Under the Ministerial Direction, the following processing priorities (with highest priority listed first) apply:
1. applications from people who are employer sponsored under the ENS and the RSMS
2. applications from people who are nominated by a State/Territory government and whose nominated occupation is listed on the Critical Skills List (CSL)
3. applications from people who are sponsored by family and whose nominated occupation is listed on the CSL
4. applications from people who are neither nominated nor sponsored but whose nominated occupation is listed on the CSL
5. applications from people who are nominated by a State/Territory government whose nominated occupation is not listed on the CSL
6. (i) applications from people whose occupations are listed on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) and
(ii) applications from people who are sponsored by family and whose nominated occupation is not listed on the CSL.
7. all other applications are to be processed in the order in which they are received.
Q9 What will happen to those applications which are in the final stages of processing and where the Department has requested applicants to provide health and character clearances?
The new arrangements apply to all visa applications, including those in the final stages of processing. Applications in lower priority groups cannot be processed further until those in higher priority groups are finalised in accordance with the priority processing Direction.
Q11 My application does not fall into one of the priority categories. When can I expect to have my application finalised?
If your nominated occupation is not on the CSL and you have applied for an offshore GSM visa or intend to apply for an offshore GSM before the end of 2009, it is unlikely that your visa will be finalised before the end of 2012.
If your nominated occupation is not on the CSL and you applied for an onshore GSM visa or intend to apply for an onshore GSM before the end of 2009, it is unlikely that your visa will be finalised before the end of 2011.