Current Australian Immigration processing lead time as of December 2006

Current Australian immigration processing times for December 2006. It looks like the folks at the ASPC are still experiencing delays due to a backlog of applications - Note that due to the Christmas and New Year public holidays this is the last update available from the ASPC, the next updates will be available on the 15th January.

Applications have been allocated for processing over the next month so the dates below reflect the cases that will be processed in January of 2007. Therefore there may be some delays before applicants and their representatives receive advice from their case officers as they assess these applications. Please note that the ASPC will be closed from 25th to 27th of December 2006 and on 1 January 2007.

Acknowledgment of Applications

The ASPC is current experiencing some delays in receipting and acknowledging applications and regrets the inconvenience this may be causing applicants and their representatives. While this backlog exists information will be provided here about receipting. Please note that these delays do not affect the date on which a valid application is recorded as having been received and is the date used for processing purposes.

As of 19th December 2006 the ASPC is receipting offshore applications received on 13th of November 2006 and onshore applications received on 8th December 2006.

Please note that the update on allocation dates follows.

Processing and Allocation Information

As advised on the DIMA website processing of an application will usually commence within seven (7) working days of its receipt by the department. This means that an application is receipted, acknowledged and a file number is allocated.

Once this has occurred a case officer is appointed to assess each application as soon as possible, however, the ASPC receives a large number of applications and you will not be contacted immediately. Applications lodged on the dates shown below are currently being allocated to case officers for further processing.

As of 19th December 2006 the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre has allocated applications lodged on or before the following dates for processing in January 2007:

ONSHORE APPLICATIONS

Student/Graduate

Paper based applications: 16 August 2006 (subclass 880 ) and 21 August 2006
(subclass 881) and 24 August 2006 (subclass 882)
E-lodged (online) applications: 07 August 2006 (all subclasses)

Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (SIR VISA)

Paper based applications: 18 September 2006
E-lodged (online) applications: 07 August 2006

New Zealand

All applications: 15 June 2006 (all subclasses)

OFFSHORE APPLICATIONS

Applications for Classes BN, BQ and BR (subclasses 134, 136, 137, 138 and 139)

Priority Applications: 23- 26 May 2006
Non-Priority Applications: 9 May 2006

Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) (SIR VISA)

Paper based applications: 30 August 2006
E-lodged (online) applications: 13 December 2006

Notes

Onshore: means that the visa being applied for can be granted while the applicant is in Australia.

e-lodged: applications lodged online have quicker processing times.

SIR visas: All applicants for a Skilled - Independent Regional [SIR]

Offshore: means that the visa being applied for can only be granted when the applicant is outside of Australia.

If a visa application was made more than two weeks before the relevant date shown above and you have not been contacted by a case officer please contact the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre from the web page http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/visa-enquiries/professionals.htm

Applications eligible for priority processing

1. Applicants whose nominated occupation is on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL)

2. For applicants whose nominated occupation is not on the MODL, applications for any of the following visas are given priority:

a) Skill Matching (Migrant) (Class BR) - Subclass 134 - Skill Matching
b) Skilled - Independent (Migrant) (Class BN) – Subclass 137 - Skilled - State/Territory-nominated Independent
c) Skilled - Australian-sponsored (Migrant) (Class BQ) - Subclass 139 - Skilled - Designated Area – Sponsored
d) Skilled - Independent Regional (Provisional) (Class UX) - Subclass 495 - Skilled - Independent Regional (Provisional)
e) Skilled New Zealand (Residence) visa class (Class DB) - Subclass 863 - Skilled - Onshore Regional-Sponsored New Zealand Citizen
f) Skilled — Australian-sponsored Overseas Student (Residence) (Class DE) - Subclass 882 - Skilled — Designated Area-sponsored Overseas Student

Eligibility for priority processing does not mean that any processing requirements can be waived.

Finalising Applications

Please note that the information provided above is not about the time it will take to process an application to completion. The time it is expected to take to process a General Skilled Migration visa application to completion is detailed in the department’s service standards. Service standards are specified for applications lodged with complete documentation. Individual cases may take longer than the service standard depending on the completeness and complexity of the case.

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