Monthly · from the Department's own figures
The WIDEN Processing Times Report — September 2026
Short answer: against the Department's August 2026 figures, 26 visa streams got slower and 27 got faster at the 90th percentile. 482 nomination: 50% within 57 days, 90% within 9 months. Onshore partner (820): 50% within 23 months, 90% within 29 months.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 2026-09-05
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Edition
- September 2026
- Department's stamp
- 4 September 2026
- Streams covered
- 76
- Moved since last month
- 26 slower · 27 faster
- Published by
- Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536
What moved since August 2026
| Visa / stream | 90% within — August 2026 | 90% within — September 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner (Provisional) (309) | 30 months | 39 months | +9 mo |
| Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (491) — State/Territory Government Nominated Regional | 18 months | 26 months | +8 mo |
| Employer Nomination Scheme (186) — Direct Entry Pathway | 14 months | 21 months | +7 mo |
| Employer Nomination Scheme (186) — Transition Pathway | 15 months | 22 months | +7 mo |
| Partner (801) | 12 months | 17 months | +5 mo |
| Temporary Activity (408) — Religious Work | 13 months | 8 months | −5 mo |
| Training (407) | 18 months | 13 months | −5 mo |
| Student (500) — Higher Education Sector | 7 months | 71 days | −4.6 mo |
| Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (888) — Business Innovation | 7 months | 10 months | +3 mo |
| Partner (820) | 32 months | 29 months | −3 mo |
| Prospective Marriage (300) | 29 months | 26 months | −3 mo |
| Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (888) — Investor | 5 months | 7 months | +2 mo |
| Employer Nomination Scheme (186) — Agreement Pathway | 10 months | 12 months | +2 mo |
| Orphan Relative (117) | 97 months | 99 months | +2 mo |
| Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (191) — Regional Provisional Visa | 13 months | 11 months | −2 mo |
| Temporary Activity (408) — Exchange Arrangements | 74 days | 41 days | −1.1 mo |
| Transit (771) | 49 days | 16 days | −1.1 mo |
| Adoption (102) | 16 months | 17 months | +1 mo |
| Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (188) — Business Innovation Extension | 9 months | 10 months | +1 mo |
| Child (802) | 29 months | 30 months | +1 mo |
| Dependent Child (445) | 30 months | 31 months | +1 mo |
| Global Talent (858) | 24 months | 23 months | −1 mo |
| New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary) (461) | 5 months | 6 months | +1 mo |
| Partner (100) | 19 months | 18 months | −1 mo |
| Skilled - Independent (189) — Points-Tested | 9 months | 8 months | −1 mo |
| Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (494) — Employer Sponsored | 11 months | 12 months | +1 mo |
| Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (494) — Labour Agreement | 10 months | 11 months | +1 mo |
| Skills In Demand (482) — Labour Agreement | 9 months | 10 months | +1 mo |
| Skills In Demand (482) — Core Skills | 10 months | 9 months | −1 mo |
| Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (870) — Visa Application | 10 months | 9 months | −1 mo |
| Student Guardian (590) | 8 months | 7 months | −1 mo |
| Student (500) — Postgraduate Research Sector | 3 months | 60 days | −1 mo |
| Temporary Activity (408) — Research Activities | 12 months | 13 months | +1 mo |
| Temporary Graduate (485) — Post-Vocational Education Work | 3 months | 4 months | +1 mo |
| Temporary Graduate (485) — Post-Higher Education Work | 4 months | 3 months | −1 mo |
| Temporary Activity (408) — Entertainment Activities | 20 days | 47 days | +27 d |
| Temporary Work (International Relations) (403) — Government Agreement | 41 days | 23 days | −18 d |
| Student (500) — Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector | 31 days | 15 days | −16 d |
| Work and Holiday (462) | 36 days | 22 days | −14 d |
| Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity) (400) | 26 days | 39 days | +13 d |
| Student (500) — Independent ELICOS Sector | 62 days | 52 days | −10 d |
| Temporary Activity (408) — Superyacht Crew | 34 days | 27 days | −7 d |
| Temporary Activity (408) — Special Programs | 54 days | 49 days | −5 d |
| Working Holiday (417) | 25 days | 20 days | −5 d |
| Student (500) — Non-Award Sector | 21 days | 25 days | +4 d |
| Visitor (600) — Business Visitor | 24 days | 20 days | −4 d |
| Temporary Activity (408) — Sporting Activities | 50 days | 46 days | −4 d |
| Temporary Activity (408) — Invited for Other Social and Cultural Activity | 29 days | 26 days | −3 d |
| Visitor (600) — Tourist | 35 days | 38 days | +3 d |
| Skills In Demand (482) — Specialist Skills | 43 days | 45 days | +2 d |
| Maritime Crew (988) | 2 days | 1 day | −1 d |
| Temporary Work (International Relations) (403) — Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme | 28 days | 29 days | +1 d |
| Visitor (600) — Sponsored Family | 89 days | 3 months | +1 d |
Headline streams — September 2026
| Visa / stream | 50% within | 90% within |
|---|---|---|
| Skills In Demand (482) — Nomination | 57 days | 9 months |
| Skills In Demand (482) — Core Skills | 4 months | 9 months |
| Skills In Demand (482) — Specialist Skills | 15 days | 45 days |
| Employer Nomination Scheme (186) — Direct Entry Pathway | 13 months | 21 months |
| Employer Nomination Scheme (186) — Transition Pathway | 14 months | 22 months |
| Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (494) — Employer Sponsored | 4 months | 12 months |
| Skilled - Independent (189) — Points-Tested | 7 months | 8 months |
| Skilled - Nominated (190) | 5 months | 17 months |
| Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (491) — State/Territory Government Nominated Regional | 16 months | 26 months |
| Partner (820) | 23 months | 29 months |
| Partner (Provisional) (309) | 21 months | 39 months |
| Student (500) — Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector | 3 days | 15 days |
| Temporary Graduate (485) — Post-Vocational Education Work | 45 days | 4 months |
| Training (407) | 38 days | 13 months |
| Visitor (600) — Tourist | 18 days | 38 days |
Every one of the 76 streams is on the full processing-times table. Source: Department of Home Affairs, stamped 4 September 2026; read 2026-09-05.
How to read it
The Department publishes the time within which 50% and 90% of recently finalised applications were decided. Plan on the 90% figure: it is the number a decision-ready application should comfortably beat, and the number a weak one will not. A stream that gets slower month on month is usually a caseload signal, not a rule change — check the threshold and fee pages for anything that actually changed.
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Copy for LinkedIn, a newsletter or a client note — the same figures, already worded.
Previous editions
- September 2026 (this edition)
- August 2026
Questions we get asked first
What changed in Australian visa processing times in September 2026?
At the 90th percentile, Partner (Provisional) (309) moved from 30 months to 39 months; Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (491) — State/Territory Government Nominated Regional moved from 18 months to 26 months; Employer Nomination Scheme (186) — Direct Entry Pathway moved from 14 months to 21 months; Employer Nomination Scheme (186) — Transition Pathway moved from 15 months to 22 months. 49 other streams moved by smaller amounts.
How long does a 482 nomination take right now?
50% within 57 days, 90% within 9 months (Department of Home Affairs, 4 September 2026).
Where do these figures come from?
The Department of Home Affairs global visa processing times, read directly from the Department's own endpoint and republished unchanged. WIDEN adds the month-on-month comparison and the commentary; the figures themselves are the Department's.
When is the next report?
The Department re-stamps its figures around the 4th of each month; the WIDEN report is published within the following week, every month.
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