Australia Introduces Ministerial Direction 119 to Prioritize On-Shore Skilled Visa Applications

Xavi

Jul 31

4 min read

Updated: Jul 31

Canberra, July 31, 2026 — The Australian Department of Home Affairs has published Ministerial Direction 119, a binding instruction that fundamentally reshapes the processing order for skilled migration nominations and visa applications.

Signed by Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Tony Burke on July 24, 2026, and effective the following day, the new direction formally revokes Direction 105 and applies to the full suite of permanent and provisional skilled visas.

Published: July 31, 2026 | By VisasUpdate.com Editorial Team

Australia Ministerial Direction 119 skilled visa prioritisation 2026 – infographic showing the five-tier priority framework for skilled visa processing, with on-shore law enforcement/defence at the top and all other offshore applicants at the bottom. — Australia issues Ministerial Direction 119, prioritising on-shore skilled visa applicants in law enforcement, defence, healthcare, teaching and construction

What Is Ministerial Direction 119?

Under Direction 119, applications are now triaged on two axes: the applicant's occupation and their physical location at the time of lodgement. The framework applies not only to future submissions but also to applications already in progress when the direction became operative.

The change represents a significant shift in Australia's migration strategy, favouring applicants already contributing to the Australian labour market while curbing new migrant inflows without reducing overall skilled numbers.

New Processing Priority Order

Under the updated priority structure, skilled nomination and visa applications are processed in the following order:

Priority	Applicant Category
1 (Highest)	On-shore applicants supporting Australia's law enforcement or defence interests
2	Offshore applicants supporting Australia's law enforcement or defence interests
3	On-shore applicants in construction, healthcare and teaching occupations
4	All other on-shore skilled applicants
5 (Lowest)	All other offshore skilled applicants

Crucially: On-shore applicants in the same occupation will receive higher processing priority than their offshore counterparts.

Priority Occupations

The new framework places greater focus on occupations connected with Australia's critical workforce needs:

Healthcare Occupations

Health professionals
Medical scientists and technicians
Psychologists, social workers and counsellors
Nursing support workers
Aged and disability carers

Teaching Occupations

School teachers and principals
Child care centre managers and workers
Vocational education teachers
University lecturers

Construction Occupations

Construction managers
Architects
Civil engineers
Building and surveying technicians
Safety inspectors
Skilled construction trades workers

These priorities reflect Australia's ongoing focus on addressing critical workforce shortages and supporting infrastructure and housing development.

Which Visa Subclasses Are Covered?

Ministerial Direction 119 applies to a broad range of skilled and employer-sponsored visa programs:

Visa Subclass	Description
Subclass 186	Employer Nomination Scheme
Subclass 189	Skilled Independent visa
Subclass 190	Skilled Nominated visa
Subclass 191	Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional)
Subclass 482	Skills in Demand visa (now included in the priority framework)
Subclass 491	Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)
Subclass 494	Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa

Official Confirmation

The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed the new priority framework on its official visa pages. For the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa, the department states:

Applications are prioritized according to Ministerial Direction No. 119. The applications currently being processed were generally submitted in: As received – related to Australian law enforcement or defense interests April 2025 – for construction, healthcare, and teaching occupations (onshore applicants) April 2025 – all other applications where the applicant was in Australia February 2025 – all other applications where the applicant was outside Australia

Impact on Applicants and Employers

For On-Shore Applicants

Stand to gain the most – applicants currently in Australia on graduate, working-holiday or temporary skill-shortage visas leapfrog offshore candidates
Converting to higher-value visas while on-shore provides a significant advantage
Expected to increase competition for state and territory nominations

For Offshore Applicants

Must prepare for extended processing times
Exceptions for those with construction, healthcare, teaching or defence credentials

For Employers

Faster decisions for sponsoring workers already contributing to the Australian labour market
Particularly beneficial in sectors with acute shortages: nursing, aged care, civil engineering and housing construction
Businesses relying on offshore recruitment should expect longer lead times
May need to revisit workforce planning, labour-agreement strategies and relocation budgets

For Migration Advisers

Urge HR teams to file on-shore nomination upgrades quickly
Ensure occupation codes match the newly enumerated priority lists
Lodge 'decision-ready' applications to capitalise on faster queues

Important Considerations

Does being onshore guarantee faster processing? No. Processing priority only affects the order in which applications may be allocated for assessment. It does not change:

Visa eligibility requirements
Skills assessment requirements
English language requirements
Sponsorship or nomination requirements
Character and health requirements

Each application continues to be assessed based on the individual circumstances of the applicant.

Key Dates

Date	Event
July 24, 2026	Ministerial Direction 119 signed by Minister Tony Burke
July 25, 2026	Direction 119 takes effect
Ongoing	Applies to all new and pending applications

Broader Context: Migration Strategy

Direction 119 sits within the government's broader Migration Strategy, which aims to cut red tape, curb exploitation and better match migration intake to areas of genuine economic need.

While welcomed by industry groups such as the Housing Industry Association and Aged & Community Care Providers Association, the pivot has drawn criticism from regional employers who argue that offshore recruitment remains vital where local talent is scarce.

The Department has indicated it will monitor processing times and may refine priorities through subsequent directions, leaving room for further policy evolution in the months ahead.

Update	Status	Effective
Ministerial Direction 119	Active	July 25, 2026
Ministerial Direction 120	Active	July 25, 2026
Pacific/Timor-Leste Cost Concession	Active	July 1, 2026