New Skilled Visa Processing Priorities: Ministerial Direction 119 Now Applies to Subclass 482 and Other Skilled Visas
The Australian Government has introduced a significant change to the way certain skilled visa nomination and visa applications are prioritised for processing.
Ministerial Direction 119 commenced on 25 July 2026, replacing Ministerial Direction 105. The new Direction applies to both new applications and applications already lodged but not finally determined. Importantly, it now includes the Skills in Demand visa subclass 482, which was not covered by the previous Ministerial Direction 105.
Under the new framework, processing priority is determined primarily by:
- the applicant’s nominated occupation; and
- whether the applicant was in or outside Australia at the time the application was lodged.
The highest priority is given to applications supporting Australia’s law enforcement and defence interests. Onshore applicants in certain construction, healthcare and teaching occupations are also given priority.
What is Ministerial Direction 119?
Ministerial Direction 119 is a direction issued under section 499 of the Migration Act 1958. It instructs Department of Home Affairs decision-makers about the order in which certain skilled visa nomination and visa applications should be considered and finalised.
The Direction does not create a new visa, change visa eligibility requirements or add occupations to Australia’s skilled occupation lists. Applicants must still satisfy all relevant nomination and visa criteria.
Instead, it determines which groups of applications should generally be processed ahead of others when the Department allocates its processing resources.
When did the new priorities take effect?
Ministerial Direction 119 took effect on 25 July 2026.
From that date:
- Ministerial Direction 105 was revoked;
- the new processing order began applying to relevant skilled visa applications;
- Applications already lodged but not finally decided became subject to the new Direction; and
- Skills in Demand subclass 482 applications became subject to formal processing priorities.
Applicants generally do not need to lodge a new application for the new Direction to apply to an existing eligible application.
The five processing priority categories
Under Ministerial Direction 119, relevant skilled nomination and visa applications are processed in the following order.
Priority 1: Onshore law enforcement and defence applications
The highest priority is given to eligible nomination and visa applications where:
- the applicant or nominee was in Australia when the application was made; and
- the occupation relates to Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests.
The Direction defines the relevant law enforcement occupations as occupations within ANZSCO Unit Group 4413 – Police, where the person is nominated or sponsored by an eligible Australian police force.
The defence category includes specified Australian Defence Force occupations and work connected with AUKUS Pillar I or Pillar II.
Priority 2: Offshore law enforcement and defence applications
The second priority applies to relevant law enforcement or defence applications where the applicant or nominee was outside Australia when the application was lodged.
These applications receive priority over all other offshore skilled visa applications covered by the Direction.
Priority 3: Onshore construction, healthcare and teaching occupations
The third priority applies where:
- the applicant or nominee was in Australia when the application was made; and
- the nominated occupation falls within the construction, healthcare or teaching occupations defined by Ministerial Direction 119.
This category is expected to be particularly important for Australian employers seeking workers in industries affected by significant workforce shortages.
It may also benefit eligible onshore applicants in priority occupations who have lodged employer-sponsored or points-tested skilled visa applications.
Priority 4: All other onshore applications
The fourth priority applies to all other eligible nomination and visa applications where the applicant or nominee was in Australia at the time of application.
This means that an onshore applicant in a non-priority occupation will generally be processed before an offshore applicant in another non-priority occupation.
However, an onshore applicant in a non-priority occupation will generally rank below an onshore applicant working in an occupation specifically defined as construction, healthcare or teaching under the Direction.
Priority 5: All other offshore applications
The fifth and final category applies to other nomination and visa applications where the applicant or nominee was outside Australia when the application was lodged.
This does not mean that offshore applications will not be processed or cannot be approved. It means that these applications are placed in the lowest processing category under Ministerial Direction 119 unless they involve eligible law enforcement or defence occupations.
Priority order at a glance
| Priority | Applicant’s location when applying | Occupation or application category |
| 1 – Highest | In Australia | Eligible law enforcement or defence occupation |
| 2 | Outside Australia | Eligible law enforcement or defence occupation |
| 3 | In Australia | Defined construction, healthcare or teaching occupation |
| 4 | In Australia | All other eligible occupations and applications |
| 5 – Final | Outside Australia | All other eligible occupations and applications |
Which construction occupations receive priority?
Ministerial Direction 119 does not give priority to every occupation that may have some connection with construction. An occupation must fall within one of the ANZSCO groups or specific occupations identified in the Direction.
The defined construction category includes occupations within:
- ANZSCO Sub-Major Group 33 – Construction Trades Workers;
- ANZSCO Sub-Major Group 82 – Construction and Mining Labourers;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 1331 – Construction Managers;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 2321 – Architects and Landscape Architects;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 2332 – Civil Engineering Professionals;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 3121 – Architectural, Building and Surveying Technicians;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 3126 – Safety Inspectors;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 3129 – Other Building and Engineering Technicians;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 3222 – Sheetmetal Workers;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 3223 – Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 7111 – Clay, Concrete, Glass and Stone Processing Machine Operators;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 7121 – Crane, Hoist and Lift Operators; and
- ANZSCO Unit Group 7212 – Earthmoving Plant Operators.
The Direction also specifically includes:
- Electrician (General) – ANZSCO 341111; and
- Electrician (Special Class) – ANZSCO 341112.
Because the category is defined by ANZSCO classification, applicants and employers should not assume an occupation is prioritised solely because the position is located in the construction industry.
The nominated occupation code must fall within the occupation groups specified in the Direction.
Which healthcare occupations receive priority?
The healthcare category includes occupations within:
- ANZSCO Sub-Major Group 25 – Health Professionals;
- ANZSCO Minor Group 411 – Health and Welfare Support Workers;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 2346 – Medical Scientists;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 2721 – Counsellors;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 2723 – Psychologists;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 2725 – Social Workers; and
- ANZSCO Unit Group 3112 – Medical Technicians.
The following occupations are also specifically included:
- Aged or Disabled Carer – ANZSCO 423111;
- Nursing Support Worker – ANZSCO 423312; and
- Personal Care Assistant – ANZSCO 423313.
This is broader than simply prioritising doctors and registered nurses. It also captures several health, allied health, welfare-support and care-related occupations, provided the occupation is included within the groups specified in the Direction.
Which teaching occupations receive priority?
The teaching category includes:
- ANZSCO Minor Group 241 – School Teachers;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 1341 – Child Care Centre Managers;
- School Principal – ANZSCO 134311;
- Vocational Education Teacher – ANZSCO 242211;
- Child Care Worker – ANZSCO 421111; and
- University Lecturer – ANZSCO 242111.
ANZSCO Minor Group 241 includes occupations such as:
- Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher;
- Primary School Teacher;
- Middle School Teacher;
- Secondary School Teacher;
- Special Needs Teacher;
- Teacher of the Hearing Impaired;
- Teacher of the Sight Impaired; and
- Special Education Teachers not elsewhere classified.
Eligible onshore applicants in these occupations may fall within the third processing category, subject to the relevant visa and application requirements.
Which visa subclasses are covered?
Ministerial Direction 119 applies to visa applications for the following visa classes and subclasses:
- Employer Nomination Scheme visa – subclass 186
- Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa – subclass 187
- Skilled Independent visa – subclass 189
- Skilled Nominated visa – subclass 190
- Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa – subclass 191 Skills in Demand visa – subclass 482
- Temporary Skill Shortage visa – subclass 482
- Skilled Regional Sponsored Provisional visa – subclass 489
- Skilled Work Regional Provisional visa – subclass 491
- Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Provisional visa – subclass 494
- Skilled Regional visa – subclass 887
- Business Innovation and Investment Permanent visa – subclass 888.
The Direction also applies to nomination applications connected with:
- Subclass 186;
- Subclass 187;
- Skills in Demand subclass 482;
- the former Temporary Skill Shortage Subclass 482; and
- Subclass 494.
Major change for Skills in Demand subclass 482 applications
One of the most important changes is the inclusion of the Skills in Demand subclass 482 visa.
Ministerial Direction 105 did not apply to the Skills in Demand subclass 482 program. Under Ministerial Direction 119, eligible subclass 482 nomination and visa applications are now expressly covered.
This means the Department will consider both:
- the occupation nominated in the application; and
- whether the worker was in or outside Australia when the relevant application was lodged.
For example, an onshore subclass 482 applicant nominated as a nurse, teacher or carpenter may fall within Priority 3. An onshore subclass 482 applicant in another occupation would generally fall within Priority 4. An offshore subclass 482 applicant in a non-defence or non-law-enforcement occupation would generally fall within Priority 5.
What happened to regional and accredited-sponsor priority?
Under the previous Ministerial Direction 105, certain employer-sponsored applications received priority where:
- the position was located in a designated regional area; or
- the applicant had been nominated by an accredited sponsor.
Ministerial Direction 119 replaces the processing priorities under Direction 105.
The new five-level processing framework published by the Department does not create separate priority categories merely because:
- an employer is an accredited sponsor; or
- the nominated position is located in a designated regional area.
Instead, the principal factors under Direction 119 are now the nominated occupation and whether the applicant or nominee was in Australia or outside Australia at the time of application.
Accredited sponsorship and regional location may still be relevant to other aspects of a sponsorship, nomination or visa application. However, they are not listed as standalone priority categories under the new Direction.
Why the applicant’s location at lodgement matters
Ministerial Direction 119 refers to the applicant’s or nominee’s location at the time the relevant application was made.
This is an important distinction.
It is not necessarily the person’s location when the Department starts assessing the application or when a decision is made. A person who lodged while offshore and later travelled to Australia would not automatically become an onshore applicant for the purpose of the original application’s priority category.
Similarly, a person who lodged a relevant application while in Australia and later travelled overseas would ordinarily have their category determined by their location when the application was made.
For employer-sponsored applications, the location of the nominee when the nomination application was lodged determines the nomination’s priority. The worker’s location when the visa application was lodged determines the visa application’s priority. Because nominations and visa applications may be submitted on different dates, the two applications could potentially fall into different categories. This is an inference from the separate wording used for nomination and visa applications in the Direction.
Does priority processing guarantee a quick decision?
No.
A higher processing priority does not guarantee:
- approval of the nomination or visa;
- a decision within a particular number of days;
- immediate allocation to a decision-maker; or
- that every higher-priority application will be decided before every lower-priority application.
Processing can still be affected by:
- whether the application is complete;
- requests for further information;
- health, character and security checks;
- verification of employment, qualifications or business documents;
- the complexity of the application;
- nomination and sponsorship requirements;
- annual Migration Program planning levels;
- 85 visa caps where applicable; and
- the Department’s available processing resources.
The Department states that skilled visa processing is affected by Government policy priorities and Migration Program planning levels. Submitting all required information may also assist the Department to process an application more efficiently.
Does priority improve the chance of approval?
No.
Processing priority only determines the order in which applications are considered. It does not lower the eligibility requirements or improve the legal merits of an application.
An applicant and sponsoring employer must still satisfy all applicable requirements, which may include:
- occupation eligibility;
- genuine position requirements;
- labour market testing;
- salary and employment conditions;
- skills, qualifications and work experience;
- English-language requirements;
- skills assessment or licensing requirements;
- health and character criteria;
- sponsorship and nomination requirements; and
- points, invitation or state nomination requirements for relevant skilled visas.
Ministerial Direction 119 expressly states that it does not change the composition of the skilled occupation lists and that applicants must continue to satisfy the Migration Act and Migration Regulations.
How are family members treated?
Family members who lodge a combined visa application with the primary applicant receive the same processing priority as the primary applicant.
However, Ministerial Direction 119 does not apply to a later application made by a family member seeking to join a person who already holds the relevant visa where the family member did not make a combined application with the primary applicant.
Are change-of-employer nominations covered?
The Direction expressly states that it does not apply to nomination applications relating to a change of employer.
This exclusion may be relevant to subclass 482 visa holders who move to a new sponsoring employer and require a new nomination.
Although those nominations remain subject to the applicable migration legislation and Departmental processing arrangements, they are excluded from the priority order established by Ministerial Direction 119.
Other applications excluded from the Direction
Ministerial Direction 119 also does not apply to certain matters, including:
- nominations or visa applications remitted by the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal or the Administrative Review Tribunal for reconsideration;
- matters where the tribunal has set aside a decision and substituted a new decision;
- applications where it is readily apparent that the relevant nomination or visa criteria cannot be met;
- certain subsequent-entrant family member applications;
- change-of-employer nomination applications; and
- decisions made by the Administrative Review Tribunal itself.
Examples of how the priorities may operate
Example 1: Onshore registered nurse applying for a subclass 482 visa
A registered nurse who was in Australia when the subclass 482 application was lodged would generally fall within Priority 3, because the applicant was onshore and the occupation is within the healthcare category.
Example 2: Onshore carpenter nominated for a subclass 186 visa
A carpenter who was in Australia when the application was made would generally fall within Priority 3, as carpenters fall within the construction trades group.
Example 3: Offshore secondary school teacher applying for a subclass 190 visa
Although teaching is a priority sector, the special third priority is limited to applicants who were in Australia when applying.
An offshore teacher who does not fall within the law enforcement or defence category would therefore generally fall within Priority 5.
Example 4: Onshore accountant applying for a subclass 189 visa
An accountant who was in Australia at lodgement would generally fall within Priority 4, because the applicant is onshore but the occupation is not included in the defined construction, healthcare or teaching categories.
Example 5: Offshore construction professional applying for a subclass 494 visa
An offshore applicant in a construction occupation does not receive Priority 3, because that category requires the applicant to have been in Australia when the application was made.
Unless the occupation relates to Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests, the application would generally fall within Priority 5.
Example 6: Onshore early childhood teacher applying for a subclass 190 visa
An Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher falls within ANZSCO Minor Group 241. Where the applicant was in Australia at the time of lodging the visa application, the application would generally fall within Priority 3.
What should employers do?
Employers planning to sponsor a skilled worker should consider the new Direction when assessing recruitment timelines and workforce planning.
However, a processing priority should not be treated as a substitute for proper application preparation. Employers should ensure that:
- the correct occupation has been selected;
- the position genuinely corresponds with that occupation;
- the proposed duties are consistent with the nominated ANZSCO occupation;
- labour market testing has been completed correctly where required;
- the salary satisfies the relevant income threshold and annual market salary rate requirements;
- the employment contract and business documents are consistent;
- sponsorship obligations are understood; and
- nomination and visa applications are supported by complete, decision-ready evidence.
Selecting an occupation merely because it appears in a priority group, when it does not accurately reflect the position, may create serious nomination and visa risks.
What should skilled visa applicants do?
Applicants should:
- confirm whether their nominated occupation falls within one of the exact ANZSCO groups specified in the Direction;
- identify whether they were in or outside Australia when the relevant application was lodged;
- check that their skills assessment, registration or licensing remains valid;
- ensure all supporting documents are current and consistent;
- respond promptly to Department requests;
- keep health and character documents up to date where appropriate; and
- avoid making irreversible employment or travel decisions solely on the assumption that priority processing guarantees a fast result.
Applicants with an application already lodged should not assume they must withdraw and reapply to receive the new priority. Direction 119 applies to relevant applications that were lodged but remained undecided when the Direction commenced.
Key points to remember
Ministerial Direction 119 represents an important shift in skilled visa processing policy:
- It commenced on 25 July 2026.
- It replaced Ministerial Direction 105.
- It applies to relevant undecided applications as well as new applications.
- It now covers the Skills in Demand subclass 482 program.
- Law enforcement and defence applications receive the highest priority.
- Onshore construction, healthcare and teaching applicants receive the next sector-based priority.
- Other onshore applicants are generally prioritised over other offshore applicants.
- Priority is based on the applicant’s location when the application was lodged.
- Priority processing does not guarantee approval or a fixed processing time.
- The occupation must fall within the categories expressly defined in the Direction.
How Better Life Migration can assist
The new processing priorities make correct occupation selection and strategic application preparation more important than ever.
Better Life Migration specialises in employer-sponsored visas, including subclass 482 and subclass 186 applications, and provides step-by-step assistance to employers and skilled workers.
We can assist with:
- assessing whether your occupation falls within a Ministerial Direction 119 priority category;
- selecting the appropriate occupation and ANZSCO code;
- skills assessments;
- employer sponsorship applications;
- subclass 482 and 494 nominations and visa applications;
- subclass 186 permanent residence pathways;
- skilled visa strategy for subclasses 189, 190 and 491; and
- preparing complete, decision-ready applications.
For professional advice based on your individual circumstances, contact Better Life Migration.
Better Life Migration
📞 0415 419 414
🌐 www.betterlifemigration.com.au
📍 Suite 511/118 Church Street, Parramatta NSW 2150
Preeti D’silva
Registered Migration Agent
MARN 0530747
Disclaimer:
This article provides general information current at the date of publication and does not constitute migration or legal advice. Visa requirements and government policies may change. Obtain advice based on your individual circumstances before making an application or acting on this information.
