Source: Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) & Department of Home Affairs (DHA)

As Australia continues to refine its skilled migration programs, significant updates were released during the MIA–DHA Quarterly Stakeholder Meeting on 6 June 2025. The focus was firmly on the Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa and its transition to the Skills in Demand (SID) visa stream.

Here’s a summary of what you need to know—especially if you are an applicant, employer, or migration professional navigating the changing employer-sponsored landscape.

🔄 Subclass 482 TSS Visa – Finalising the Legacy Caseload

The Department is actively progressing towards clearing the remaining backlog of Subclass 482 visa applications:

• At SID implementation (7 Dec 2024), there were 51,166 TSS applications pending.
• By 4 June 2025, only 15% of these—around 6,600 applications—remained to be initially assessed.
• With secondary applicants included, the remaining workload exceeds 21,000 assessments, spread across sponsorship, nomination, and visa processing.

The Department reported that 80% of legacy applications have already been finalised or are undergoing further assessment.

⚠️ SID Visa – Strong Demand, System Challenges

As the transition to the SID visa gathers pace, it’s clear that demand is rising fast. To respond, the Department has:

• Redirected processing resources to support SID lodgements.
• Targeted processing timeframes:
  • 7 days for the Specialist Skills Stream
  • 21 days for the Core Skills Stream

However, there are ongoing challenges:

• ImmiAccount system issues are creating delays. Cases are often flagged as incomplete due to upload glitches—despite documents being submitted.
• MD 105 (Ministerial Direction) does not apply to SID-only applications, impacting how priority is assigned in the queue.

These technical and policy complexities continue to affect visibility and efficiency in decision-making.

🧾 Department & MIA Collaboration

The Department acknowledged that further clarity is needed on what constitutes a decision-ready application, particularly under the SID framework. A dedicated session for migration professionals may be organised in the upcoming program year to address this issue and align expectations.

🎯 Key Takeaway

As the General Skilled Migration (GSM) pathway narrows—through more targeted invitations and stricter quotas—employer-sponsored visas are gaining momentum. The surge in SID visa applications reflects this shift.

But with rising demand comes inevitable processing pressure. While the Department is actively working to meet SID visa timeframes, it remains to be seen whether these targets can realistically be maintained. For now, the system is holding—but only time will tell how sustainable it is.

💬 Need advice on choosing between GSM and Employer Sponsorship pathways?
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📌 This blog summarises official updates for general information only. For personalised advice, consult a Registered Migration Agent.