Australia visa processing times: what the official data shows

The Department of Home Affairs publishes median processing times for key Australian visa categories, and the figures for July 2026 are the most recent available. As of that month, the medians were 8 months for Skilled (Permanent), 23 months for Partner (Provisional/Temporary), 98 days for Skilled (Temporary), 21 days for Student, less than 1 day for Visitor, and 5 days for Working Holiday Maker. These are medians, not guarantees for your application, and the Department states that processing times vary for many reasons, including application completeness, how quickly you respond to requests for further information, and the complexity of your case. The official visa processing times page is the place to check current figures, and the visa processing times guide tool shows recently decided applications for a specific visa subclass.

What the median processing times actually mean

The Department publishes median processing times for key visa categories as “the most accurate way to show the amount of time it is taking most visa applications to be finalised.” A median means that half of recently decided applications were finalised within that time and half took longer. The figures are updated regularly as new data becomes available.

The July 2026 medians for the main categories are set out below. The Department notes that processing times vary between different visas within these categories, and in some cases it may take longer for those visas to be finalised.

Visa category	Median processing time (July 2026)
Skilled (Permanent)	8 months
Partner (Provisional/Temporary)	23 months
Skilled (Temporary)	98 days
Student	21 days
Visitor	Less than 1 day
Working Holiday Maker	5 days

The Visitor figure combines processing times for subclasses 600, 601 and 651. The Department warns that processing times for the subclass 600 visa can vary significantly compared with subclasses 601 and 651, which generally have shorter processing times. If additional information is requested for any visa subclass, the final decision may take longer while that information is assessed.

Why a specific application can take longer

The Department lists several reasons why processing times vary. These include whether the application has all necessary supporting documents, whether it was lodged online or on paper, how quickly you respond to requests for further information, and how long it takes to receive information from external agencies, particularly relating to health, character and national security requirements. For permanent visa applications, the number of places available in the migration program is a factor, as are the complexity of the application, changes to Ministerial Directions, and the volume of applications received.

The Department also notes that deciding older applications increases processing times, and that some processing locations are currently experiencing delays. As a result, your application may take longer to be finalised than the published times. Lodging a complete application helps avoid delays, and for employer-sponsored visas, submitting complete nomination and visa applications at the same time can support more efficient processing.

For Skilled (Permanent) and Skilled (Temporary) visas specifically, the Department says processing times are affected by Permanent Migration Program planning levels, Ministerial Directions related to Skilled visa processing priorities, application completeness, and the volume of applications received and on-hand. This means some applications may be decided more quickly than others, and applications are not always processed in the order they are received.

Skilled visa processing priorities: Ministerial Direction 119

If you are applying for a Skilled visa, the order in which your application is considered depends on Ministerial Direction 119, which came into effect on 25 July 2026 and replaced all processing priorities under Ministerial Direction 105. It applies to all on-hand applications, including the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) program, which was not previously included under Ministerial Direction 105.

Prioritisation under Ministerial Direction 119 is afforded according to both occupation and the location of applicants at the time of application. The order of priority is:

1. Nomination and visa applications that support Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests, where the applicant is in Australia at the time of application.
2. The same, where the applicant is outside Australia.
3. Applications relating to construction, healthcare, and teaching occupations, where the applicant is in Australia.
4. All other applications, where the applicant is in Australia.
5. All other applications, where the applicant is outside Australia.

Ministerial Direction 119 covers the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187), Skilled Independent (subclass 189), Skilled Nominated (subclass 190), Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (subclass 191), Skills in Demand (subclass 482), Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482), Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489), Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491), Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494), Skilled Regional (subclass 887), and Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (subclass 888) visas.

Two other Directions apply to specific visa classes. Ministerial Direction 114, in effect since 12 February 2025, covers Business Innovation and Investment (subclass 188) and Business Talent (Permanent) (subclass 132) applications, both closed to new applications. Ministerial Direction 120, in effect since 25 July 2026, covers Class BX (subclass 858) visas, Distinguished Talent, Global Talent, and National Innovation (subclass 858) visa applications.

Partner visa processing: Ministerial Direction 117 and priority requests

Partner visa applications are processed according to Ministerial Direction 117. Applications are generally assessed in the order in which they are received, with highest priority given to applications for onshore Partner visas (subclasses 820 and 801). Lower priority is given to offshore applications for the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) and Partner visas (subclasses 309 and 100). The Department states that applications with lower priority are likely to experience longer processing times.

If your application is still within the standard processing time, the Department advises you not to contact them, as they cannot provide further updates on progress. You can check the status of your application and whether you have provided all supporting documents through ImmiAccount.

Priority processing is available only in limited circumstances. Under Ministerial Direction 117, the Department may prioritise a Partner visa application if you can show that it involves special circumstances of a compassionate nature and there are compelling reasons to depart from the order of priority. There is no guarantee of a higher priority, because other applicants might have equally or more compelling circumstances. The Department says most requests for priority processing cannot be approved, and they will only consider a request if all supporting documents and information were submitted with your application. If you hold a temporary Partner visa (subclass 309 or 820), two years must have passed since you applied for that visa before you are eligible for assessment of the permanent visa, and if you are not yet eligible, a priority processing request cannot be considered.

Student visa processing and the effect of lodgement date

Student visa applications lodged outside Australia are processed in accordance with a Ministerial Direction. Applications lodged before 14 November 2025 are processed according to Ministerial Direction 111, and applications lodged on or after 14 November 2025 are processed according to Ministerial Direction 115. The Department recommends that applications be lodged well in advance of course commencement and with all supporting documentation.

How to check processing times for your application

If you have already made a visa application, you can check processing times information using the visa processing times guide tool, which shows processing times for recently decided applications. The Department advises that this is a guide only and not specific to your application. Processing times are available for most visas, except visas that are closed to new applications, family visas that are capped and queued, and visas that have too few decisions in the month to provide a reliable indicator.

The Department also publishes global processing times for Partner visas, which you can use to see current standard processing times for the Partner visa you are applying for. For visitor visas, the Department strongly encourages applicants to review the visa processing times guide for the specific visa subclass they applied for, and to apply well in advance of travel.

What to do next

Check the official visa processing times page for the current median figures, and use the visa processing times guide tool to see recent decision times for your specific visa subclass. If you have lodged an application, ensure all supporting documents are attached in ImmiAccount and respond promptly to any request for further information, as the Department says lodging a complete application helps avoid delays. Do not arrange travel to Australia until you have been notified in writing that your visa has been granted, and if you applied in Australia, you must be in Australia when your visa is granted.

Verify the current processing times and any Ministerial Directions that apply to your visa on the official Department of Home Affairs pages, as figures are updated regularly and Directions can change.