Skilled visa processing times
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The group medians in August 2026 were 8 months for Skilled (Permanent) and 134 days for Skilled (Temporary). The table below breaks that down by visa.
Priority order
Under the Ministerial Direction in effect from 19 September 2026, the 482 order is: priority sectors, Specialist Skills stream, applicants in Australia at lodgement, then others. See 482. Home Affairs says to lodge nomination and visa together for employer visas.
How times are measured: how it works.
Official times by visa
The first column is the time within which half of recent applications were decided (50%). The second is the time within which nine in ten were decided (90%). They come from the Home Affairs processing times guide for an application lodged on 26 October 2026, and they change each month.
| Visa and stream | Half decided in | 9 in 10 decided in |
|---|---|---|
| 189 points-tested | 61 days | 8 months |
| 190 | 4 months | 16 months |
| 191 | 8 months | 10 months |
| 491 family sponsored | 4 months | 7 months |
| 491 state or territory nominated | 5 months | 18 months |
| 494 employer sponsored | 8 months | 12 months |
| 494 labour agreement | 4 months | 12 months |
| 482 Core Skills | 4 months | 9 months |
| 482 Specialist Skills | 37 days | 78 days |
| 482 labour agreement | 5 months | 9 months |
| 482 nomination (stage 2) | 64 days | 9 months |
| 482 sponsorship approval (stage 1) | 11 days | 57 days |
| 186 Direct Entry and Transition | 21 months | 25 months |
| 186 Agreement | 50 days | 12 months |
| 858 National Innovation | 16 months | 24 months |
| 485 post-higher education | 5 days | 55 days |
FAQ
Why is my 190 slower?
Depends on priority and checks.
Are invitations part of processing?
No, times start after lodgement.
Where do I check the official tool?
Home Affairs global processing times.
Do medicals matter?
Yes, delays are common; see medical exam.