Australia Risks Losing Skilled Tech Workers as IT Visa Processing Slows
Synopsis
Tech industry bodies warned a parliamentary inquiry that thousands of migrant technology professionals are “stuck in the middle” of visa changes, with more than half of those assessed by the Australian Computer Society still awaiting a government response.
Skilled migrant visas for technology workers are taking longer to process in Australia, and industry groups told a parliamentary inquiry that skilled migrants are experiencing long-term uncertainty.
The Joint Standing Committee on Migration in Melbourne received an update on the Australian Computer Society (ACS) operations director Betsy Gregg, who says that ACS evaluates approximately 20,000 migrant technology professionals annually. Over half of those surveyed in recent polls did not have any government response regarding their visa applications.
Visa priorities shift
The concerns are related to the changes in the processing priorities for skilled visas from 25 July 2026, under Ministerial Direction 119. In the new priority list, law enforcement and defence come first, followed by those in the construction, health and education sectors who are eligible.
Applicants who are already in Australia enjoy a priority over those from the offshore over the same occupation groups. The current direction does not include technology as one of the higher priority occupation groups.
Since November 2025, there had been a significant improvement in processing time with ACS, Gregg said. The organisation hopes to work up to 50% of skills assessments within 27 days but some applicants are going back for new skills assessments as their original assessments will expire after 2 years while they await for visa decisions.
Skilled migration applications have also seen mixed results, according to the Tech Council of Australia. A Skills in Demand subclass 482 visa application had been pending for over three months despite the recently announced processing time of 7 business days, one council member told the council.
Workforce data provides context
The Australian technology sector is the only industry to record a net decline in employment, reports the latest ACS Australia's Digital Pulse 2026, which saw the sector lose 0.3% of jobs in 2025. With technology job gains slowing, the report noted that previous migration levels might not necessarily be needed today, but access to skilled migrants is still important if there is an increase in demand.
Previous Digital Pulse figures put the number of tech staff needed in Australia at 1.3 million by 2030, translating to roughly 52,000 new tech workers being needed annually to keep the pace.
For companies based across both Australia and the USA, this is an internal mobility dilemma too. Faster training arrangements for specialist workers to move from overseas jobs to Australian roles could assist companies in addressing skills shortages, Business Council of Australia representatives told the inquiry.
Source: InformationAGE
Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
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