Where will a Kenyan skilled visa application sit in Australia's new processing queue?
Visa guide · 2026-09-21 · 4 min read
If you are applying from Kenya for a skilled visa to Australia, the order in which Home Affairs processes your application now depends heavily on two things: your sector and where you lodge from. Two new Ministerial Directions, MD 121 and MD 122, took effect on 19 September 2026 and replaced the old priority system under MD 119. This guide shows where a typical Kenyan applicant is likely to land.
Temporary skilled visas: MD 121
MD 121 covers the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa and its predecessor, the now-retired Temporary Skill Shortage visa. Applications are ranked in this order:
| Rank | Who is processed here |
|---|---|
| First | Priority sectors: Construction, Healthcare, Teaching, Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fishing, Resources, and anything tied to defence or law enforcement |
| Second | Specialist Skills stream applicants under the Skills in Demand visa |
| Third | People who were already in Australia when they lodged |
| Fourth | Solo applicants who lodged from outside Australia |
| Fifth | Everyone else |
A Kenyan applicant lodging alone from Nairobi or Mombasa in a priority sector sits at the front. The same person in a non-priority occupation, or lodging as part of a combined family application from overseas, is realistically at the back of the line.
Provisional and permanent visas: MD 122
MD 122 applies to a longer list: Skilled Independent (189), Skilled Nominated (190), Employer Nomination Scheme (186), the regional provisional visas (491, 494, 489) and the permanent options 191 and 887. The ranking is shorter: priority sector and national-interest applications first, then applicants who were in Australia at lodgement, then solo applicants who lodged from overseas, then everyone else.
What it means in practice
- If you work in a priority sector, your application should move faster than it would have under MD 119.
- Onshore applicants have moved up compared with most offshore ones.
- Combined applications lodged from overseas sit lowest, so budget for a longer wait.
Our post on the reforms behind this, what the minister's new rules mean for you, explains why construction and healthcare were singled out.
Directions that still apply
Two older directions continue outside MD 121 and MD 122. MD 114 covers the closed Business Innovation and Investment (188) and Business Talent (132) visas. MD 120, in effect since 25 July 2026, covers Class BX (858) visas, including the National Innovation visa and the closed Distinguished Talent and Global Talent programmes.
Preparing your Kenyan application
Because priority depends on how and where you lodge, a clean, complete file matters. Errors or missing documents can bump you out of a fast track entirely. Gather your passport, a KCSE or degree certificate, any NITA trade test certificate, and a DCI Certificate of Good Conduct if one is requested, which you can begin through eCitizen. A Kenyan qualification does not automatically equal an Australian licence, skills assessment or registration, so confirm what your occupation needs. For skills assessment topics, see RPLDirect. Look at roles that state employer sponsorship to see which occupations employers advertise, and prepare your CV with Build AI CV.
The department's processing time tool is a guide, not a promise. It reflects how long recently finalised applications took, and it does not check the details of your own case.
Common mistakes Kenyan applicants make
- Assuming your occupation is a priority sector without checking the list.
- Lodging a combined family application from overseas and expecting a quick result.
- Treating the processing time tool as a decision date.
- Submitting with missing documents and losing your place in a fast track.
Frequently asked questions
Which sectors are prioritised?
Construction, Healthcare, Teaching, Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fishing and Resources, plus defence or law enforcement.
Does lodging from Kenya put me at the back?
A solo offshore applicant ranks below onshore ones, but a priority sector application ranks first.
Should I lodge solo or with family?
Combined applications from overseas rank lowest, so ask an adviser how to weigh the trade-off.
Who should advise me?
For Australia, a migration agent registered with MARA. For New Zealand, a licensed immigration adviser or someone lawfully exempt.
Where can I read more?
See how the visa slowdown affects nurses and teachers.
Key takeaways
- MD 121 and MD 122 replaced MD 119 on 19 September 2026.
- Priority sectors are processed first; onshore beats offshore; combined overseas applications come last.
- MD 114 and MD 120 still apply to their own visas.
- A complete file protects your place in the queue.
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