Australia Visa Guide 2026: Tourist, Skilled, and Family Pathways

(AUSTRALIA) Australia’s visa system is changing in 2026, and the biggest shift is for skilled workers: the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) is being replaced by the new Skills in Demand (SID) visa. At the same time, the permanent migration cap stays at 185,000 places for 2025–26, so planning and timing matter more than ever.

For tourists, students, families, and employers, the process remains mostly digital, but identity checks, English test options, and compliance rules are tightening. Prepare your documents early and follow the onshore limits on switching visas to save time and reduce refusal risk.

2025–26 program settings that shape every application

The government has kept the permanent migration cap at 185,000 for the 2025–26 program year. About 71% (132,200) of places sit in the skilled stream, while 28% (52,500) are for the family stream. That split signals where invitations and priority processing tend to land, particularly in health, tech, and regional jobs.

Housing pressure and security reviews after the 2025 Bondi incident are influencing decisions. There is increased focus on:

• Character checks
• Faster cancellations for visa holders involved in promoting violence or hatred
• Closer scrutiny of integrity and public safety factors

Visitor travel: ETA, eVisitor, and business visits

Most short-stay tourists use:

• Electronic Travel Authority (ETA, subclass 601), or
• eVisitor (subclass 651)

These allow multiple entries for tourism, visiting family, or short business meetings. Processing is often under 24 hours, and eligibility depends on nationality and purpose. Applications are submitted through the Department of Home Affairs online system, including the ImmiAccount portal: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/, where you can track messages and upload documents.

For longer or more formal business stays, use the Business Visitor stream of the Visitor visa (subclass 600). Typical features:

• Purpose: conferences, negotiations, site visits
• Usual length: up to three months per visit
• No paid work permitted
• 2026 enforcement distinguishes genuine business activity from job-hunting

Skilled work in 2026: from TSS to Skills in Demand

From 2026, the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS, subclass 482) is fully replaced by the Skills in Demand (SID) visa, organised around three streams tied to labour shortages and salary levels.

Notable changes:

• Work experience rule reduced from two years to one year, helping those who gained skills more quickly.
• Increased employer compliance and data matching with the Australian Taxation Office to detect sham arrangements and underpayment.

SID streams:

1. Critical Industry

– Aimed at roles with acute shortages, e.g., nursing.
2. Specialist Skills
– 7-day processing for high earners on at least $76,515.
3. Core Skills
– For other in-demand roles.

Practical effects:

• Workers: easier job changes and greater flexibility to move between approved employers while maintaining status.
• Employers: higher compliance expectations and closer monitoring.

Permanent pathways: employer and state nominations under a capped program

Most skilled permanent options still rely on either:

• Employer nomination (e.g., Employer Nomination Scheme, subclass 186), or
• State or territory nomination (e.g., Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190), Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491))

With 132,200 skilled places, competition is intense in popular occupations.

Jurisdictional tightening examples:

• Victoria: onshore work requirements
• New South Wales: six-month residence signals
• Western Australia: six-month job offer expectations

Regional pathways can convert to permanent status but require:

• Real settlement
• Steady work
• Careful record-keeping

Students and graduates: intake and post-study settings

Planned intake and integrity changes:

• International student intake: 295,000 in 2026 (up from 270,000 in 2025)
• Refusal rate: around 18%, influenced by caps and integrity checks
• Temporary graduate visa maximum age reduced from 50 to 35, affecting mature students and career changers

Additional points:

• Working Holiday demand is being managed via lotteries for high-demand countries
• Priority settings favour applicants tied to Southeast Asia and some pathway students who are exempt from caps

Family visas: steady numbers, higher evidence standards

Family migration remains set at 52,500 places and is led by:

• Partner visas (subclass 820/801)
• Parent and child categories for relatives of Australian citizens and permanent residents

Decision-makers are prioritising:

• Relationship proof
• Health checks
• Police certificates
• Truthful declarations

Most paperwork is uploaded online. Practical considerations:

• Onshore partner applicants can be prioritised
• Parent applications face sponsorship limits; plan finances and timing before lodging

A practical timeline: what applicants do and what Home Affairs does

Digital processes are now standard, though document requirements vary by subclass and personal history. Expect:

• Biometrics through the Immi App in 34 countries, expanding in early 2026
• Stronger character screening post-Bondi

Typical skilled or family case steps:

1. Choose the right visa and check eligibility

– Use the Home Affairs visa finder and online services: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder
– Confirm subclass and key limits, including “no visa hopping” rules
2. Gather documents and book checks
– Passports, skills assessments, English test results, police certificates, health exams — start before lodging
3. For points-tested visas, lodge an EOI
– Submit an Expression of Interest via SkillSelect
– Await invitation and potential state nomination
4. Apply online and respond fast
– Upload files, provide biometrics as required, and answer further information requests quickly
5. Wait for a decision and follow conditions
– Processing ranges:
– ETA: hours
– Partner visas: 6–24 months
– Skilled permanent cases: 3–12 months after nomination

Managing expectations: processing times and common pressure points

Processing snapshots (as of January 2026):

• Tourist ETAs: hours to one day
• Visitor (subclass 600) business cases: days to weeks
• SID Specialist Skills stream: 7 days for eligible high earners
• Other SID streams: often weeks
• Skilled permanent visas (190, 491): 3–12 months after nomination
• Partner and other family visas: 6–24 months

Apply three to six months ahead where possible and track updates via the visa processing times tool: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times

Key 2026 pressure points:

• Higher English thresholds
• Salary floor checks
• Tighter state nomination filters
• Closer employer monitoring through tax data
• Increased digital uploads and app-based biometrics to speed genuine cases

Warning: Integrity measures are increasing alongside faster processing for genuine applicants. Honest, complete evidence and timely responses are essential to avoid refusals or cancellations.

Choosing the right route: quick scenarios matched to 2026 rules

Common scenarios and recommended visa routes:

• Short holiday, family visit, or unpaid business meeting:
• ETA 601 or eVisitor 651
• Paid work is not allowed
• Conference trip needing more time or paperwork:
• Visitor visa 600 — Business Visitor stream
• Nurse, developer, or worker with employer offer in a shortage area:
• Focus on SID visa streams
• Plan early for employer-sponsored permanent visa or state nomination
• Student planning to stay after graduation:
• Factor in age limit 35 for temporary graduate visas and a higher refusal environment
• Family building a partner case:
• Collect shared address proof, joint finances, and clear statements early

For people with expired visas, the new online support service aims to help reapply or depart compliantly and reduce long bridging backlogs.

Key takeaways

• The move from TSS (subclass 482) to SID is the major skilled-worker change in 2026, with a one-year work requirement and new stream-based processing (including 7-day high-earning fast track).
• The permanent migration cap remains 185,000 for 2025–26, with 132,200 skilled and 52,500 family places — competition will be strong in popular occupations and regions.
• Digital processing, stronger biometrics, and tighter integrity checks mean: early preparation, accurate evidence, and realistic timing are essential for success.