The overall trend for visas is:
Processing is gradually improving, but it's "more selective, stricter, and more prone to refusals."
Student visas are being prioritized based on institution quotas.
Employer-sponsored visas are slow, but rules are clearer.
Partner visas are clearing backlog.
System issues exist, but the Department acknowledges them and allows for some flexibility.

482 Processing Times: Not Universally Faster, But 'Streamlined Processing'

Case Officers are now:

Prioritizing low-risk applications for faster processing, aiming for one-off decisions.

The Specialist stream (high-salary pathway) backlog is decreasing and being processed quickly.

The Core stream is relatively slower; don't expect it to be fast. Nominations typically take around 6 months.

There are fewer than 3,000 applications left in the old TSS pathway backlog, but these are mostly problematic cases, hence the longer delays.

Nursing, Doctor Applications Slow? Can They Jump the Queue?

MIA noted:
Processing for "critical shortage occupations" like nursing and doctors is also slow.

The Department's response was practical:

Ministerial Directive 105 does not apply to 482 SID.

Without a specific ministerial directive, they cannot forcibly accelerate these applications.

186 Visa Processing Times and Related Clarifications

Current 186 processing times are at least 12 months. Therefore, MIA had requested DHA to stop automatically requesting health examinations immediately upon lodgement.

DHA Response: The system is being changed (not fully fixed yet).

Additionally, regarding the clarification for 186 TRT, previous ambiguous announcements caused confusion:
"The employer's SBS must remain valid to be eligible for 186 TRT."

DHA officially clarifies:
This is NOT required! It is sufficient that:
The SBS was valid when the original nomination was approved. If the SBS expires later, it does not affect the accumulation of the required 2 years of work experience for 482-to-186 TRT.

What is truly not allowed is if the employer is sanctioned/banned. This clarification has been included in the MIA notice.

Student Visas – New Ministerial Directive MD115: Student Visas 'Triaged into Three Tiers'

For student visas, especially offshore applicants, it's no longer equal treatment. Processing is now prioritized based on the institution's NOSC (Net Overseas Student Course) quota:

Priority 1: Institution hasn't filled its quota (<80%). Grant in 1–4 weeks.

Priority 2: Institution has reached 80%–115% of its quota. Grant in 5–8 weeks.

Priority 3: Institution has exceeded its quota (>115%). Grant in 9–12 weeks or longer.

This explains why applications lodged on the same day can have vastly different processing times depending on the institution.

Onshore Student Visas: Significantly Faster, But 'More Refusals'

Onshore processing has sped up from 11 months to 5.5 months. However, this is not due to leniency but because:

Refusals are issued more decisively.

Triage is more stringent.

Low-quality applications are being cleared out directly.

Partner Visas: Overall Still Slow, But Steady

For older applications exceeding 2 years, about 5% remain. New developments include:

Case officers are requesting all documents be submitted at once to avoid back-and-forth requests that delay processing.

The signal is positive: DHA is actively clearing the backlog. Just last week, our office received a large number of partner visa grants for clients.

System & Technical Issues

IELTS Global Scoring System Error:
Affected about 1% of tests taken between Feb 2023 and Sep 2025. Impact on visas: Only 7 applicants were affected. IELTS has directly contacted affected candidates and opened a 24/7 hotline.

Recent Scams:
Scammers are impersonating officials, mimicking real processes, and calling to demand money. MIA and DHA reiterate: Only trust Registered Migration Agents/Lawyers.

 

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