To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives

Petition of Certain Residents, Visa Applicants and Supporters

The Petitioners draw the attention of the House to the prolonged and excessive processing delays affecting the Subclass 191 – Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa.

The Subclass 191 visa was introduced to provide a clear and reliable permanent residence pathway for skilled migrants who have lived and worked in regional Australia for at least three years, complied with all visa conditions, and contributed to regional communities, essential industries and the Australian economy.

However, many applicants who meet all eligibility requirements are experiencing processing delays significantly exceeding published service standards, with numerous applications remaining undecided for more than 16 months, and in some cases considerably longer. At the same time, the published standard processing times for Subclass 191 visas have continued to increase, further extending uncertainty for applicants and making it difficult to plan for the future. In addition, we have already waited more than average 1.5 years for 491 and 494 visa grant in the past. These delays are occurring with limited transparency regarding queue order, prioritisation, or realistic expected timeframes.

As a result of these extended and increasing processing times, applicants and their families face ongoing uncertainty and significant practical difficulties, including but not limited to

• Restricted employment mobility, career progression and professional opportunities due to visa limitations.
• Inability to change employers, accept promotions, or pursue skill development aligned with workforce needs.
• Difficulties accessing finance, home loans and long-term housing due to temporary visa status.
• Limitations on travel, including challenges visiting family overseas or responding to family emergencies.
• Delays in family reunification and long-term settlement planning.
• Prolonged emotional and financial stress caused by indefinite waiting periods.

These impacts persist despite applicants having fulfilled their obligations to live and work in regional Australia. The continued extension of both actual and standard processing times undermines confidence in the regional migration framework and risks discouraging skilled migrants from making long-term commitments to regional Australia, contrary to the objectives of the program.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Representatives call on the Government to:

1. Allocate sufficient resources to address the backlog of Subclass 191 visa applications.
2. Publish clear, accurate and visa-specific processing timeframes for Subclass 191 applications.
3. Improve transparency and communication regarding application status, queue order and expected waiting periods.
4. Ensure applications are processed in a fair, consistent and timely manner in line with the intent of the regional migration program.

And the Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.