Delays to visa processing during COVID

As the COVID pandemic continues to disrupt global movement, many visa applicants are left wondering if Australia is processing visas.

While the Department of Home Affairs remains open, it is clear that processing priorities have shifted. Consequently, some visa applicants will be waiting longer for a final decision on their visa application.

A message from the Department of Home Affairs:

“Some visa processing times have been affected and applications may take longer to finalise. As a priority, the Department is processing visa applications for travellers who are exempt from our travel restrictions to support urgent travel.”

If you are applying for a visa outside of Australia, you should be prepared for a longer processing time.

Global visa processing times are updated on the Department website monthly.

Skilled visa grants during COVID

Details of Skilled visas (subclass 189, 190 and 491) granted between March – June 2020:

ONSHORE APPLICANTS
	Mar-20	Apr-20	May-20	Jun-20
Subclass 189	623	112	136	159
Subclass 190	762	524	621	484
Subclass 491	240	129	278	149
TOTAL	1,652	765	1,035	792

OFFSHORE APPLICANTS
	Mar-20	Apr-20	May-20	Jun-20
Subclass 189	127	7	0	<5
Subclass 190	151	20	6	7
Subclass 491	70	12	27	5
TOTAL	348	39	33	12

Source: The Department of Home Affairs

As you can see from the above data, minimal offshore visas have been granted since March 2020.

The COVID entry ban means all non-Australian citizens and non-residents cannot currently enter Australia.

Consequently, the processing of onshore visas has been prioritised and we expect this to continue until travel restrictions ease.

As visa processing during COVID develops, stay informed by following our dedicated webpage.

Each Australian state has different COVID restrictions in place. You should refer to the State Government website for the latest developments.

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