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Processing · Direction 122

Will my visa be priority processed?

Direction 122 sets the order Home Affairs processes skilled visa applications, including the 189, 190 and 491. Check which group your application falls in, and which occupations come first.

The processing order

From the highest priority to the lowest. Family members in the same application get the primary applicant’s place.

  1. 1

    Primary applicants in a construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing or resources occupation, or one related to Australia's law enforcement or defence interests, whether in or outside Australia.

  2. 2

    All other primary applicants who were in Australia when they applied.

  3. 3

    Primary applicants outside Australia when they applied, whose application isn't combined with anyone else's.

  4. 4

    All other applications.

Applies to subclasses 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 489, 491, 494, 887, 888, including applications lodged before 19 September 2026. It replaced Direction 119.

Priority occupations on the skilled lists

Matched by ANZSCO code from the groups the Direction names.

Construction45 skilled occupations
Healthcare114 skilled occupations
Teaching12 skilled occupations
Resources14 skilled occupations

Other roles count too when the nominated position directly supports exploring for, extracting or producing minerals, oil and gas, or coal, including mine closure and rehabilitation.

Agriculture, aquaculture or fishingby role

Defined by the role, not a code list: the nominated position must be directly involved in primary production or supporting it (crops, livestock, fishing and seafood, animal health, irrigation, farm supervision, or processing primary products).

May qualify, depending on the role:

Law enforcementby role

Police (ANZSCO unit group 4413) nominated or sponsored by the AFP or a state or territory police force.

Defenceby role

Roles supporting AUKUS Pillar I or II, or applicants nominated, sponsored or supported by the ADF or Department of Defence.

Good to know

Does priority help me get invited?

No. SkillSelect invitations go by points, occupation ceilings and the date of effect. Processing priority applies only after you lodge a visa application.

Can a delegate process an application out of order?

Only when it involves compelling circumstances affecting community safety, or the continuity of essential religious, cultural or community services in Australia.

Does it change processing times?

It changes the order, so priority groups are usually decided sooner. Home Affairs’ published times are for all applications together: see current processing times.

Sources and method