The Department of Immigration and Citizenship have released their updated Client Service Charter giving some long awaited timeframe estimates to applicants with pending skilled migration applications and new applications lodged post 1 July 2010.

The Client Service Charter includes estimated timeframes for each of the 4 Processing Priority Groups effective from 14 July 2010 and separate estimates for onshore or offshore visa applications.

In relation to offshore GSM applications, some of the new Service Standards include the following:

Priority Group 1: 5 to 7 months (Non GSM – permanent Employer Sponsored Migration)

Priority Group 2: 12 months from date of lodgment (State Migration Plan Sponsored applicants post 1 July 2010 or a pre 1 July 2010 State Sponsorship application with a nominated application which is subsequently included on a State Migration Plan)

Priority Group 3: Applications lodged pre 1 July 2010 estimated to be finalised with by 31 December 2011. Applications lodged from 1 July 2010 estimated to be finalised 18 to 24 months from date of lodgment. (This Group relates to Applications with a nominated occupation on the New Skilled Occupation List – Schedule 3 List).

Priority Group 4: All other applications will only be processed once the above Priority Groups have been finalised.

Many applicants will be understandably disappointed with the lengthy Client Service Charter estimates.  In particular, applicants in Priority Group 4 -whose applications will be delayed as applicants continually apply in Priority Group 2 and 3 -  are the worst affected.  Other applicants adversely affected will be those who applied with State Sponsorship prior to 1 July 2010 with an occupation which is not subsequently included on a State Migration Plan resulting in their application being Priority Group 3 or 4. 

The substantial difference in processing time between Priority Group 2 and Priority Group 3 coupled with the recent legislative changes requiring applicants to have State Sponsorship approval at the time of lodgment of the application may make it worthwhile for many applicants to wait and see what the State Migration Plans hold before lodging their application. 

Prior to recent changes, applicants were able to apply for a Skilled Independent (subclass 175) and request their application to be assessed as a Skilled Sponsored (subclass 176) once they received State Sponsorship.  Now, if you apply for a 175 visa and subsequently obtain State Sponsorship, you would have to lodge a fresh application to be processed as a Priority Group 2 application and be required to pay a second visa application charge of AUD$2,575.00 to take advantage of the faster processing afforded to Priority Group 2. 

If you need assistance with your application, please take our FREE online visa eligibility assessment and select from one of our many services to have an experienced Australian immigration lawyer guide you through the process, including, our NEW Personalised Skilled Migration DIY Guide available for offshore applicants who want to prepare their own skilled visa application but still want the guidance of an experienced Australian immigration lawyer. 

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Other Articles Relevant to this Topic:

State Migration Plan Update
State Migration Plans For General Skilled Migration Delayed
New Priority Processing Guidelines take effect 14 July 2010