Ministerial Direction 119, which replaced Ministerial Direction 105 on 25 July 2026, introduces new processing priorities for many skilled visa nominations and applications in Australia. The new Direction gives higher priority to certain occupations, particularly law enforcement, defence, healthcare, teaching, and construction roles, while also considering whether an applicant was in Australia when they lodged their application. This change matters for skilled workers, employers, and migration planning because it may affect how quickly the Department of Home Affairs assesses some skilled visa applications. What Is Ministerial Direction 119? Ministerial Direction 119 is a new Australian Government direction that tells the