Commonwealth of Australia
Australia visa processing times
How long does each Australia visa take? Below are the typical decision windows for all 9 routes we track, each sourced directly from Department of Home Affairs (Australia). Click any route to see the full breakdown, including what drives the timeline and whether a priority service is available.
| Route | Published timing | Reality check | Sponsor needed? | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)# Employer-sponsored temporary work visa for skilled roles an Australian employer cannot fill locally. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | Yes | 2026-09-10 |
| Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)# Points-based permanent residence visa for skilled workers without employer or state sponsorship. | 50%: 7 months; 90%: 8 months | Published observed percentiles Delay trigger: Percentiles are not deadlines; use the current official tool | No | 2026-09-10 |
| Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)# State-nominated permanent residence visa providing a 5-point SkillSelect boost. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
| Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)# Provisional 5-year regional visa leading to permanent residence via subclass 191. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
| Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)# Employer-nominated permanent residence for workers sponsored through Direct Entry, TRT, or Labour Agreement streams. | Direct Entry Pathway: 50% 13 Months; 90% 21 Months | Agreement Pathway: 50% 58 Days; 90% 12 Months | Transition Pathway: 50% 14 Months; 90% 22 Months | Published stream-specific percentiles Delay trigger: Stream percentiles are not deadlines; use the current official tool | Yes | 2026-09-11 |
| Working Holiday Maker visa (subclass 417/462)# Short-term work-and-travel visa for young people from participating countries. | Separate subclass 417 and 462 processing figures; offshore cases may take several months. | Official window with caveat Delay trigger: See source guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
| National Innovation visa (formerly Global Talent)# Permanent residence for globally recognised high achievers in target sectors — replacement for the former Global Talent visa. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
| Australian Student visa (subclass 500)# Study visa for international students enrolled at CRICOS-registered institutions. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | Yes | 2026-09-10 |
| Partner visa (subclass 820/801, 309/100)# Residence visa for spouses and de facto partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
Source authority: Department of Home Affairs — Immigration and citizenship. Processing times are indicative and change without notice — always confirm before applying.
Cite or reuse this dataset
This figure is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite the Visa Atlas page for the compiled, dated dataset, and cite the official source for the underlying government rule.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "Commonwealth of Australia processing times dataset", https://visaatlas.org/processing-times/australia. Latest source check 11 September 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/processing-times
Primary sources (2)
Frequently asked questions
Are these Australia processing times official?+
Yes. Every window on this page is the figure published by Department of Home Affairs (Australia), shown with the date it was last checked. The figures are indicative rather than guarantees, and the linked source is authoritative on the day you apply.