Key Points
- The processing time for skilled independent visa (Subclass 189) has jumped up to 45 months.
- Department of Home Affairs says as it is focussed on clearing visa application backlogs, processing times are impacted by the higher number of older cases being finalised.
- Australia's skilled independent visa (Subclass 189) allows its holders to live and work anywhere in the country.
- Invitations are issued periodically through the SkillSelect system to candidates for skilled migration who have expressed interest in migrating to Australia.
Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has received a high number of new applications in the first quarter of this program year, with 6,285 applications lodged by onshore applicants and 2,103 lodged by offshore applicants.
According to DHA official data, total applications lodged during 2020-21 stood at 8,529 and 7,512 in 2021-22.
New applicants will now join the queue of the Subclass 189 visa, a popular visa category which offers no restrictions to work and stay in the country. Currently, the processing time period for 90 per cent of these applications has risen to 45 months.
The federal government recently said that it has been making efforts to fast track visa processing for all visas including the Subclass189.
On 22 August 2022, over 12,500 invitations to apply for a visa (Subclass 189) were sent to professionals in key areas of skill shortage, targeting those in the health and education sectors whereas this month, another round of over 12,500 invitations was undertaken targeting engineering, healthcare and education occupations.
DHA says that invitations were issued to both onshore and offshore candidates.
There have been two invitation rounds so far this program year, with further rounds expected later in the year.Department of Home Affairs
Meanwhile, several onshore applicants are complaining that they are being treated 'unfairly' as the government has mostly invited offshore applicants.
"While there is a strong focus on additional offshore skilled migrants, to help ease workforce shortages, regular invitation rounds issued through the SkillSelect system will continue to include both onshore and offshore candidates," the DHA spokesperson explained.
The Subclass 189 visa lets invited workers with skills to live and work permanently anywhere in Australia. Credit: Epoxydude/Getty Images/fStop
"Onshore applicants have been invited but that number is low. Only those in critical sector like healthcare or aged care sector have been given preference. Its mostly offshore applicants who have received an invite and that is to fill worker shortages in the country," Ms Dua told SBS Hindi.
Ankit Sharma, who came to Australia in 2016 to study Masters in Information Technology (IT), says he filed his expression of interest in 2020 as an onshore applicant but did not receive an invite despite meeting the point criteria.
Ankit Sharma is still waiting for the invite for Subclass 189 visa.
Recently, he also a signed a petition seeking fairness for 189 onshore applicants. The petition was started over a week and has garnered over 3,500 signatures.
"I hope to receive a fair treatment. We already have relevant jobs and work experience so I don't see the point in not getting an invite," he commented.
Unlike many onshore applicants, for the 26-year old Maitri Nariya it has been a happy outcome.
Maitri Nariya is a registered nurse in Gold Coast, Queensland.
But in Mr Sharma's opinion, the visa processing delay is a concern because if the government changes its mind during this time to send invites to applicants, his efforts to reapply could be wasted.
