We are skilled migrants, families, workers and employers calling on the Australian Government to urgently address prolonged processing delays for the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa.

We have followed the rules. We have paid the fees. We have contributed to Australia. Yet our futures remain uncertain.

For many applicants, the wait has stretched into months and years. Behind every pending application is a person trying to build a stable future, a family waiting to make important decisions, and an employer relying on a skilled worker.

This uncertainty is taking a serious emotional toll.

Imagine waking up every morning wondering whether today will be the day your application finally moves forward. Imagine struggling to concentrate at work, postponing plans to buy a home, delaying family decisions and constantly questioning whether the life you have worked so hard to build will remain secure.

This is not simply about visa processing. It is about people’s mental health, livelihoods and futures.

Many applicants work in hospitality, healthcare, construction, education and other industries across Australia. Some occupations receive higher processing priority, leaving applicants in other sectors concerned about how long they may continue waiting.

We recognise the importance of processing priorities and thorough immigration assessments. We are not asking for guaranteed approvals, preferential treatment or reduced integrity checks.

We are asking for reasonable processing timeframes, fair treatment and meaningful transparency.

Our requests

We respectfully call on Minister Tony Burke and the Department of Home Affairs to:

Urgently reduce subclass 186 visa processing backlogs by allocating sufficient resources to pending applications.
Publish clearer and more realistic processing information, including the impact of occupation-based priorities.
Introduce better communication and meaningful progress updates for applicants experiencing prolonged delays.
Ensure that non-priority occupations are not left waiting indefinitely while newer priority applications are processed.
Recognise the emotional, psychological and financial consequences of extended visa uncertainty for applicants and their families.
We are people, not application numbers.

We have invested years of hard work, commitment and hope into building our lives in Australia.

We contribute to local businesses, pay taxes, support our communities and raise our children here.

Yet we cannot confidently plan our futures because we do not know when our applications will be decided.

Our mental health matters. Our families matter. Our futures matter.

Minister Burke, we respectfully ask you to hear our voices and take meaningful action.

We are not asking you to promise us permanent residency.

We are asking you to give us a fair opportunity to receive a decision within a reasonable timeframe.

Please sign and share this petition to stand with the thousands of applicants and families seeking a fairer, faster and more transparent subclass 186 visa processing system.

Our lives should not remain on hold indefinitely.