Immigration Concession - September 2022expired

Blanket Concession for Pending Visa Applications (Initial)

Minister of Home AffairsIssued: 30 September 2022Effective: 1 September 2022Expired: 30 June 2023

Summary

First blanket concession addressing the DHA visa backlog (at one point 300,000+ applications). Protected applicants with pending long-term visa applications from becoming illegal.

Full Detail

Issued in response to the massive visa processing backlog dating back over 10 years. Foreign nationals with pending long-term visa applications were granted temporary protection from arrest, detention, and deportation. This was the first in a series of concession directives that have been extended multiple times through 2026.

Impact on Applications

First formal acknowledgment of the visa backlog crisis. Protected hundreds of thousands of applicants from becoming illegal while DHA processed their applications.

Official Source Document

Download or view the original directive document.

View Official Source

Affected Visa Types

general-workcritical-skills-workintra-company-transferstudy-visabusiness-visaspousal-visarelatives-visaretired-persons-visa