The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, has set new priority processing arrangements for certain skilled migration visas. These arrangements take account of the changes to the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) that came into effect on 1 July 2010, as well as the revocation of the Migration Occupation in Demand List (MODL) and the Critical Skills List (CSL). These priority processing arrangements apply to applications already lodged with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, as well as to future applications.

The new priority processing arrangements apply to the following visas:

• Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)
• General Skilled Migration (GSM) visas listed on page two of this fact sheet.

From 14 July 2010, processing priorities (with highest priority listed first) are:

1. Applications from people who are employer sponsored under the ENS and the RSMS.
   
2. Applications from people who are nominated by a state or territory government agency with a nominated occupation that is specified on that state or territory’s state migration plan.
   
3. Applications from people who have nominated an occupation on the new Skilled Occupation List (SOL) – Schedule 3 in effect from 1 July 2010.
   See: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/new-list-of-occupations.pdf
   
4. All other applications are to be processed in the order in which they are received.

GSM visas affected

The following GSM visas are affected by priority processing:

• Skilled – Independent subclass 175
• Skilled – Independent subclass 176
• Skilled – Regional Sponsored subclass 475
• Skilled – Regional Sponsored subclass 487
• Skilled – Independent Regional subclass 495
• Skilled – Designated Area-sponsored (Provisional) subclass 496
• Graduate – Skilled subclass 497
• Skilled – Onshore Independent New Zealand Citizen subclass 861
• Skilled – Onshore Australian-sponsored New Zealand Citizen subclass 862
• Skilled – Onshore Designated Area-sponsored New Zealand Citizen subclass 863
• Skilled – Independent Overseas Student subclass 880
• Skilled – Australian-sponsored subclass 881
• Skilled – Designated Area-sponsored Overseas Student subclass 882
• Skilled – Independent subclass 885
• Skilled – Sponsored subclass 886

GSM visas exempt

The following visa subclasses are exempt from priority processing and will be processed in the order in which they are received:

• Skilled – Recognised Graduate subclass 476
• Skilled – Graduate subclass 485
• Skilled – Designated Area – Sponsored (Residence) subclass 883
• Skilled – Regional subclass 887.

Applications that are remitted to the Department by the Migration Review Tribunal (MRT), applications where it is readily apparent that the criteria for grant of a visa would not be satisfied and applications from subsequent entrants are all exempt from priority processing. They are processed in the order in which they are received or returned from the MRT.