Market Intelligence

Understanding the processing times for Australia's Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa is critical for workforce planning. This guide examines current processing timeframes across different streams, explains the factors that cause variation in processing duration, and provides practical recommendations for employers navigating the application process.

On 18 September 2026, Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke signed Ministerial Direction 123 (MD 123), which commences on 31 October 2026 and replaces Ministerial Direction 110 (MD 110), itself only in force since June 2024. Importantly, MD 123 will govern any decision made on or after 31 October 2026, regardless of when the underlying application was lodged. This means non-citizens with pending matters are immediately affected.

The Minister for Immigration, Hon. Andrew Giles, has released new instructions for decision-makers at the Department of Home Affairs and the Administrative Appeals Tribunals, dubbed Ministerial Direction 110 (MD 110). MD 110 was introduced on 7 June 2024 and came into force on 21 June 2024. It aims to remedy the problems caused by its predecessor, MD 99.

Sponsor obligations and work rights checks carry real penalties, and Home Affairs can monitor your compliance. This comprehensive checklist helps employers identify and address compliance gaps across their sponsored workforce before an inspector arrives.

Australia's new Ministerial Directions 121 and 122 have fundamentally altered skilled visa processing priorities, placing construction sector nominations in the top tier regardless of whether candidates are onshore or offshore. This strategic shift eliminates the location-based disadvantage that previously delayed offshore construction workers, creating new opportunities for employers who understand how to leverage sector-first processing.

The Australian Department of Home Affairs has introduced new skilled visa processing priorities under Ministerial Directions 121 and 122, fundamentally restructuring how applications are prioritized. Unlike the previous system that prioritized by location, the new framework prioritizes by sector first, placing specified industries at the highest priority regardless of whether applicants are onshore or offshore.