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Australia Migration Updates: Visa Processing Times, Program Levels and New Visas

Australia Migration Updates

Visa Processing Times, Program Levels, and New Visas

The Department of Home Affairs recently provided important updates on visa processing, planning levels, and program changes. These insights highlight current priorities, challenges, and future directions in Australia’s migration framework.

Visa Processing Updates

Permanent visas: 53.42% were finalised within 12 months of lodgement.
Temporary visas: 97.65% finalised within 12 months.
Partner visas: High demand continues to create significant delays due to limited places and resourcing.
Humanitarian program: Onshore protection visa numbers are reducing slowly, while 2025–26 planning levels are still under consultation.
Working Holiday Maker visas: Most are processed within 27 days, with strong growth in subclass 462 applications driven by the UK Free Trade Agreement.
Visitor visas: Despite increased demand, many are finalised within 1 day.
Temporary skilled visas:
- Short-term stream median: 19 days
- Medium-term stream median: 90 days
- TSS legacy caseload of 5,000 expected to be cleared by December 2025.
Student visas:
- Offshore priority cases: 4–8 weeks depending on category.
- Onshore cases: Currently processing March–April 2025 lodgements, expected to improve.
Labour Agreements: Grew by 53.4% over the past year, with average processing of 4 months

Migration Program Planning Levels

The 2025–26 Migration Program will remain at 185,000 places, unchanged from 2024–25. A new National Innovation visa will replace the Global Talent and Distinguished Talent streams. State and Territory nomination allocations are still being finalised.

Regional Migration Settings

The Department confirmed regional migration settings are effective at attracting migrants but retention remains a challenge. Improvements in settlement and protection measures are under consideration.

Skilled Visa Updates

SkillSelect: 7,000 invitations were issued on 21 August 2025, including 150 subclass 491 (family-sponsored). Further quarterly rounds are expected before year-end.
Significant Investor Visas (SIV): Recent corporate collapses have impacted some SIV holders. The Department clarified that visa holders remain responsible for their own financial and legal affairs.
Labour Agreements & DAMAs: Over 4,285 agreements are currently approved, with more than half under DAMAs. Processing averages 4 weeks for complete applications

Family Visa Updates

Child visas: Processing delays continue, with current timeframes of 22–28 months. Around 3,000 places are allocated for 2025–26, but lodgements already exceed planning levels.
Unlawful children: System changes now allow applications for babies without passports, with details to be provided before grant

Student and Temporary Visa Updates

Student visas: Lodgements fell 26.4% (427,000 applications). The government is reviewing the impact of the July 2025 Visa Application Charge (VAC) increase, especially for short courses such as ELICOS.
Administrative Review Tribunal (ART): The Department noted high levels of remittals due to additional evidence being presented at hearings. A review of Ministerial Direction 111 is underway.
Bridging visas:
- BVBs should be lodged 2–4 weeks before travel.
- Processing delays exist for visas linked to partner applications, but targeted strategies are in place to reduce backlogs.
- BVA and BVC are currently processed within 1 week

New and Special Visa Programs

National Innovation Visa: By August 2025, 8,200 applications were received, with 225 invitations issued.
Pacific Engagement Visa & Falepili Treaty Stream:
- 1,000 visas were granted in the first year of the Pacific Engagement stream, with 278 more this year.
- Average processing time: 129 days.
- Treaty stream has granted 280 visas, though processing is slowed by infrastructure issues in partner countries