Updated Priority Processing Effective from 23 September 2009

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, has set new priority    processing arrangements for certain Skilled Migration visas. These arrangements are designed to better address the needs of industry by targeting skills in critical need across a number of sectors. The current priority processing Direction commenced on 23 September 2009.
The Direction applies to applications in the pipeline that have not been finalised, and to applications lodged with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, on or after 23 September 2009.
Section 51 of the Migration Act 1958 gives the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship powers to consider and finalise visa applications in an order of priority that the Minister considers appropriate. Departmental officers must follow this Ministerial direction, which applies to both new applications and those applications awaiting a decision.
The Minister has set priority processing arrangements which apply to the following visas from 23 September 2009:

• Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)
• General Skilled Migration (GSM) visas except for:

1. Skilled – Recognised Graduate Subclass 476
2. Skilled – Designated Area – Sponsored (Residence) Subclass 883
3. Skilled – Regional Subclass 887.

Under the Ministerial Direction, the following processing priorities (with highest priority listed first) apply:

1. applications from people who are employer sponsored under the ENS and the RSMS
2. applications from people who are nominated by a State/Territory government and whose nominated occupation is listed on the Critical Skills List (CSL)
3. applications from people who are sponsored by family and whose nominated occupation is listed on the CSL
4. applications from people who are neither nominated nor sponsored but whose nominated occupation is listed on the CSL
5. applications from people who are nominated by a State/Territory government whose nominated occupation is not listed on the CSL
6. (i) applications from people whose occupations are listed on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) and (ii) applications from people who are sponsored by family and whose nominated occupation is not listed on the CSL.
7. all other applications are to be processed in the order in which they are received. For the Subclass 485 (Skilled – Graduate) visa the following processing priorities (with highest priority listed first) apply:

• applications from people who have completed an Australian Doctor of Philosophy   (PHD) at an Australian educational institution in Australia
• applications from people who have nominated an occupation on the CSL
• applications from people who have completed an Australian Bachelor degree and Australian Masters degree at an Australian educational institution in Australia
•  applications from people 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 people who have completed an Australian Bachelor degree or Australian Masters degree at an Australian educational institution in Australia
• all other valid applications are to be processed in the order in which they are received. For Business Skills (Provisional) visas the following processing priorities (with highest priority listed first) apply:

1. applications from people who are sponsored by the Commonwealth or a State/Territory government
2. all other valid applications are to be processed in the order in which they are received.

See: Critical Skills List