Constantly refreshing through your email inbox. Logging into your ImmiAccount non-stop. These are the telltale signs of someone anxiously awaiting a visa – and trust us, we totally get it. Fortunately, the Department of Home Affairs has shared some good news: the processing times for many visa subclasses have now been reduced!
In a LinkedIn post published by the Department on 3 August 2023, it revealed that processing times had improved for study, work and holiday visas, including:
According to the post, the average Australian visa processing times are now:
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- Student (subclass 500) visas – within 16 days
- Temporary Skilled Shortage (subclass 482) visas – within 21 days
- Employer-sponsored visas for healthcare and education professionals – within 1 day
- Working Holiday visas (offshore/outside of Australia) – within 1 day
@insiderguides If you’re waiting to hear back about an Australian visa application, we’ve got good news: you could receive a decision sooner than you think! #insiderguides #internationalstudents #studentvisa #visanews #australianmigration #migrationnews #ausmigration #studyinaustralia #homeaffairs #goodnews ♬ Trendy Deep House – TimTaj
The processing times for certain permanent visas have also improved; namely, 90 per cent of Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa applications are processed within seven months.
The news comes a year after the Department was reported to be experiencing significant delays in processing visa applications due largely to high volume.
It’s important to note that, while the general processing times have improved for various visa subclasses, there is no guarantee that your visa will be approved in this time frame. You can improve your chances of having your visa processed promptly by ensuring you submit a complete application with all the required documentation.
You can view the processing times of all visa subclasses here.
*Disclaimer: The contents of this article do not constitute legal migration advice or consultation, are not intended to be a substitute for legal migration advice or consultation, and should not be relied upon as such. For professional migration assistance, always consult a Registered Migration Agent registered with the Office of Migration Agents Registered Authority (MARA) or contact the Department of Home Affairs.
