TSS Visa Update
September 10, 2018
Ministerial Direction No. 77 – Order for processing applications lodged under the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (subclass 482) sets the order of priority for considering such applications – that is:
- applications lodged by accredited sponsors
- applications lodged for positions that are located in a regional Australia
- applications lodged under the Labour Agreement stream
- all other applications
If client’s application does not fall into above 1-3 categories, it will receive the least priority as per the ministerial direction.
Cessation of the priority processing service
The current service of priority processing requests for TSS and Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (Subclass 457) visa applications will cease on 5 September 2018. That is, any priority processing email requests which are received on, or after, this date will no longer be acknowledged. This is because:
- the receipt of large volumes of requests continues to impact resources available to process visa applications
- the Subclass 457 visa pipeline is expected to be finalised by the end of the calendar year and the processing network are pro-actively prioritising the remaining caseload, including closely monitoring visa applications where the related nomination application is shortly to expire
- TSS processing times are much faster than for the Subclass 457 visa, with prioritisation arrangements already in place, as outlined above.
Source: Department of Home Affairs https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/work/newsletters/september-2018
