Employer Nominated Visa Processing Times

Employer Visas application processing times

On this page you can find processing times for the 186 visa, the 494 visa, the 482 Skills in Demand visa and temporary work visas.

Visa Type	Stream (if available)	75% of applications processed in	90% of applications processed in

186 Employer Nomination Scheme	Agreement	6 months	13 months
186 Employer Nomination Scheme	Direct Entry	7 months	12 months
186 Employer Nomination Scheme	Temporary Residence Transition	15 months	18 months
494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional	Employer Sponsored	12 months	14 months
494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional	Labour Agreement	5 months	8 months
400 Temporary Work (Short Stay)		31 days	45 days
400 Temporary Work (Short Stay)	Highly Specialised Work	23 days	46 days
403 Temporary Work (International Relations)	PALM stream (long-term)	8 days	11 days
403 Temporary Work (International Relations)	PALM stream (seasonal)	9 days	14 days
403 Temporary Work (International Relations)	Government Agreement	59 days	12 months
403 Temporary Work (International Relations)	Foreign Government Agency	8 months	15 months
403 Temporary Work (International Relations)	Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular)	Processing times are not available.	Processing times are not available.
403 Temporary Work (International Relations)	Privileges and Immunities	27 days	82 days
407 Training		4 months	10 months
408 Temporary Activity	Australian Government Endorsed Events	4 months	6 months
408 Temporary Activity	Domestic Work for Executives	Processing times are not available.	Processing times are not available.
408 Temporary Activity	Exchange Arrangements	Processing times are not available.	Processing times are not available.
408 Temporary Activity	Superyacht Crew	6 months	8 months
408 Temporary Activity	Special Programmes	11 months	14 months
408 Temporary Activity	Religious Work	8 months	14 months
408 Temporary Activity	Research Activities	3 months	12 months
408 Temporary Activity	Invited for Other Social and Cultural Activity	8 days	19 days
408 Temporary Activity	Sporting Activities	32 days	3 months
408 Temporary Activity	Entertainment Activities	53 days	24 months
417 Working Holiday		28 days	3 months
462 Work and Holiday*		10 months	20 months
482 Skills in Demand visa processing times
482 TSS visa processing times (earlier applications)

Faster processing

Some employer sponsored applications are processed faster than others:

nominations and visa applications linked to accredited sponsors are given priority
nominations for positions in regional Australia, including the 494 visa, are prioritised
a complete, decision-ready application with all supporting documents is the best way to avoid delays and requests for more information

Circumstances that affect processing times

We assess applications on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:

whether you have lodged a complete application, including all necessary supporting documents
how promptly you respond to any requests for additional information
how long it takes to perform required checks on the supporting information provided
how long it takes to receive additional information from external agencies, particularly in relation to health, character, and national security requirements
for permanent migration visa applications, how many places are available in the migration programme
for citizenship applications, the time taken to attend a Citizenship Ceremony or receive a Citizenship Certificate.