3 New Ministerial Directions Change Visa Processing Priorities (Effective July 2026)

Three new Ministerial Directions, numbers 117, 119 and 120, were signed on 24 July 2026 and commenced the following day. Together they change the order in which family, skilled, and talent visa applications are processed.

Direction 117: Family visa applications Replaces Direction 102. The key change is a new two-level split: onshore applicants who can be granted their visa onshore are now prioritised ahead of offshore applicants. Within each group, the existing family visa order still applies (partner and child applications before parent or other relative categories). Secondary applicants keep the same priority as the primary applicant, and the compassionate special circumstances exception is retained.

Direction 119: Skilled visa and nomination applications Replaces Direction 105, and brings a more substantive change. It covers nominations for subclasses 186, 187, 482 and 494, and visa applications across subclasses 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 482, 489, 491, 494, 887 and 888.

What's changed: law enforcement and defence occupations are now the highest priority, construction has been added alongside healthcare and teaching, and regional area priority and accredited sponsor priority have both been removed. Applicant location now matters, with onshore applications prioritised ahead of offshore, and subclass 482 Skills in Demand is now covered.

New priority order: (1) onshore law enforcement and defence, (2) offshore law enforcement and defence, (3) onshore healthcare, teaching and construction, (4) all other onshore applications, (5) all other offshore applications.

Direction 120: Class BX Subclass 858 visa applications Replaces Direction 112, and expands to cover the whole Class BX visa, including National Innovation visa applications and on-hand Global Talent and Distinguished Talent applications. The five-tier processing order and existing guidance on exceptional and outstanding achievement are retained. Tier 1 sectors include critical technologies, renewables and low emission technologies, and health industries; Tier 2 includes agri-food and ag-tech, defence, education, financial services and fintech, and infrastructure and transport.

What this means for you If you have a family, skilled, or talent visa application on hand, these directions may change where it now sits in the queue, particularly around onshore/offshore status, occupation, or sector. Eligibility criteria haven't changed, only processing order.

If you'd like to understand how Directions 117, 119, or 120 apply to your application, our team at Cornerstone Consulting is happy to walk you through it. Get in touch any time.