Order for Processing Visa Applications (Order of Consideration)

Did you know that the Department of Home Affairs has a direction which states the order of consideration for visa applications? Directions are used to consider and dispose of visa applications in the appropriate order of consideration; and to review decisions pertaining to those applications in the appropriate order of consideration.

The priority list is as follows:

1. Employer Sponsored Visa or Regional Sponsored Visa where the applicant occupation is in the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL).
   • Equally important are visa applications where the applicant is nominated by an employer who is a party to the Global Talent Employer Sponsored Agreement and visa applications identified thought the Global Talent Program.
   • Equally important are Subclass 188 visas in the Significant Investor Stream and all other subclass 188 visa applications.
2. Next, applicants who works in a critical sector are given priority.
3. Employer Sponsored Visa or Regional Sponsored Visa where the employer is a party to a labour agreement under DAMA.
4. Subclass 494
5. Subclass 491
6. Visa applications for an Employer Sponsored Visa (482 and 186)
7. Subclass 187
8. Subclass 489
9. Subclass 190
10. Subclass 189
11. All other visa applications.

For some of the above visa applications, priority will be given to onshore applications ahead of offshore applications.

Order of Consideration – Nominations

There is also an order of consideration for nomination applications.

The processing priorities are as follow:

1. Nominations lodged in relation to an occupation specified in the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL).
   • Equally important are nominations for the Global Talent Employer Sponsored Agreement.
   • Nominations in relation to subclass 188 Significant Investor Stream are also given the same level of importance.
2. Nominations for an occupation in the critical sector.
3. Nominations lodged under Employer Sponsored Visa and Regional Sponsored Visa where the employer is a party to the labour agreement under a DAMA.
4. Nominations for Subclass 494
5. All other nominations lodged in relation to Employer Sponsored Visa.
6. Nominations for Subclass 187
7. All other nominations

Related: 

• Visa application fees
• Visa processing times