New Australian visa priority processing timeframes released

by Lauren 7/28/2010 3:30:00 PM

Last week, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) have announced a new priority structure for processing Australian visa applications. The new structure follows the implementation of a new Skilled Occupations List (SOL) and the revocation of the Critical Skills List, amongst other changes that took place on 1 July, 2010.

Upon its initial release, there were no timeframes attached to each processing priority. However, these have now been provided by DIAC, with the current processing timeframes as follows:

Current Australian Visa Processing Priorities - Updated 28/07/2010
Processing Priority Group	Group Criteria	Processing timeframe
Priority Group 1	Applications from people who are employer sponsored under the Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS) or Regional Skilled Migration Scheme (RSMS)	Applications will be processed according to ENS/RSMS Service Standards
Priority Group 2	Applications from people who are nominated by a state or territory government agency with a nominated occupation that is specified on that state or territory’s State Migration Plan.	Applications will be finalised 12 months from date of lodgement.
Priority Group 3	Applications from people who have nominated an occupation on the new Skilled Occupation List (SOL).	Applications lodged PRIOR to 1 July 2010 will be finalised by 31 December, 2011. Applications lodged ON OR AFTER 1 July 2010 will be finalised 18 to 24 months from date of lodgement.
Priority Group 4	All other applications are to be processed in the order in which they are received.	All Priority Group 4 applications will only be entered into processing and finalised once all cases in priority groups 1–3 are finalised.

- Lauren Mennie is Casework Department Manager for the Australian Visa Bureau.

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Comments

8/9/2010 7:57:53 AM

Hi
I got positive assessment as "community worker 2512-13" from VETASSESS last September,2009. However, from October, 2009 no state of Australia sponsoring community worker. I wish to know in there any chance that any of Australian state sponsoring community worker in coming state migration plan? If some one reply I will be great full.

Samir Ghosh

Samir Ghosh

9/21/2010 8:00:17 AM

Dear Lauren,

Regarding Priority Groups: What does this sentence actually mean: "All Priority Group 4 applications will only be entered into processing and finalised once all cases in priority groups 1–3 are finalised."

Does it mean a prioriy group 4 application will be entered into processing after all the groups 1-3 applications made prior to that are finalised or it won't be entered into processing as long as there are other priority group applications even if they are made much later (in the latter case these applications may never enter the processing).

Best Regards
Aram

Aram

9/21/2010 8:02:12 AM

Regarding Priority Groups: What does this sentence actually mean: "All Priority Group 4 applications will only be entered into processing and finalised once all cases in priority groups 1–3 are finalised."

Does it mean a prioriy group 4 application will be entered into processing after all the groups 1-3 applications made prior to that are finalised or it won't be entered into processing as long as there are other priority group applications even if they are made much later (in the latter case these applications may never enter the processing).

Best Regards
Aram

Aram

9/24/2010 9:06:49 PM

Nice article man and I love your website because it has many good information.

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