Immigration News
State and Territory Skilled Migration Updates
New South Wales – 3,600 places
- 2,100 places are for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
- 1,500 for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491).
Australian Capital Territory – 1,600 places
- 800 places for the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190 visa)
- 800 places for the Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491).
Northern Territory – 1,650 places
- 850 places for the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa
- 800 places for the Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa.
Tasmania – 1,850 places
- 1,200 places for the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa
- 650 places for the Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa
Queensland – 2,600 places (more than double the allocation in the previous year)
- 1,850 places for the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa
- 750 places for the Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa.
South Australia – 2,250 places
- 1,350 places for the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa
- 900 places for the Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa
Amendments to 186 TRT Visa Experience
The Migration Amendment (Skilled Visa Reform Technical Measures) Regulations 2025 clarify that, for Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) – Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream, the qualifying employment experience must be undertaken while employed by an approved work sponsor.
This formalises long‑standing policy and removes ambiguity where experience with non‑sponsors or related entities was previously counted by some applicants.
The amended provision commenced on 29 November 2025. The Department and migration industry body, MIA, are discussing the practical aspects. Migration Affairs will provide an update when the Department issues further guidance.
NSW Skilled Migration: Updates for 2025/26
NSW has confirmed its allocations for the new program year and released timing for invitations and key pathway openings.
New South Wales’ skills lists have been updated and nomination fees have increased in line with CPI. Invitations are expected every two to three weeks throughout the program year. The most updated skills list can be found here.
Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated
- Invitation activity: Three rounds completed so far this program year. Monthly rounds will recommence from January 2026 and continue until the allocation is met.
- Progress: Approximately 25% of the annual 190 allocation nominated as at December 2025.
- Occupations: Only occupations on the NSW Skills List are considered for invitation.
Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional)
- Opening dates: Pathway 1 – Work in Regional NSW – opens 19 January 2026
- Opening dates: Pathway 3 – Regional NSW Graduate – opens 19 January 2026
- Processing: Applications will be assessed in strict chronological order. Only valid applications will enter the queue.
Expedited assessment (priority processing):
- Standard assessment time is up to six weeks (may vary with volumes).
- You may request priority processing if any of the following will occur within 10 working days: your visa (or your partner’s) will expire, your English test, skills assessment or passport (or your partner’s) will expire, or you will lose age points and fall below the minimum points threshold
Australia’s 2025 Occupation Shortage List Release
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) has published the annual Occupation Shortage List (OSL).
Key findings
- 29% of assessed occupations (293 of 1,022) are in national shortage, down from 33% in 2024 and 36% in 2023.
- Shortages remain concentrated in critical cohorts: Nearly half of Technicians and Trades Workers, Two in five Professionals
- Affected fields include health, education, engineering, science, and construction-related trades.
- Persistent pressures: 139 occupations have been in shortage every year since 2021.
- Regional strain: 21 occupations are in shortage outside capital cities only, indicating tighter regional labour markets.
These insights should be considered alongside the full OSL and supporting reports for migration and workforce planning.
MATES Program Ballot Now Open – 1 November to 14 December
The Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) ballot is open from 1 November to 14 December for the 2025–26 program year. Up to 3,000 places are available for skilled Indian graduates and early‑career professionals seeking short-term professional experience in Australia.
Subclass 408 (Temporary Activity) – Australian Government Endorsed Events – New Sporting Events Added
The Australian Government has confirmed two additional Australian Government Endorsed Events (AGEE) for the Subclass 408 Temporary Activity visa:
- 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup
- 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup
Eligible participants can apply with no visa application charge. Eligible participants are:
- Rugby World Cup Limited personnel
- 2027 Rugby World Cup personnel
- members of a competing team
- tournament officials
- other accredited persons required to perform certain tournament functions in Australia.
- an AFC delegation member
- a participating team delegation member
- an AFC Commercial Rights Partner
- a Commercial Affiliate in relation to the event
- any other individuals participating in, or attending, the event in an official capacity.
Student Visa Processing Impacted by New Ministerial Direction
A new Ministerial Direction has been enacted to offshore student visas from 14 November 2025. Direction 115 (view here) introduces a three tier priority system that determines the order in which applications are processed.
Priority one applications are expected to be assessed within one to four weeks, priority two within five to eight weeks, and priority three within nine to twelve weeks. The priority assigned does not influence the visa outcome.
Graduates who studied and lived in Hobart or surrounding postcodes are now eligible for a two year Second Post Higher Education Work visa. This brings Hobart in line with other recognised regional areas.
Updated English Language Requirements for Skilled Visas
Subclass 482 Visa
- The Department has also updated English language requirements for the Subclass 482 visa. Instrument LIN 25/082 updates approved English test providers and required scores for subclass 482 (Specialist Skills and Core Skills streams).
- New approved providers added: CELPIP General, LanguageCert Academic, and Michigan English Test (MET). Clarifications: IELTS General Training and Academic both accepted; Cambridge “CAE” renamed C1 Advanced.
- Single-attempt rule relaxed for tests taken on/after 13 September 2025: component re-sits (e.g., IELTS One Skill Retake, MET Single Skill Retake) are permitted. Tests taken before that date must meet scores in one sitting.
- Test validity remains three years from the original test date.
Access the official test lists and score tables here.
If your English test was taken before 13 September 2025, use the “pre‑commencement” score table; otherwise, use the new table for tests taken on/after that date.
Ministerial Intervention – New Guidelines Commenced 4 September 2025
The Minister for Home Affairs has issued three new Ministerial Instructions governing requests for Ministerial Intervention (MI) under:
- Section 351 and section 501J (post‑ART review decisions, including protection matters)
- Subsection 46A(2) (Unauthorised Maritime Arrivals seeking leave to apply onshore)
- Subsection 48B(1) (lifting the s48A bar to allow a further onshore protection visa application)
Purpose and Effect
- Responds to the High Court’s decision in Davis v Minister for Immigration [2023] HCA 10 by replacing subjective referral practices with clearer, more objective and transparent threshold criteria.
- Tightens referral settings to discourage unmeritorious requests and reduce legal risk.
Transitional and Caseload Management
Approximately 30,000 on‑hand MI requests:
- Pre‑Davis matters (including s351/501J) will be closed by Personal Procedural Decisions (PPDs) unless exempt; affected individuals may lodge new requests under the revised framework.
- Post‑Davis requests will be assessed against the new objective criteria and either closed or progressed to the Minister.
Transitional provisions apply to s351/501J requests, ensuring references to pre‑transition powers are treated as requests under the post‑transition framework.
Process Highlights
- Who may request: the affected applicant (direct request) or the tribunal (tribunal request) for s351/501J; UMAs for s46A(2); persons affected by s48A for s48B(1).
- Departmental handling: health, character and other checks may be undertaken before referral; full or summary submissions will be prepared where criteria are met.
- Minister’s discretion: even where considered, intervention remains discretionary; if exercised, the Minister may grant the visa class deemed most appropriate.
Clients with existing or contemplated MI requests should review eligibility against the new objective criteria and ensure any fresh request is supported by clear, relevant evidence aligned to the public interest considerations. Further operational detail is expected to be discussed in upcoming professional briefings.
How We Can Help
If you would like guidance on how these changes may affect your clients, employees, business or personal plans, our team at Migration Affairs can assist you with tailored advice.
📧 info@migrationaffairs.com.au
🌐 migrationaffairs.com.au/contact
📞 +61 2 8226 877
Changes to the migration program can occur without notice. The above information is not intended to be legal advice and is correct as of the date of writing this article.
Contact Migrations Affairs to speak with our immigration experts for tailored advice on the circumstances and eligibility.
