Australia Has Changed Its Visa Processing Order: A Plain Guide for Nurses, Teachers and Their Employers

News · 2026-08-22 · 4 min read

Are you a nurse, a teacher or a tradesperson who wants to work in Australia from Indonesia? Or are you an employer who hopes to sponsor skilled staff from overseas? Then you should know about a big change. Australia now handles skilled visa applications in a new order. For people who apply from outside Australia, the news is not good.

How the New Ranking Works

In July, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke signed a directive that changes how skilled and employer-sponsored visa applications move through the system. The old rule was simple: the first application in was the first one handled. That rule is gone. Now every application goes into one of five priority tiers.

Defence and law enforcement workers are in the highest tier. Next come people in construction, healthcare and teaching. But there is a catch. They only get this high place if they already live in Australia.

What about everyone who applies from offshore? Unless they work in defence or policing, they now sit in the lowest group. In real life, this means long waits. Offshore applicants for skilled visas, including many of the nurses and teachers that Australia badly needs, may now wait up to 12 months. And that wait comes on top of any backlog that was already there.

Where You Live Now Matters More Than Your Job

This is the part that worries employers and migration agents the most. The tiers look first at where a person is, and only then at what work they do. So a nurse waiting overseas can be passed by an onshore applicant in a different job that is much less in demand. The reason is location, not occupation.

People in the industry gave a clear example. A marketing manager who is already in Australia could get through the queue faster than a nurse who is still overseas. Many now ask a fair question: does this policy really fix the skills shortage, or does it only cut the number of visas?

Business groups are unhappy too. Some call the change a "blunt tool". Others say it is a step back from the fast, streamlined system built after COVID, and that it now feels more like an emergency handbrake.

Part of a Much Larger Rebuild

This directive is not the only change. Earlier, also in July, a similar step slowed down processing of Working Holiday Maker (backpacker) visas. And both moves come before a much bigger migration overhaul that Minister Burke has been preparing. That plan was first meant to be announced at the National Press Club, but the launch was delayed.

The government has a clear number in mind. It wants to bring Net Overseas Migration down from about 300,000 today to Labor's target of 225,000 by 2028. That is far below the peak of 556,000 seen after the borders reopened.

Other ideas are also reportedly on the table. One is to remove work rights from visa holders whose protection claims were rejected. This targets bridging visa holders who stay in Australia long after their claims are decided. The bridging visa group has more than tripled since 2017, growing from about 130,000 to over 413,000 people. So officials are clearly paying close attention to it.

Still, leaders do not agree on how to reduce migration. Some want bigger cuts to international student numbers, which are now over 528,000 and much higher than in 2017. Others want to protect backpacker visas, because regional areas and farms depend on these workers. Even the opposition is openly split on the best approach.

Smart Moves for Sponsors and Job Seekers

Employers bringing in offshore staff: plan for the longer wait right now, especially in healthcare and education. Treat 12 months as the realistic minimum, not the worst case.
Applicants already in Australia: the new tiers may help you, and your application could move faster than you think. Take another look at your visa pathway with this in mind.
Applicants still overseas: get good, informed advice before you lodge. Broad policy changes like this one can change eligibility and strategy overnight.

Our Advice for Indonesian Workers

Australia's migration settings are clearly changing, and more news is expected when the full overhaul is announced. If you are looking for jobs in Australia for Indonesians, use the waiting time well. Prepare an English-language CV. Take an English test such as IELTS or PTE if your visa or employer needs one. If a police certificate is requested, apply early for your SKCK from the Indonesian National Police. Get your Indonesian-language documents translated into English as the visa rules require. Workers who plan ahead, instead of just reacting, have a much better chance of a smooth move rather than a year of waiting.

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