Australian Immigration Updates 2026: Student Visa, Skilled Visa Priorities, Tasmania 190/491, and DAMA Changes
The Australian Immigration Latest Updates bring major developments across Student Visas, skilled migration, state nomination, Partner Visas, DAMA arrangements, Working Holiday visas, and visa processing priorities. Over the past few weeks, Australia has recorded a decade-high Student Visa refusal rate, Tasmania has continued issuing Subclass 190 and 491 invitations, the Northern Territory has opened its 2026–27 nomination program, Home Affairs has introduced new skilled and Family Visa processing priorities, AITSL has increased teacher migration assessment fees, and the Far North Queensland DAMA has changed how employers can plan future positions.
Australian Immigration Updates 2026: What Has Changed?
The most important developments include:
- Australia’s primary Student Visa refusal rate reached 24.2% in 2025–26, the highest level in a decade.
- More than 51% of Student Visa applications from Nepal and more than 40% from India faced refusal during 2025–26.
- Tasmania issued 59 Subclass 190 and 491 invitations on 3 September 2026.
- Tasmania currently has 1,036 Subclass 190 places and 737 Subclass 491 places available.
- Tasmania opened its 2026–27 program to new ROIs on 17 August 2026.
- The Northern Territory opened its 2026–27 skilled nomination program on 21 August 2026.
- Home Affairs expects the next Subclass 189 invitation round by 30 September 2026.
- Ministerial Direction 119 changed skilled visa processing priorities from 25 July 2026.
- Ministerial Direction 117 changed Family and Partner Visa processing priorities from 25 July 2026.
- The FNQ DAMA now allows employers to plan positions across future years of their labour agreement.
- AITSL introduced higher teacher migration assessment fees from 7 September 2026.
- Victoria’s 2026–27 skilled nomination program has not yet opened.
- The ACT still awaits its 2026–27 nomination allocation.
- Indonesia will introduce a new Subclass 462 ballot later in 2026.
- Several first Subclass 462 country caps currently remain paused.
Let’s look at each change in detail.
1. Australia Introduces New Skilled Visa Processing Priorities
One of the biggest Australian immigration updates in August concerns the order in which Home Affairs processes skilled visa applications.
Ministerial Direction 119 came into effect on 25 July 2026 and replaced Ministerial Direction 105.
Home Affairs updated its skilled visa processing information on 29 July 2026.
Most importantly, the new direction considers:
- the applicant’s occupation; and
- whether the applicant was inside or outside Australia when they applied.
Therefore, location now plays a much more significant role in skilled visa processing priority.
Onshore Skilled Visa Applicants Receive Higher Priority
Under Ministerial Direction 119, Home Affairs generally gives applicants who applied while in Australia higher processing priority than comparable applicants outside Australia.
The Department applies the following broad order:
- Onshore applicants in occupations supporting Australia’s law enforcement and defence interests;
- offshore applicants in those law enforcement and defence occupations;
- onshore applicants in construction, healthcare, and teaching occupations;
- other eligible onshore skilled applicants; and
- other offshore skilled applicants.
Consequently, healthcare professionals, teachers, and construction workers who applied while in Australia may benefit from a higher place in the processing order.
2. New Family and Partner Visa Processing Priorities
The Government also changed Family visa processing during the same period, marking another important development in the Australian immigration updates.
Ministerial Direction 117 commenced on 25 July 2026 and replaced Ministerial Direction 102.
Under the new direction, Home Affairs gives its highest overall priority to eligible Family visa applications where:
- the primary applicant applied while in Australia; and
- Home Affairs can grant that visa while the applicant remains in Australia.
Within those groups, Partner and dependent child visa applications receive a higher category priority than several other Family visa categories.
What does this mean for Partner visa applicants?
Home Affairs now states that onshore Partner visa Subclasses 820 and 801 receive the highest general priority, while offshore Partner Subclasses 309 and 100, and Prospective Marriage Subclass 300 applications receive lower priority.
Therefore, some offshore Partner visa applicants may experience longer processing as compared with eligible onshore applications.
3. Australian Immigration Updates: Tasmania Opens Its 2026–27 Skilled Migration Program
Tasmania has delivered one of the biggest state migration announcements of August.
The Tasmanian Skilled Migration State Nomination Program opened to new Registrations of Interest on 17 August 2026.
Tasmania received a total of 2,050 nomination places for the 2026–27 program year:
| Visa | Tasmania Allocation |
|---|---|
| Subclass 190 | 1,250 places |
| Subclass 491 | 800 places |
| Total | 2,050 places |
At Emigrate Lawyers, our immigration lawyers can help applicants assess their eligibility for Tasmanian nomination and explore suitable Subclass 190 or 491 visa pathways.
4. Tasmania Issues More Subclass 190 and 491 Invitations
Tasmania issued another invitation round on 3 September 2026.
Migration Tasmania invited:
- 34 Subclass 190 applicants
- 25 Subclass 491 applicants
That produced 59 invitations in total.
The lowest ROI scores invited were:
- Subclass 190 – 519
- Subclass 491 – 82
After the round, Tasmania reported:
- 908 submitted Subclass 190 ROIs
- 592 submitted Subclass 491 ROIs
How Many Tasmania Nomination Places Remain?
As at 3 September 2026, Tasmania reported:
- 1,036 Subclass 190 places available
- 737 Subclass 491 places available.
Migration Tasmania continues to issue invitations weekly.
It has also reported fewer Gold Subclass 190 ROIs and fewer new ROI submissions. Therefore, Tasmania expects that it may issue more non-Gold Subclass 190 invitations in coming weeks.
An invitation does not automatically guarantee nomination. Tasmania may still verify whether the applicant can support the priority attributes claimed in the ROI.
5. Tasmania Changes Its Offshore Subclass 491 Strategy
For the 2026–27 program year, Migration Tasmania does not currently plan to issue invitations through the Subclass 491 Overseas Skilled Occupation Profiles invitation-only pathway.
However, some offshore health and teaching professionals with eligible job offers from Tasmanian employers may still qualify for relevant Subclass 190 pathways.
Therefore, overseas applicants who previously planned to pursue Tasmania’s Subclass 491 pathway should review their migration strategy before proceeding.
Emigrate Lawyers can assist offshore skilled migrants in assessing alternative state nomination, employer-sponsored, or regional visa options.
6. Australian Immigration Updates: Major FNQ DAMA Change Announced
On 30 July 2026, the Cairns Chamber of Commerce announced a policy change affecting the Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement (FNQ DAMA).
Previously, employers could face a more restrictive approach to requesting positions during the first year of a labour agreement.
However, Home Affairs has now encouraged Designated Area Representatives to consider a business’s current and future workforce needs across the five-year life of the agreement.
What Does the FNQ DAMA Change Mean?
Eligible employers may now seek endorsement for occupations and positions across future years of their labour agreement, where appropriate.
This can also include planning for Employer Nomination Scheme Subclass 186 pathways for workers who initially hold a Skills in Demand visa.
As a result, employers may be able to create a more structured long-term migration and workforce strategy.
7. ACT Skilled Migration Applicants Await the 2026–27 Allocation
The ACT now allows applicants to manage Canberra Matrix submissions through its migration application portal.
A Canberra Matrix generally remains valid for six months. If an applicant makes an eligible update, the ACT can extend its validity by another six months, up to a maximum of 12 months from the original submission date.
However, as at 26 August 2026, the ACT Government still states that its 2026–27 nomination allocation has not been announced.
The ACT exhausted its previous 2025–26 allocation of:
- 800 Subclass 190 places; and
- 800 Subclass 491 places.
Therefore, applicants should get updated with Australian immigration updates for the next ACT allocation and invitation-round announcement before relying on previous program settings.
8. Australian Student Visa Refusal Rate Hits a 10-Year High
One of the biggest Australian Immigration Latest Updates concerns international students.
Department of Home Affairs data reported by ABC shows that the refusal rate for primary Student Visa applicants reached 24.2% in the year to June 2026.
That represents the highest refusal rate recorded in a decade.
The refusal rate also varies significantly between nationalities.
During 2025–26:
- more than 51% of Student Visa applications from Nepal faced refusal;
- more than 40% of applications from India faced refusal; and
- China recorded a refusal rate of approximately 5.8%.
These figures do not mean Home Affairs automatically refuses applications based on nationality. Home Affairs assesses each application against the relevant visa criteria.
However, the latest figures clearly show that Student Visa applicants now face significantly greater scrutiny.
9. Next Subclass 189 Invitation Round Expected by 30 September 2026
Another major upcoming development concerns the Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa.
Home Affairs expects the next Subclass 189 invitation round by 30 September 2026.
Applicants waiting for an invitation should review:
- points claimed;
- English language results;
- skills assessment validity;
- employment history;
- qualifications;
- partner points; and
- changes in circumstances.
Home Affairs relies on the information in SkillSelect when issuing invitations. Therefore, applicants should keep their EOI accurate and current.
An invitation does not guarantee a Subclass 189 visa. Home Affairs will still assess whether the applicant satisfies the visa criteria and can support the points claimed.
10. Victoria’s 2026–27 Skilled Migration Program Has Not Yet Opened
As at 10 September 2026, Victoria’s 2026–27 skilled nomination program has not yet opened.
Victoria nominates eligible applicants for:
- Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated Visa; and
- Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional Visa.
Applicants should not assume that previous-year selection settings will remain unchanged.
In the meantime, prospective Victorian applicants should keep their SkillSelect EOI accurate and monitor official announcements.
11. AITSL Teacher Migration Fees Increased on 7 September 2026
Teachers pursuing skilled migration now face higher AITSL assessment fees.
From 7 September 2026, AITSL charges:
- Skills Assessment – AUD $1,198
- Appeal of Assessment Outcome – AUD $938
- Skilled Employment Statement – AUD $265.
AITSL may also provide a partial refund of $982 where assessment has not started.
Once assessment begins, AITSL will not issue a refund.
This change matters for teachers considering Subclass 189, 190 or 491 pathways that require an AITSL skills assessment.
12. Indonesia Will Move to a Subclass 462 Ballot
Indonesia will move to a ballot process for first Subclass 462 Work and Holiday Visa applicants.
Home Affairs expects ballot registrations to open later in 2026, although the exact date has not yet been confirmed.
Eligible applicants will need to participate in the ballot.
A previous Indonesian Government Letter of Support does not automatically reserve a visa place or provide priority.
Upcoming Australian Immigration Latest Updates to Watch
Several important developments remain ahead.
Subclass 189 Invitation Round
Home Affairs expects the next Subclass 189 invitation round by 30 September 2026.
Applicants should ensure that their SkillSelect EOI remains current and accurate.
Victoria 2026–27 Program Opening
Victoria has not yet announced the opening date for its 2026–27 skilled nomination program.
Applicants should monitor future announcements about:
- eligibility;
- priority occupations;
- ROI requirements; and
- nomination settings.
ACT 2026–27 Allocation
The ACT still awaits its new skilled migration allocation.
Once it receives the allocation, applicants should watch for new invitation round dates and Canberra Matrix settings.
Indonesian Subclass 462 Ballot
Indonesia’s new ballot system should open later in 2026.
Applicants should wait for official dates before relying on unofficial registration information.
Tasmania Weekly Invitations
Tasmania continues to issue invitations progressively.
Therefore, Subclass 190 and 491 applicants should monitor ROI trends and weekly nomination activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What are the new updates for immigration in Australia?
A- Recent Australian immigration updates include new skilled and Family visa processing priorities under Ministerial Directions 117 and 119, as well as Tasmania opening its 2026–27 Subclass 190 and 491 nomination program.
Q2. What are the upcoming immigration changes in Australia in 2026?
A- Applicants should watch for further 2026–27 state and territory nomination allocations, invitation rounds, and skilled migration program announcements as jurisdictions finalise their settings. Requirements and priorities may continue to change throughout the program year.
Q3. Why is Australia rejecting student visas?
A- Australia is rejecting more Student Visa applications because the government is tightening immigration controls, reducing misuse of the international education system, and applying stricter scrutiny to the Genuine Student requirement. Applications with weak study intentions, unclear career links, inconsistent information, or questionable course choices face a higher risk of refusal.
Q4. Q4. When is the next Subclass 189 invitation round?
A- Home Affairs expects the next Subclass 189 invitation round by 30 September 2026. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Stay Updated With Australian Immigration Changes
The Australian Immigration latest updates show significant movement across Student Visas, skilled migration, state nomination, Partner Visas, and Working Holiday pathways. Because migration rules and program settings can change quickly, applicants should verify current requirements before lodging, updating, or withdrawing an application.
If a recent immigration change affects your visa application, nomination, refusal, or future pathway, Emigrate Lawyers can assess your circumstances and provide legal advice about your available options.
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