accredited Status.
- Visa applications in relation to an occupation to be carried out in a designated regional area.
- For permanent and provisional visa subclasses, visa applications that count towards the migration program, excluding the Subclass 188 (Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional)) visa.
- All other visa applications.
Within each category above, for provisional and permanent skilled visa applications, priority is given to visa applications where primary applicant is offshore at the time of making visa application. The Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) has been discontinued as it no longer reflected the actual sectors facing workforce shortage. Also, it has reduced the number of priorities including removing priority processing for the Global Talent visas along with Business Innovation and Investment visas
The new priorities apply to all skilled visa nomination and visa applications that are yet to be decided, as well as new applications lodged.
The Ministerial Direction 100 is applicable to the following visas:
- Subclass 124 (Distinguished Talent)
- Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme)
- Subclass 187 (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme)
- Subclass 188 (Business Innovation and Investment) (Provisional)
- Subclass 189 (Skilled – Independent)
- Subclass 190 (Skilled – Nominated)
- Subclass 191 (Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional))
- Subclass 457 (Temporary Work (Skilled))
- Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage)
- Subclass 489 (Skilled – Regional (Provisional))
- Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional (Provisional))
- Subclass 494 (Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional))
- Subclass 858 (Global Talent)
- Subclass 887 (Skilled – Regional)
- Subclass 888 (Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent)
Healthcare or Teaching Occupations Include the following
- ANZSCO Sub-major Group 25 – Health Professionals
- ANZSCO Minor Group 241 – School Teachers
- ANZSCO Minor Group 411 – Health and Welfare Support Workers
- ANZSCO Unit Group 1341 – Child Care Centre Managers
- ANZSCO Unit Group 2346 – Medical Scientists
- ANZSCO Unit Group 2721 – Counsellors
- ANZSCO Unit Group 2723 – Psychologists
- ANZSCO Unit Group 2725 – Social Workers
- ANZSCO Unit Group 3112 – Medical Technicians
- ANZSCO occupations:
A- 134311 – School Principal
B- 421111 – Child Care Worker
C- 423111 – Aged or Disabled Carer
D- 423312 – Nursing Support Worker
E- 423313 – Personal Care Assistant.
