Sponsoring staff in hospitality or trades? The visa queue has changed
If you have lodged a Skills in Demand (subclass 482) or Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) application recently and it seems to be taking longer than you expected, there may be a reason. The order in which the Department of Home Affairs processes skilled visas changed on 19 September 2026, and the change matters for which businesses move ahead and which wait.
At the same time, a new law allowing the Department to publish information about approved work sponsors is now in force. Here is a plain summary of both, and what they could mean for hospitality and trades employers.
What changed on 19 September
Two new Ministerial Directions, numbers 121 and 122, came into effect on 19 September 2026 and replaced the processing priorities in Ministerial Direction 119. Direction 121 covers temporary skilled visas, including the subclass 482. Direction 122 covers provisional and permanent skilled visas, including the subclass 186 and 494.
For subclass 482 applications, the Department now processes in this order:
Applications in the construction, healthcare, teaching, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and resources sectors, or applications connected to Australia’s law enforcement and defence interests.
Specialist Skills stream applications.
Applicants who were in Australia when they lodged.
Applicants who were outside Australia when they lodged and whose application is not combined with another person’s (for example, no partner or children included).
All other applications.
For the subclass 186 and other permanent and provisional skilled visas, the order is similar: the same priority sectors first, then applicants who were in Australia at lodgement, then offshore applicants applying on their own, then everyone else.
Importantly, these Directions set the order of processing. They do not change the eligibility criteria, and being in a higher group does not mean an application will be approved.
Where hospitality and trades fit
Hospitality is not one of the listed priority sectors. In practical terms, that means a chef, cook or restaurant manager application will usually sit in group three if the worker was in Australia when they applied, and further back if they applied from overseas, particularly if family members are included.
Construction is a priority sector, so some trades employers may find their applications sit in the first group. The Department’s published summary does not set out in detail how it decides whether an application falls within “construction”, so it is worth getting advice on how your business and the nominated occupation are likely to be treated rather than assuming.
A public register of sponsors
The Migration Amendment (Combatting Migrant Exploitation) Act 2026 allows the Department to publish information about approved work sponsors. This can include the business name, ABN, the type of sponsorship approval, the number of nominations lodged and the occupations nominated. Individual workers’ names are not part of it.
The register itself had not been launched at the time of writing. When it is, current and prospective sponsored workers, other employers and unions will be able to see which businesses sponsor and for which roles. For most compliant sponsors this is simply more visibility, but it is a good prompt to make sure your sponsorship records are accurate.
What this means for you
Plan for waiting time. Check the Department’s processing time tool before you promise a start date, and build some buffer into rosters and project timelines.
Think about where the worker is. Under the new order, onshore applicants generally sit ahead of offshore applicants outside the priority sectors.
Lodge a complete application. Nominations and visa applications that need further information take longer, wherever they sit in the queue.
Check your records. With a public register coming, make sure your sponsorship approval details, nominated occupations and obligations are in order.
Get advice early on any construction-related role, so you understand how it is likely to be treated.
Talk to us
If you are weighing up sponsorship or already have applications in the queue, Bondi Migration can help you review your options and timing. Contact our Bondi Beach office for a confidential discussion about your business.
Brendan Muldoon, Registered Migration Agent MARN 0742052
Bondi Migration Pty Ltd, 39 Gould Street, Bondi Beach NSW
This article is general information only and is not migration advice. Visa rules and processing arrangements change often, and outcomes and timeframes are never guaranteed. Please seek advice about your own circumstances before acting.
