Published 17 August 2026 | Working & Skilled Visas
Migrate2Australia provides this data-driven morning update for applicants considering an Australian Skilled Visa or a Skilled visa to Australia. The key developments are Ministerial Direction 119, Tasmania’s 2026–27 nomination opening, and an unconfirmed South Australian reopening proposal. Eva Abdelmessiah has 20 years’ experience, has been registered since 2006, and holds MARN 0636719.
This article focuses on skilled migration. A Partner visa Australia application is a separate family migration pathway and is not governed by the skilled visa processing priorities discussed below. Migrate2Australia recommends assessing the correct visa category before relying on any policy update.
1. Ministerial Direction 119 is now the federal processing framework
Ministerial Direction 119 commenced on 25 July 2026 and replaced the skilled visa processing priorities under Ministerial Direction 105. The Department of Home Affairs states that MD119 applies to relevant applications already on hand, as well as applications made from its commencement date. Migrate2Australia notes that this is a processing-order direction, not a new visa eligibility test.
MD119 applies to certain nomination and visa applications, including major skilled pathways such as subclasses 186, 189, 190, 191, 482, 489, 491, 494, 887 and 888. The Department’s official guidance should be checked for the precise application type and subclass relevant to your case. The experienced Registered Migration Agent, Eva Abdelmessiah, recommends reviewing the applicable criteria before lodging an Expression of Interest, nomination, or visa application.
MD119 does not change the composition of skilled migration occupation lists. Migrate2Australia emphasises that applicants must still satisfy the Migration Act, Migration Regulations, occupation requirements, English requirements, skills assessment rules, points requirements, nomination conditions, and any employer-related criteria that apply to the selected pathway.
2. The five processing priority levels under MD119
The Department of Home Affairs describes the current order as follows. Migrate2Australia has summarised the framework in the table below:
| Priority | Applications prioritised |
|---|---|
| Priority 1 | Onshore applicants in occupations supporting Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests |
| Priority 2 | Offshore applicants in occupations supporting Australia’s law enforcement or defence interests |
| Priority 3 | Onshore applicants in construction, healthcare, or teaching occupations |
| Priority 4 | All other onshore skilled visa and nomination applications |
| Priority 5 | All other offshore skilled visa and nomination applications |
Migrate2Australia highlights two central factors: the applicant’s occupation and whether the applicant was in Australia or outside Australia at the relevant time of application. For nomination applications, the Direction refers to the nominee’s location when the nomination application is made. For visa applications, it refers to the primary applicant’s location when the visa application is made.
Onshore applicants are therefore generally placed ahead of offshore applicants within the published framework. However, Migrate2Australia cautions that a higher priority does not guarantee approval, an invitation, nomination, or a particular outcome. Applicants must continue to meet every legal requirement for the visa and nomination pathway.
3. Defence, law enforcement, construction, healthcare and teaching
Law enforcement and defence-related occupations occupy the first two priority levels. Migrate2Australia notes that the Direction contains specific definitions and occupation groupings. A general claim that an applicant works in a “security” or “government” role may not be sufficient; the occupation, sponsor, nomination, and relationship to the relevant Australian interests must be examined carefully.
Construction, healthcare, and teaching occupations receive Priority 3 when the applicant is in Australia at the relevant time. Migrate2Australia stresses that this priority is not a substitute for a valid skills assessment, registration where required, employment evidence, English evidence, or state and territory nomination requirements.
The published framework does not create a separate higher processing tier for regional location alone. Migrate2Australia therefore advises applicants not to assume that a regional visa or regional employer will automatically receive faster processing under MD119. Regional eligibility may still be important for a particular visa, but regional location is no longer a standalone federal processing priority in the published five-tier order.
The Department’s processing priorities should not be confused with processing times. Migrate2Australia confirms that any indicative processing times published by the Department of Home Affairs are not guaranteed and can change due to application volumes, document quality, integrity checks, policy changes, and individual circumstances.
4. South Australia: 26 August reopening remains subject to confirmation
South Australia is reported to be planning to reopen its skilled nomination program on 26 August 2026, with a proposed new State Nomination Occupation List. A further reported setting is that subclass 491 may be restricted to onshore applicants. Migrate2Australia presents these details conditionally because the date and onshore-only restriction must be confirmed on the official South Australian migration website before applicants rely on them.
At the time of publication, the official South Australian pages continue to describe both onshore and offshore nomination options. Migrate2Australia therefore recommends checking the official South Australian skilled migration page, the Skilled Employment in South Australia stream, and the offshore stream for any formal update.
If South Australia confirms an onshore-only restriction for subclass 491, offshore applicants may need to examine subclass 190, employer-sponsored options, another state or territory, or a different skilled pathway. Migrate2Australia recommends rechecking the official state settings immediately before submitting an EOI, ROI, or nomination application because state programs operate within the federal migration framework and may change during the program year.
5. Tasmania opens its 2026–27 nomination program
Tasmania’s 2026–27 Skilled Migration State Nomination Program is scheduled to open for new Registrations of Interest on 17 August 2026. Migration Tasmania has announced an allocation of 2,050 places, comprising 1,250 places for subclass 190 and 800 places for subclass 491. Migrate2Australia recommends that applicants confirm the live program settings through Migration Tasmania and the Migration Tasmania Application Gateway.
The reported program settings also provide for weekly invitations from 20 August 2026. Migrate2Australia stresses that an ROI is not a visa application and does not guarantee an invitation or nomination. Applicants should prepare a valid SkillSelect EOI, verify their occupation and points claims, and retain evidence supporting every statement made in the EOI and ROI.
Tasmania’s state settings must be read alongside federal requirements and MD119. Migrate2Australia advises applicants to assess the interaction between state nomination eligibility, onshore or offshore location, occupation, visa subclass, and the federal visa criteria. Applicants should also recheck whether a particular overseas pathway remains open before preparing a strategy around it.
6. What applicants should do this morning
Migrate2Australia recommends the following immediate actions:
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Identify the correct visa subclass. Compare subclass 189, 190, 491, 482, 494, 186, and other relevant options through the Migrate2Australia Working & Skilled Visas service page.
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Confirm your location at lodgement. Migrate2Australia notes that onshore or offshore status is a central factor under MD119 and may also affect state nomination eligibility.
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Verify your occupation. Check the relevant federal and state occupation lists. Do not assume that a job title automatically matches the required ANZSCO occupation or a priority occupation grouping.
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Prepare evidence before an invitation. Eva Abdelmessiah recommends checking passports, qualifications, employment references, English results, skills assessments, licensing documents, and points claims before an ROI or nomination opportunity becomes available.
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Monitor official state announcements. Treat the South Australian 26 August date and subclass 491 onshore-only proposal as subject to official confirmation. Recheck Tasmania’s portal and pathway requirements before submitting an ROI.
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Obtain tailored advice. Migrate2Australia can provide obligation-free initial guidance about the appropriate skilled migration pathway, documentation requirements, and the effect of current policy settings on your circumstances.
Sources and publication status
Migrate2Australia has prepared this update using official government migration sources checked for publication on 17 August 2026. Policy settings, occupation lists, allocations, portal requirements, and state nomination conditions are subject to change.
- Department of Home Affairs : Skilled visa processing priorities : checked 17 August 2026.
- Ministerial Direction 119 : official PDF : dated 24 July 2026; commenced 25 July 2026.
- South Australia : Skilled migration visa pathways : checked 17 August 2026.
- South Australia : Offshore nomination pathway : checked 17 August 2026.
- Migration Tasmania : checked 17 August 2026.
- Migration Tasmania Application Gateway : checked 17 August 2026.
- Migrate2Australia : Working & Skilled Visas : internal service reference.
Privacy, GDPR and AI disclosure
Migrate2Australia may collect personal information, including identity, contact, passport, visa, employment, education, and application-related information. Migrate2Australia uses this information to assess migration options, communicate with clients, prepare and lodge applications where instructed, comply with legal obligations, and improve service administration. Information may be stored in secured systems and disclosed where necessary to the Department of Home Affairs, relevant government authorities, professional advisers, translation providers, technology providers, and other authorised parties. Read the Migrate2Australia Privacy Policy for further details and GDPR rights.
Migrate2Australia uses AI assistance for parts of content preparation and administrative support. All migration advice, legal analysis, and client strategies must be reviewed and finalised by the experienced Registered Migration Agent, Eva Abdelmessiah, MARN 0636719, in accordance with applicable professional obligations.
Get in touch with Migrate2Australia for an obligation-free discussion about your skilled visa options. Book a consultation.
Eva Abdelmessiah, Registered Migration Agent MARN 0636719
This information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Migration laws change frequently, and some reforms discussed are proposed or evolving. Visa outcomes remain at the discretion of the Department of Home Affairs.
