Application processing times
Application processing times vary and the time it takes to finalise an application is affected by a range of factors outside of the department's control
In respect
of applications for a General Skilled Migration (GSM) visa, many applications
will be affected by the Ministerial Direction which lists the order in which
GSM applications must be processed. Applications accorded a higher priority
under the direction will be processed ahead of lower priority applications
irrespective of when the application is lodged. More information on Priority
Processing is available on the department’s website.
See Updated Priority Processing Effective from 23 September 2009
– Frequently Asked Questions
Other factors that can impact on processing times include, but are not limited to
completeness of application
how quickly applicants respond to requests to provide documentation
medical complications
police checks
checks with third parties to verify claims made in an application
To ensure that your application is finalised as quickly as possible, you should check that all requested documentation is submitted with your application and that you respond promptly to requests to supply further documentation if requested
Checklists
for each visa subclass are available on the department's website. To locate the
checklist applicable to your visa, use the search function; enter checklist and
the visa subclass number of the visa you are applying for.
Example: 'checklist 175'
Hamid Lak
|
Processing times for applications lodged on or after 1 September 2007 |
|||||
|
Visa Type |
Visa Subclass |
Priority Processing # |
Non Priority Processing |
|
|
|
Applications lodged on, or before 23 September 2009 |
Applications lodged after 23 September 2009 |
|
|||
|
Provisional |
Skilled -
Regional Sponsored (offshore) |
7 months from date of lodgement |
Unlikely to be finalised before the end of 2012 |
3 years from date of lodgement |
|
|
Skilled -
Regional Sponsored (onshore) |
5 months from date of lodgement |
Unlikely to be finalised before the end of 2011 |
2 years from date of lodgement |
|
|
|
Temporary |
Skilled -
Recognised Graduate (offshore) |
7 months from date of lodgement |
7 months from date of lodgement |
7 months from date of lodgement |
|
|
Skilled -
Graduate (onshore) |
6 months from date of lodgement * |
12 months from date of lodgement |
12 months from date of lodgement |
|
|
|
Permanent |
Onshore |
6 months from date of lodgement |
Unlikely to be finalised before the end of 2011 |
2 years from date of lodgement |
|
|
Offshore |
15 months from date of lodgement |
Unlikely to be finalised before the end of 2012 |
3 years from date of lodgement |
|
|
|
All |
5 months from date of lodgement |
5 months from date of lodgement |
5 months from date of lodgement |
|
|
# Applications which fall into the following priorities
applications from persons who are nominated by a State/Territory government and have nominated an occupation on the Critical Skills List (CSL
applications from persons who are sponsored by family and whose occupation is listed on the CSL
applications from persons who are neither nominated nor sponsored but who have nominated an occupation on the CSL
* Applications which fall into the following priorities
applications from persons who have completed an Australian Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at an Australian educational institution in Australia
applications from persons who have nominated an occupation on the Critical Skills List (CSL
applications from persons who have completed an Australian Bachelor degree and Australian Masters degree at an Australian educational institution in Australia
applications from persons who have completed an Australian Bachelor degree and Australian Honours degree (at least upper second class level) at an Australian educational institution in Australia
applications from persons who have completed an Australian Bachelor degree or Australian Masters degree in Australia
Subsequent
entrants for provisional GSM visas are processed in the order in which the
application is lodged. The priority processing order for GSM visas is available
on our website.
See: What's New? Recent Changes in General Skilled Migration
Hamid Lak
|
Processing times for applications lodged before 1
September 2007 |
|||
|
Visa Type |
Visa Subclass |
Priority Processing # |
Non Priority Processing |
|
Permanent |
Offshore |
Finalised |
Unlikely to be finalised before the end of 2012 |
|
Onshore |
Finalised |
Unlikely to be finalised before the end of 2011 |
|
|
Provisional |
All |
Finalised |
Unlikely to be finalised before the end of 2012 |
# Applications which fall into the first three priorities
Note: Applications for these visa applications closed on 1 September 2007


