In 2026, the Australian Government introduced significant changes to the processing priorities for several visa categories. These changes may affect thousands of applicants and migrant families, including Farsi-speaking and Afghan communities. According to the Department of Home Affairs, factors such as visa type, whether an applicant was inside or outside Australia when applying, their employment sector and, for some student visas, the status of their education provider can influence processing priority. However, a higher priority does not guarantee a visa or improve the likelihood of receiving one; it mainly determines which groups of applications are considered for processing sooner.
Skilled visas: new priorities from 19 September 2026
One of this year’s most significant changes concerns skilled visas. From 19 September 2026, two new instruments, Ministerial Directions 121 and 122, took effect, replacing the previous priorities under Direction 119. Under both directions, applications connected with construction, healthcare, education, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and resources, as well as Australia’s defence and law enforcement interests receive the highest priority. For temporary skilled visas under Direction 121, these are followed by applications in the Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa, then applicants who were in Australia when applying, primary applicants outside Australia whose applications are not combined with another person’s application, and finally all other applications. This direction covers visas including the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482).
Direction 122 sets a similar order for several permanent and regional skilled visas. Applications associated with priority sectors come first, followed by applicants who were in Australia when applying, then certain applicants outside Australia, and finally other applications. This direction covers important visas such as 186, 189, 190, 191, 491 and 494 , as well as several other visas. This change is relevant to Farsi speakers working in healthcare, education, construction, agriculture or resources, because their employment sector and, in some cases, their location when applying can influence the order in which their application is processed.
Family visas: which applications receive priority?
There was also a significant change to family visas in 2026. Ministerial Direction 117 replaced Direction 102 on 25 July 2026. It gives the highest overall priority to family visa applications where the primary applicant was in Australia when applying and the visa can be granted in Australia. Applications made outside Australia, or requiring the applicant to be outside Australia for the visa to be granted, receive a lower priority. Within these groups, cases involving ministerial intervention are considered first, followed by applications for partners or dependent children, Orphan Relative, Contributory Parent and Carer visas and then other family visa categories.
In limited circumstances, a family visa application may receive priority outside the usual order. Direction 117 allows an application to be prioritised individually where there are special circumstances of a compassionate nature and compelling reasons. However, this does not create an automatic entitlement; each application is assessed on its particular circumstances.
Parent visas: waits of 18 to 42 years for new applications
All parent visas, including Parent (subclass 103), Aged Parent (804) and Contributory Parent visas (143, 173, 864 and 884), are subject to capping and queueing . In simple terms, the government grants only a set number of these visas each migration year. Once the cap is reached, remaining applications must stay in the queue until places become available in future years. As at 31 August 2026, Contributory Parent applications with queue dates up to November 2018, Contributory Aged Parent up to November 2020, Parent up to March 2014 and Aged Parent up to October 2014 had been released for final processing. This does not mean all those applicants have received visas; it means applications with queue dates up to those points have reached final processing.
Most importantly, the Department of Home Affairs has estimated very long waits for new applications of approximately 18 years for Contributory Parent visas and around 42 years for Parent and Aged Parent visas. These are estimates and may rise or fall as migration programme capacity, application numbers, refusals and withdrawals, Administrative Review Tribunal outcomes and government directions change. These figures are particularly relevant to migrant families hoping to bring their parents to Australia and should be considered when planning family migration.
Other family visas: long waits for Carer and Remaining Relative visas
The Other Family category is also subject to capping and queueing and includes Carer visas (116 and 836), Aged Dependent Relative visas (114 and 838) and Remaining Relative visas (115 and 835) . As at 31 August 2026, Carer applications with queue dates up to 31 December 2023 had been released for final processing, while Remaining Relative and Aged Dependent Relative applications had only reached queue dates up to 30 June 2013 . For new applications, the Department of Home Affairs has announced estimated waits of 16 years for Carer visas and 26 years for Remaining Relative and Aged Dependent Relative visas .
These times are not guaranteed. Individual circumstances, available places, application volumes and changes to migration policy may affect them. Because of the large caseload, the Department of Home Affairs has also said it does not respond to individual requests for status updates in this category. Applicants will be notified in writing when their application is released from the queue for final processing.
Student visas: three priority levels for offshore applications
For student visas, the location from which an application is made matters. For students applying from within Australia the Department of Home Affairs aims to process applications in the order received, according to their lodgement date. For applicants outside Australia who applied from 14 November 2025 onwards Ministerial Direction 115 establishes three levels: Priority 1, Priority 2 and Priority 3 . Priority 1 includes groups such as school students, standalone ELICOS students, TAFE students, some pilot training courses, postgraduate research students such as PhD candidates, and certain government-sponsored students. For Higher Education and VET applications, the status of the university or education provider may also determine priority.
For Higher Education and VET providers, reaching the specified New Overseas Student Commencement threshold, or NOSC may move an application to Priority 2, while exceeding a higher threshold under specified circumstances may result in Priority 3. The Department of Home Affairs aims to begin processing Priority 1 applications within 1 to 4 weeks, Priority 2 within 5 to 8 weeks and Priority 3 within 9 to 12 weeks . However, these are processing commencement targets, not visa grant times, and they are not guaranteed. The provider’s status on the application date matters. For packaged courses, the Main CoE, which usually relates to the final course, generally determines the application’s priority.
What Australian visa applicants should know
The 2026 changes show that visa processing time depends on more than the application date. For skilled visas, the employment sector and, in some cases, the applicant’s presence in Australia matter. Some family visa applications lodged in Australia receive higher priority. For parent and Other Family visas, limited annual places have created queues lasting many years or even decades. For offshore student visas, the type of study and education provider’s status can change the priority level.
However, applicants must distinguish between processing priority and the likelihood of receiving a visa . Being in Priority 1 or another priority group does not mean visa requirements have become easier or that an application will necessarily be approved. For example, the Department of Home Affairs explicitly states that student visa priority levels do not affect the final decision to grant or refuse a visa. Farsi speakers planning to apply for an Australian visa, or awaiting processing for themselves or family members, should therefore consider general processing times alongside the visa type, relevant direction, priority status and, for family visas, the application’s position in the queue .
Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs
This article provides general information and does not constitute legal or migration advice. Every application is different, and applicants should check the latest official Australian Government information before making decisions.
