February 9 2026:
ENS (Subclass 186) processing update and prioritisation framework
The Department of Home Affairs has provided updated information on how Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) applications are prioritised and currently processed.
Skilled visa applications are processed according to government policy priorities, which are outlined in Ministerial Direction No. 105.
Here’s what you need to know:
Ministerial Direction No. 105 provides an order of priority of the following visas:
- Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa
- Subclass 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa
- Subclass 482 Skills in Demand
- Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa.
Skilled visa applications are processed in the following order of priority:
- 1. Applications for occupations located in designated regional areas*.
2. Visa applications in relation to a healthcare or teaching occupation. - 3. For employer sponsored visas, visa applications where the applicant is nominated by an Approved sponsor with Accredited Status.
- 4. For permanent and provisional visa subclasses, visa applications that count towards the migration program, excluding the Subclass 188 (Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional)) visa.
- 5. All other visa applications.
All other skilled visa applications are assessed in order of date of lodgement. Processing times for applications with lower priority under the current Ministerial Direction may exceed standard processing timeframes.
* For further information on where is considered a designated regional area, see Regional migration (homeaffairs.gov.au)
The ENS program is also subject to Migration Program planning levels. For the 2025–26 program year, 44,000 places are allocated to ENS visas, including both primary and secondary applicants.
Allocation Insights – as at February 2026
If you are still awaiting a visa decision, the priority framework can help explain why processing times may vary
As at February 2026, the Department has released the following allocation insights, to assist manage your expectations
| Application Types allocated as at Feb 2026 | Date of Lodgement |
|---|---|
| Applications for occupations located in designated regional areas | Application lodged April 2025 |
| Applications for healthcare or teaching occupations | Application lodged April 2025 |
| Applications nominated by an accredited sponsor | Applications lodged January 2025 |
| All other applications | Applications lodged June 2024 |
| Note: # | # The Department does not provide exact processing timeframes for individual applications |
Organisations planning future sponsorship should consider how accreditation status and nomination strategy may influence priority processing outcomes
If you need assistance or have any questions about these changes, contact us today for expert support in lodging your Employer Sponsored Work Visa applications.
