Why choose Accredited Business Sponsorship (ABS)?

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed during a press conference on 16 August that processing of Work and Holiday Maker visas has slowed. But updates to the Department of Home Affairs website suggest the impact may be more significant, with Subclass 462 Work and Holiday Maker visa applications being temporarily paused for passport holders from 24 countries.

Yesterday evening, the Minister for Home Affairs announced an Arrival Control Determination will commence from today, 26 March 2026, banning Iranian visitor visa holders from travelling to Australia for six months.

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.

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The below timeframes reflect general processing times published on the government’s Global Visa Processing Times page on 4 September 2026.

The subclass 888 visa lets a subclass 188 visa holder continue their business or investment activity and live in Australia permanently.

Sponsoring overseas workers through the Subclass 482 visa creates ongoing legal obligations that extend far beyond the initial visa approval. For Australian HR leaders and in-house legal teams managing sponsored workers, compliance failures can expose the business to civil penalties up to $436,800 per breach, cancellation of sponsorship approval, and reputational damage that affects future recruitment.

Understanding current government processing times allows businesses to plan recruitment and onboarding with greater certainty. With clearer expectations around timelines, organisations can better coordinate start dates, allocate resources, and maintain continuity in their workforce planning.

The government has acted swiftly to realign skilled visa processing priorities with migration reforms announced by the Home Affairs Minister on 17 September 2026.

An applicant applying for Australian citizenship must submit an Identity Declaration Form or Form 1195 to the DHA.