Professionals and Other Skilled Migrants

Processing of Priority Group 5 General Skilled Migration Applications

Most General Skilled Migration (GSM) visa applications are subject to a Ministerial Direction which determines the priority in which they are considered. 
An application is allocated to a case officer for processing based on its priority according to the Direction. 

Each week the two GSM processing centres (Adelaide and Brisbane) allocate applications in line with the Direction until there are sufficient applications allocated in each of the visa categories to meet the planning levels set by government in the 2012-13 Migration Program.
See: Migration Program Statistics

Processing arrangements for Priority Group 5

Priority Group 5 applications are allocated when all available applications in higher priority groups are allocated.

Subclasses 487, 885 and 886

Allocation of Priority Group 5 applications commenced in November 2011. Skilled Independent cases will continue to be allocated ahead of Family Sponsored Skilled Migration cases and cases where a state or territory approved nomination has either not been provided or has not been accepted by the department.

Subclasses 175, 176, 475 and 496

Allocation of Priority Group 5 applications with an approved state or territory nomination commenced in April 2012. This was due to there being a lower than anticipated number of applications lodged in 2011-12 under a State Migration Plan (Priority Group 3).

Allocation of Priority Group 5 applications for these subclasses has not yet commenced for Skilled Independent, Family Sponsored Skilled Migration and cases where a state or territory approved nomination has either not been provided or has not been accepted by the department.

Allocation of Priority Group 5 cases

The allocation of Priority Group 5 applications is expected to continue in general date of lodgement order throughout the 2012-13 Migration Program year in line with available Migration Program places in the specific GSM visa categories.

Due to the number of places available for Family Sponsored Skilled Migration applicants this program year (currently 4200), GSM will limit the allocation of cases in this visa category.

Family Sponsored Skilled Migration applicants in Priority Group 5, whose applications are yet to be allocated to a case officer, will be affected. This also includes Priority Group 5 cases where a state or territory approved nomination has either not been provided or has not been accepted by the department, as these applications are classified within the Family Sponsored Skilled Migration group until a nomination is received from a state or territory government agency and approved by the department.

The overall number of Priority Group 5 applications processed in any program year will ultimately depend on the number of higher priority applications received, and other factors, including the size of the Migration Program and its composition, and any variation of the Processing Direction.

Many Priority Group 5 applicants still face a considerable wait until their application is allocated to a case officer for processing and may want to consider other options available.

Applicants can follow the progress of allocating GSM visa applications through the website.
See: Allocation Dates for General Skilled Migration Applications