Ministerial Direction 122 Explained: Australia’s New Skilled Visa Processing Priorities from 19 September 2026
Updated: 19 September 2026
Australia has introduced a significant new framework for prioritising the processing of a range of permanent and provisional skilled visa applications.
Ministerial Direction 122, signed on 18 September 2026, establishes the order in which the Department of Home Affairs should consider specified skilled visa applications. It commenced on 19 September 2026 and applies to several of Australia’s most important skilled and employer-sponsored migration pathways.
Direction 122 is particularly significant for applicants working in construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and the resources sector, as well as applicants whose occupations are connected with Australia’s defence or law-enforcement interests.
One of the most important changes is that applicants in designated priority sectors may now receive the highest processing priority whether they were inside or outside Australia when the visa application was lodged.
For Iranian and Persian-speaking applicants trying to understand how these new rules may affect their Australian migration plans, the distinction between visa eligibility, occupation classification and processing priority is important. Those seeking an Iranian lawyer, Persian lawyer, migration lawyer, immigration lawyer, migration attorney, immigration attorney or migration agent can also explore the professional directory and migration-related resources available through Persian Lawyers at persianlawyers.org.
What is Ministerial Direction 122?
Ministerial Direction 122 is formally titled:
Direction 122 – Order for considering and disposing of visa applications for certain provisional and permanent Skilled Visas.
It was issued by the Minister under section 499 of the Migration Act 1958.
The purpose of the Direction is not to create new visas or alter the legal criteria applicants must satisfy.
Instead, it determines the order in which certain skilled visa applications should generally be processed by Department of Home Affairs decision-makers.
This distinction is critical.
Direction 122 changes processing priority — not visa eligibility
Receiving a higher priority under Direction 122 does not automatically mean that an applicant qualifies for a visa.
Applicants must still meet all relevant requirements under Australian migration law, which may include:
- age requirements;
- English-language requirements;
- skills assessment requirements;
- sponsorship or nomination criteria;
- points-test requirements;
- relevant employment or work-experience requirements;
- health requirements;
- character requirements; and
- any subclass-specific legal criteria.
The Direction itself confirms that it does not alter the composition of Australia’s skilled occupation lists and does not remove the requirement to satisfy the Migration Act and Migration Regulations.
Likewise, an applicant who is placed in a lower processing category has not necessarily received an adverse assessment. Lower processing priority does not, by itself, mean that a visa will be refused.
When did Ministerial Direction 122 commence?
Direction 122 was signed on 18 September 2026.
Because the Direction states that it commences on the day after signing, it took effect on:
19 September 2026.
The Direction also applies to relevant visa applications that were lodged before commencement but had not yet been finally determined.
This means Direction 122 can affect both:
new visa applications lodged from 19 September 2026, and
existing applications that were already pending before that date.
Direction 122 and Direction 119: what changed?
Ministerial Direction 122 represents an important restructuring of the processing system that previously operated under Ministerial Direction 119.
Direction 119 applied a broader framework across skilled visa processing and placed considerable emphasis on whether the applicant was onshore or offshore at the time of application.
Under the new framework, Australia has separated temporary skilled visa processing from the processing of many permanent and provisional skilled visas.
In practical terms:
Ministerial Direction 121 deals principally with specified temporary skilled visa applications.
Ministerial Direction 122 deals with the provisional and permanent skilled visa classes specifically identified in its Schedule.
This is therefore more than a simple renumbering of Direction 119.
It represents a reorganisation of the skilled visa processing-priority system.
Which visa subclasses are covered by Direction 122?
The Schedule to Ministerial Direction 122 identifies the visa classes to which the Direction applies.
These include:
| Subclass | Visa category |
| 186 | Employer Nomination Scheme |
| 187 | Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme |
| 189 | Skilled Independent |
| 190 | Skilled Nominated |
| 191 | Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) |
| 489 | Skilled Regional Sponsored (Provisional) |
| 491 | Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) |
| 494 | Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) |
| 887 | Skilled Regional |
| 888 | Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) |
This makes Direction 122 particularly relevant to people searching for information about:
Direction 122 Subclass 189,
Direction 122 Subclass 190,
Direction 122 Subclass 491,
Direction 122 Subclass 494,
Direction 122 Subclass 186, and
Australian skilled visa processing priorities in 2026.
Is the Subclass 482 visa covered by Direction 122?
No.
One of the major structural differences between Direction 119 and the new system is that Subclass 482 is not included in the Schedule to Direction 122.
Temporary skilled visa processing is dealt with separately under the newer Direction 121 framework.
This is an important distinction because older information about Direction 119 may still refer to Subclass 482 together with permanent and provisional skilled visas.
Applicants researching Australian employer-sponsored visas should therefore ensure they are reading the correct Direction for their visa category.
What are the processing priorities under Ministerial Direction 122?
Section 6 of Direction 122 establishes four broad levels of processing priority.
The highest priority is based principally on specified occupations and sectors.
After that, the location of the primary applicant at the time the visa application was made becomes an important consideration.
Priority 1 — designated occupations and strategic sectors
The highest processing priority is given to primary applicants whose applications relate to an occupation in:
- construction;
- healthcare;
- teaching;
- agriculture;
- aquaculture;
- fishing;
- resources;
- Australia’s law-enforcement interests; or
- Australia’s defence interests.
These applications receive the highest priority under the Direction.
Priority 2 — other applicants who applied while in Australia
The next priority applies to other primary applicants who were in Australia at the time their application was made.
Priority 3 — certain offshore primary applicants
The third category applies to primary applicants who were outside Australia when their application was made, provided their application was not combined with another person's application.
Priority 4 — remaining applications
Other applications fall into the final category, subject to the special rules dealing with combined family applications.
What happens to family members included in an application?
Direction 122 contains an important rule for applicants whose family members are included in the same visa application.
Where a family member’s application is validly combined with the primary applicant’s application under the Migration Regulations, that application receives the same priority as the primary applicant’s application.
This can be particularly relevant for skilled migrants applying with a spouse, partner or dependent children.
The major change: offshore applicants can now receive the highest sector priority
One of the most important practical differences between Direction 119 and Direction 122 concerns offshore applicants.
Under the previous Direction 119 structure, special priority treatment for certain sectors such as construction, healthcare and teaching was closely connected with the applicant being in Australia when the application was lodged.
Direction 122 adopts a different approach.
The highest occupational priority under Direction 122 is not expressly restricted to applicants who were physically in Australia when the application was made.
As a result, a qualifying applicant in a Priority 1 occupation may potentially receive the highest processing priority even where the application was lodged from outside Australia.
This is a major development for offshore professionals in occupations such as:
- registered nurses and healthcare professionals;
- teachers;
- construction professionals;
- civil engineering professionals;
- mining professionals;
- agricultural-sector workers;
- certain engineering managers;
- engineering draftspersons;
- technicians; and
- other occupations falling within the Direction’s definitions.
For Persian-speaking applicants trying to determine whether a particular occupation qualifies, obtaining advice about the exact ANZSCO classification can be valuable.
People searching for an Iranian migration lawyer, Persian migration lawyer, Iranian immigration lawyer, Iranian immigration attorney, migration attorney or registered migration agent can use persianlawyers.org as a starting point when looking for professional assistance.
Direction 122 vs Direction 119 — key differences
The following comparison highlights some of the most important structural changes.
| Issue | Direction 119 | Direction 122 |
| Processing framework | Broader combined framework | Permanent/provisional skilled visas separated from temporary skilled visas |
| Subclass 482 | Included in previous framework | Not listed under Direction 122 |
| Priority sectors | Included construction, health, teaching and strategic occupations | Adds agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and resources |
| Offshore priority-sector applicants | More restricted by onshore/offshore hierarchy | Priority 1 sector wording is not limited to onshore applicants |
| Number of main visa-processing levels | Five principal levels | Four principal levels |
| Resources sector | No dedicated category | Expressly recognised as Priority 1 |
| Agriculture/aquaculture/fishing | No equivalent dedicated sector category | Expressly recognised |
| Engineering Managers | Not part of Direction 119 construction definition | Included in Direction 122 construction definition |
| Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians | Not part of previous construction definition | Included |
| Exceptional circumstances | Different previous structure | Express exception included in section 7 |
| Existing pending applications | Previous Direction applied according to its commencement rules | Direction 122 expressly captures relevant applications not finally determined |
This restructuring means applicants should be cautious about relying on articles, videos or social-media posts explaining Direction 119 without checking whether they remain current after 19 September 2026.
Construction occupations under Direction 122
Construction is expressly identified as a Priority 1 sector.
However, Direction 122 does not simply use the general word “construction”. It contains a detailed definition identifying specified ANZSCO groups and occupations.
The construction definition includes:
| ANZSCO | Category |
| Sub-Major Group 33 | Construction Trades Workers |
| Sub-Major Group 82 | Construction and Mining Labourers |
| Unit Group 1331 | Construction Managers |
| Unit Group 1332 | Engineering Managers |
| Unit Group 2321 | Architects and Landscape Architects |
| Unit Group 2332 | Civil Engineering Professionals |
| Unit Group 3121 | Architectural, Building and Surveying Technicians |
| Unit Group 3122 | Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians |
| Unit Group 3126 | Safety Inspectors |
| Unit Group 3129 | Other Building and Engineering Technicians |
| Unit Group 3222 | Sheetmetal Workers |
| Unit Group 3223 | Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers |
| Unit Group 7111 | Clay, Concrete, Glass and Stone Processing Machine Operators |
| Unit Group 7121 | Crane, Hoist and Lift Operators |
| Unit Group 7212 | Earthmoving Plant Operators |
| 341111 | Electrician (General) |
| 341112 | Electrician (Special Class) |
Two additions are especially noteworthy:
ANZSCO Unit Group 1332 — Engineering Managers
and
ANZSCO Unit Group 3122 — Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians.
Their inclusion broadens the range of engineering-related occupations that may potentially receive construction-sector Priority 1 processing.
Healthcare occupations receiving priority
Healthcare remains one of the central priority areas under Direction 122.
The definition covers a broad range of health, medical, welfare and care occupations.
Relevant categories include:
| ANZSCO | Healthcare category |
| Sub-Major Group 25 | Health Professionals |
| Minor Group 411 | Health and Welfare Support Workers |
| Unit Group 2346 | Medical Scientists |
| Unit Group 2721 | Counsellors |
| Unit Group 2723 | Psychologists |
| Unit Group 2725 | Social Workers |
| Unit Group 3112 | Medical Technicians |
| 423111 | Aged or Disabled Carer |
| 423312 | Nursing Support Worker |
| 423313 | Personal Care Assistant |
For many healthcare professionals, the most significant feature of Direction 122 is that the sector-priority provision is no longer expressed as dependent on the applicant having lodged while physically in Australia.
That can make Direction 122 especially relevant to offshore nurses, health professionals, psychologists, medical scientists and other covered professionals.
Teaching occupations under Direction 122
Teaching and education occupations also receive Priority 1 treatment.
Direction 122 identifies several categories within the education sector.
These include:
- ANZSCO Minor Group 241 — School Teachers;
- ANZSCO Unit Group 1341 — Child Care Centre Managers;
- School Principal — 134311;
- Faculty Head — 134411;
- University Lecturer — 242111;
- Vocational Education Teacher / Polytechnic Teacher — 242211; and
- Child Care Worker — 421111.
This is particularly significant for offshore teachers and other education professionals who may now fall within the highest processing category if their occupation comes within the Direction.
Agriculture, aquaculture and fishing: a new strategic priority
One of the most important additions under Direction 122 is the express recognition of agriculture, aquaculture and fishing occupations.
Rather than providing only a narrow list of occupation titles, the Direction uses a broader functional definition.
It refers to occupations directly involved in primary production or in supporting productivity, including activities such as:
- cultivating and harvesting crops;
- fishing;
- breeding and managing livestock;
- poultry production;
- seafood production;
- animal health;
- irrigation;
- quality assurance;
- inspection;
- farm supervision; and
- certain processing activities connected with primary agricultural products.
This means that classification may require closer analysis than simply looking at a job title.
The actual duties of the position and its connection with primary production may be relevant.
Resources-sector occupations under Direction 122
The resources sector is another major addition to the Priority 1 framework.
Direction 122 defines resources-sector occupations as positions directly supporting exploration, extraction or production relating to minerals, oil, gas or coal, including certain mine closure, rehabilitation and decommissioning activities.
The Direction identifies occupations and groups including:
| Occupation or group | ANZSCO |
| Mining Engineers | 2336 |
| Geologists, Geophysicists and Hydrogeologists | 2344 |
| Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers | 7122 |
| Production Manager (Mining) | 133513 |
| Surveyor | 232212 |
| Other Spatial Scientist | 232214 |
| Metallurgist | 234912 |
| Fitter (General) | 323211 |
| Fitter and Turner | 323212 |
| Fitter-Welder | 323213 |
| Metal Machinist (First Class) | 323214 |
| Metal Fitters and Machinists nec | 323299 |
For applicants in Western Australia, Queensland and other mining-intensive regions, this part of Direction 122 may be particularly important.
Defence-related occupations
Direction 122 also gives high priority to occupations connected with Australia’s defence interests.
The definition includes work connected with supporting the delivery of AUKUS Pillar I or Pillar II, along with certain applicants nominated or sponsored by the Australian Defence Force or Department of Defence.
Depending on the circumstances, the relevant position may involve:
- work at a defence facility; or
- supporting the production or supply of defence-related material or technology.
This means the analysis may depend not only on the occupation title but also on the context in which the occupation is performed.
Law-enforcement occupations
Occupations connected with Australia’s law-enforcement interests also receive Priority 1 processing where the Direction’s requirements are satisfied.
The Direction refers to ANZSCO Unit Group 4413 — Police in circumstances involving nomination or sponsorship by specified Australian policing organisations.
These include federal, state and territory policing bodies specified in the Direction.
What happens if my occupation is not in a Priority 1 category?
Direction 122 does not remove non-priority occupations from the Australian skilled migration system.
If an occupation does not fall within the Priority 1 sectors, processing priority is determined principally by the applicant’s circumstances at the time of lodgement.
Generally:
Other onshore primary applicants receive Priority 2.
Certain offshore primary applicants receive Priority 3.
Remaining applications are generally dealt with under Priority 4, subject to the combined-application provisions.
An important point is that the Direction refers to the applicant’s location when the application was made.
Moving to Australia after lodging an offshore application does not retrospectively change where the applicant was located at the moment of lodgement.
Does Direction 122 apply to applications already lodged?
Yes.
Direction 122 expressly provides that it applies to relevant applications that had already been made but had not been finally determined before commencement.
This means some applicants with existing applications may find that the relative position of their application has changed under the new processing hierarchy.
For example, an offshore applicant whose occupation is now included in one of the Priority 1 sectors may potentially be placed differently under Direction 122 than under the previous Direction 119 structure.
Importantly, that does not mean applicants should automatically withdraw and relodge an application.
Withdrawing a visa application can have significant legal, financial and immigration consequences.
Applicants should obtain professional advice before making decisions based solely on processing priority.
Persian-speaking applicants looking for an Iranian immigration lawyer, Persian immigration lawyer, migration lawyer, immigration attorney or migration agent in Australia can search for relevant professionals through Persian Lawyers at persianlawyers.org.
Can Home Affairs depart from the ordinary priority order?
Yes, in limited circumstances.
Section 7 of Direction 122 allows a decision-maker to depart from the normal order where the application involves compelling circumstances affecting:
community safety, or
the continuity of essential religious, cultural or community services in Australia.
This should not be interpreted as a general urgent-processing mechanism for every applicant experiencing hardship or inconvenience.
The circumstances described by the Direction are specific.
What happens where a section 85 visa cap applies?
Direction 122 also addresses circumstances in which a section 85 cap applies.
Where applications are affected by a section 85 cap, the Direction provides that processing priority should still follow the order contained in section 6, subject to the exception contained in section 7.
A section 85 cap refers to the maximum number of visas of a particular class or classes that the Minister determines may be granted during a specified financial year.
Does Direction 122 change the Subclass 189 invitation process?
No.
This is one of the most common misunderstandings likely to arise from the new Direction.
Ministerial Direction 122 concerns the processing order of a visa application.
It does not itself determine:
- SkillSelect invitation-round dates;
- the minimum points required for invitation;
- occupation-specific invitation ceilings;
- state nomination criteria; or
- whether a person will receive an invitation to apply.
Therefore, an occupation receiving Priority 1 treatment under Direction 122 does not automatically mean that the occupation will receive a Subclass 189 invitation at a lower points score.
Invitation policy and visa-processing priority are separate issues.
Does Direction 122 change Subclass 190 or 491 state nomination?
Not directly.
Australian states and territories operate their own nomination programs for Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 visas.
For example, NSW, Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory can each apply their own eligibility and selection criteria.
Direction 122 does not replace those nomination policies.
Instead, the Direction becomes relevant to the federal processing priority of a covered visa application once that application has been lodged.
An applicant therefore needs to distinguish between:
state nomination eligibility,
federal visa eligibility, and
Department of Home Affairs processing priority.
They are related, but they are not the same thing.
Does Priority 1 mean a visa will be granted quickly?
Not necessarily.
Priority 1 determines the relative order in which applications should be considered, but it does not guarantee a particular processing time.
A visa application can still take longer where there are issues involving:
- incomplete documentation;
- health assessments;
- police clearances;
- character matters;
- requests for further information;
- skills assessment issues;
- employment verification;
- external agency checks;
- complex family circumstances;
- integrity concerns; or
- annual migration-program limitations.
For this reason, applicants should not assume that obtaining Priority 1 status removes the need to lodge a well-prepared and fully documented application.
What Direction 122 means for skilled migrants
The practical importance of Direction 122 is that occupation classification now has an even greater influence on processing priority.
Simply using an employer’s internal job title may not be enough.
The nominated ANZSCO occupation, the duties performed and the way the occupation fits within the definitions used by Direction 122 can all matter.
For example:
an employee described internally as a “Project Engineer” may require closer analysis to determine the relevant ANZSCO occupation;
an agricultural occupation may require analysis of whether the position is directly involved in primary production or supporting productivity;
a resources occupation may require consideration of whether the role directly supports mineral, oil, gas or coal operations;
and a defence-related occupation may require examination of the employer, sponsor and nature of the work.
This is one reason professional migration advice can be useful before relying on a claimed Priority 1 classification.
Direction 122 and Iranian applicants
Ministerial Direction 122 applies regardless of nationality.
However, Iranian applicants frequently face additional practical questions involving:
- skills assessments;
- translating employment evidence;
- Iranian academic qualifications;
- overseas employment verification;
- police certificates;
- military-service evidence;
- English-language requirements;
- points calculations;
- state nomination;
- employer sponsorship; and
- preparation of supporting evidence.
Iranian and Persian-speaking applicants who prefer to discuss their matter with a professional familiar with Australian immigration law may search Persian Lawyers for an Iranian lawyer, Iranian migration lawyer, Iranian immigration lawyer, Persian migration lawyer, Persian immigration lawyer, migration attorney, immigration attorney or migration agent.
Visit persianlawyers.org to explore relevant legal and migration professionals.
Key takeaway from Ministerial Direction 122
Ministerial Direction 122 represents a major change to Australia’s skilled visa processing-priority framework from 19 September 2026.
Its most important features include:
- a new four-level processing structure;
- Priority 1 processing for specified strategic occupations;
- the addition of agriculture, aquaculture and fishing;
- the addition of resources-sector occupations;
- broader construction coverage;
- inclusion of Engineering Managers;
- inclusion of Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians;
- continuing priority for healthcare and teaching;
- continuing priority for qualifying defence and law-enforcement occupations;
- Priority 1 treatment that is not expressly limited to applicants who lodged onshore; and
- application of the new Direction to relevant existing applications that had not yet been finally determined.
The central point for applicants is that Direction 122 affects how quickly an application is placed into the Department’s processing workflow, but it does not replace the legal requirements for obtaining the visa itself.
Need an Iranian or Persian Migration Lawyer in Australia?
Understanding Direction 122 may require more than simply checking a job title against an occupation list.
Your correct ANZSCO occupation, visa subclass, location when the application was lodged, sponsorship arrangements and individual migration history can all affect how the new processing framework applies.
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Ministerial Direction 122 FAQs
What is Ministerial Direction 122?
Ministerial Direction 122 is an Australian ministerial direction that establishes processing priorities for specified permanent and provisional skilled visa applications.
When did Direction 122 commence?
It commenced on 19 September 2026, the day after it was signed.
Does Direction 122 replace Direction 119?
Direction 122 forms part of the new processing framework that succeeded the arrangements applying under Direction 119. Permanent and provisional skilled visas covered by Direction 122 are now separated from temporary skilled visa processing.
Is the 189 visa covered by Direction 122?
Yes. Subclass 189 is expressly included in the Direction 122 Schedule.
Is the 190 visa covered by Direction 122?
Yes. Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated is covered.
Is the 491 visa covered?
Yes. Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional is covered.
Is the 494 visa covered?
Yes. Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional is covered.
Is the 186 visa covered?
Yes. Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme is included.
Is the 482 visa covered by Direction 122?
No. Subclass 482 is not included in the Direction 122 Schedule.
What occupations receive Priority 1 under Direction 122?
Qualifying occupations in construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and resources receive the highest priority, along with qualifying occupations connected with Australia’s law-enforcement and defence interests.
Can offshore applicants receive Priority 1?
Yes. The Priority 1 occupational category under Direction 122 is not expressed as being limited to applicants who were in Australia when they applied.
Does Direction 122 give applicants more migration points?
No. Direction 122 does not change the skilled migration points test.
Does Direction 122 guarantee a visa grant?
No. All legal requirements for the relevant visa subclass must still be satisfied.
Does Direction 122 affect existing pending applications?
Yes. It applies to relevant applications made before commencement that had not been finally determined.
Does Direction 122 affect SkillSelect invitations?
It affects visa-processing priority, not the separate process governing SkillSelect invitations.
Does Direction 122 change state nomination requirements?
No. States and territories continue to set their own Subclass 190 and 491 nomination requirements.
Where can Iranian applicants find Australian immigration assistance?
People seeking an Iranian migration lawyer, Iranian immigration lawyer, Persian migration lawyer, immigration attorney, migration attorney or migration agent can visit persianlawyers.org to explore relevant professionals and legal resources.