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Australia Department of Immigration and Border Protection announces new Australian Visa Processing Times! Visa applications expected to take longer!

Australia Department of Immigration and Border Protection announces new Australian Visa Processing Times! Visa applications expected to take longer!
Key terms: Visa processing times – citizenship processing times –

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) has announced a new update to the visa processing times for all visa applications. The new schedule of processing times – “Global visa and citizenship processing times”, will be updated monthly and do not include:

·         visa subclasses closed to new entrants

·         visa subclasses capped and queued

The new visa schedule does not differentiate applications from low-risk or high-risk countries, but instead publishes two different processing times for 75% and 90% of ongoing applications. Here are some of the current processing times listed:

Visa type

Description

75% of applications processed in

90% of applications processed in

457

Temporary Work (Skilled)

86 days

6 months

186

Employer Nomination Scheme (Direct Entry Pathway)

9 months

11 months

186

Employer Nomination Scheme (Transition Pathway)

8 months

9 months

187

Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (Direct Entry Pathway)

11 months

12 months

187

Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (Transition Pathway)

8 months

9 months

       
189

Skilled - Independent

4 months

6 months

190

Skilled - Nominated

4 months

7 months

489

Skilled - Regional (Provisional) (Skilled Regional - GSM)

5 months

6 months

489

Skilled - Regional (Provisional) (State/Territory Nominated visa classes - GSM)

5 months

7 months

887

Skilled - Regional

7 months

10 months

       
300

Prospective Marriage

12 months

17 months

309

Partner (Provisional)

11 months

15 months

100

Partner

15 months

23 months

801

Partner

16 months

20 months

820

Partner

18 months

20 months

       
802

Child

7 months

8 months

101

Child

9 months

15 months

143

Contributory Parent (Migrant)

32 months

33 months

173

Contributory Parent (Temporary)

32 months

32 months

       
188

Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (Business Innovation)

16 months

18 months

892

State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner

15 months

17 months

       
600

Visitor (Sponsored Family)

41 days

58 days

Source: DIBP



Australian citizenship application processing times

Last updated: 14 March 2017

Australian Citizenship application type

75% of applications processed in

90% of applications processed in

Conferral (lodgement to ceremony*)

10 months

12 months

Descent (lodgement to decision)

63 days

4 months

Evidence (lodgement to decision)

5 days

12 days

 

You can view the schedule of visa processing times here, or visit the individual visa pages to view the current processing times (example below).

DIBP 457 processing times



Source:

https://www.border.gov.au/about/access-accountability/service-standards/global-visa-citizenship-processing-times

This information is accurate on 17 March 2017

 

Comments from Principal Migration Agent and Lawyer Chris Johnston

The change in processing time standards may be a better reflection of current visa processing times. However the current structure:

·         does not improve increasingly slower processing times

·         does not account for the processing times of the remaining 10% of applications

·         does not disclose if the estimated processing time resets after a request for further documents is made for an application

It is good to have the processing times updated monthly so that applicants can adjust their expectations. However more importantly we hope that the processing times do not increase as time goes by.



On Employer Sponsored Visas

The longer processing times now place pressure on Australian businesses to plan well ahead for their operational requirements which require a skilled overseas worker. 90% of the 457 visa applications are processed within 3 to 6 months while the RSMS 187 and ENS 186 visas are taking up to 12 months to be processed.



On Partner and Family Visas

The longer processing time places pressure on relationships, especially for offshore applicants who are waiting to reunite with their Australian partners in Australia. Partners in such predicaments will have to wait for 15 months before being able to start their lives together in Australia. It is essential that the relationship remains genuine and ongoing until the visa is approved. This means that partners will have to engage in a long-distance relationship over the course of 15 months or so.



On Business Innovation and Investment Visas

The current published processing time is 18 months for 90% of the subclass 188 Business Innovation and Investment visas. This is perhaps a big area of concern because business and investor migrants tend to bring benefits to Australia such as:

·         investment capital

·         creation of job opportunities by establishing businesses

·         economic development

Applicants may spend 6 months to prepare the large quantity of information and documents required before submitting an application, and will now have to wait another 18 months before being able to invest in Australia. The long wait exposes business owners and investors to risks of uncertainty, and may put off potential applicants planning to make Australia their new base for investments and business.

 

Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) Review, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956

or   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


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