Highlights
- The Regional 489 visa is intended for skilled migrants to work in regional and high-needs parts of Australia.
- In 2019, several thousand people applied for a 489 visa, thinking processing time would only take up to eight months.
- The government stated that it is taking action to process visas faster.
Trabaho, Visa, atbp.' is a podcast series that features issues and information about migration to Australia every Thursday on SBS Filipino.
Listen to audio:
"I wish there was an update from Immigration or from the agent...if our application is still active. We haven't heard anything."
Ivee Opada, an OFW Qatar, has been waiting for more than three years for a conclusion to her Regional 489 Visa application.
She initially thought that because of the processing time mentioned on the government's website, she needed to only wait eight months.
Her nominated occupation is ICT Customer Support Officer. When she applied in 2019, the 489 Visa was only for migration to South Australia.
Although she only received 65 points, she handed in an application.
“We try to forget the application because the more we think about it, the more frustrated we get. Our lives here in Doha stopped. We postponed buying a car and moving homes so we could set aside money for Australia."
The family is now looking for other migration options, such as moving to Canada and returning to the Philippines.
A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs says that the government is "committed to supporting Australia’s economic recovery through addressing critical skills shortages and workforce gaps by supporting industry to attract and retain skilled visa holders."
SBS News has been told that there are about 1,500 primary and 4,200 secondary applicants who are stuck in limbo, with no certainty of their family's future.
According to a statement from Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles, the Albanese Government is determined to reduce the backlog and restore the importance of the immigration function of the Government.
He added, "The former government devalued immigration, with the visa application backlog increasing to nearly 1,000,000 on their watch."
The department is prioritising the processing of key offshore caseloads - such as temporary skilled, student, and visitor - to assist with labour shortages and economic growth.
Update as of 29 July 2023: Ivee Opada's Regional 489 Visa application has been approved.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. For specific visa advice, people are urged to check with the Department of Home Affairs or contact a trustworthy solicitor or registered migration agent in Australia.
