What Employers Need to Know
The introduction of Ministerial Direction 119 on 25 July 2026 has significantly changed how skilled visa applications are prioritised by the Department of Home Affairs.
Importantly, the new Direction now includes Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visas and applies to applications already lodged as well as new applications.
One of the biggest changes for employers is the increased priority given to skilled visa applicants who are already in Australia. For most occupations, onshore applicants will now be processed ahead of applicants applying from overseas.
The previous priority afforded to Accredited Sponsors and regional positions has also been removed.
For businesses recruiting internationally, particularly outside priority occupations such as construction, healthcare and teaching, this may mean longer and less predictable processing periods for offshore candidates.
What should businesses do?
The key message is plan earlier.
Employers relying on overseas workers should consider immigration requirements at the beginning of the recruitment process rather than after a candidate has been selected. Labour Market Testing, nomination preparation and visa documentation should be managed as early as possible, with greater flexibility around proposed commencement dates.
Businesses should also keep a close watch on the visa expiry dates of existing sponsored employees and consider future visa and permanent residence pathways well in advance.
Direction 119 does not change the eligibility criteria for employer-sponsored visas – it changes where applications sit in the processing queue. However, that change could have a very real impact on workforce planning.
For businesses dependent on international skills, immigration strategy should now form part of forward workforce planning, ideally 6–12 months ahead.
Pendlebury Immigration will continue to monitor processing trends under Direction 119 and assist our corporate clients in managing recruitment and visa strategy around the new priority framework.