ART backlog 2026 figures show the scale of the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) workload at 31 August 2026.
At 31 August 2026, the Tribunal had 135,640 matters on hand across all jurisdictions.
That was 25,253 more matters than at 30 June 2025, an increase of approximately 22.9%.
But that number does not tell an individual applicant exactly how long their review will take.
Backlog figures and published review completion times need to be read separately.
This ART backlog 2026 guide uses the August reporting snapshot. The Tribunal’s caseload report counts matters still open; the completion-time page describes reviews that have already finished.
The short version
- 135,640 total matters were on hand across the Tribunal.
- 83,847 were migration matters.
- 35,625 were protection matters.
- 53,984 active matters involved study visas.
- Migration pending matters increased while protection pending matters decreased.
- Published waiting times vary significantly by review category.
What does the ART backlog 2026 figure include?
The 135,640 figure covers the whole Administrative Review Tribunal.
It includes migration and protection matters as well as jurisdictions outside immigration.
| Jurisdiction | Matters on hand at 31 August 2026 |
|---|---|
| Migration | 83,847 |
| Protection | 35,625 |
| Other jurisdictions combined | 16,168 |
| Whole Tribunal | 135,640 |
The other-jurisdictions figure is calculated by subtracting migration and protection from the total.
Those other matters include the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), social security and taxation.
Important: “backlog” here means matters remaining on hand.
It does not mean that every pending matter has exceeded a legal or administrative deadline.
Read the ART backlog 2026 total as a count of open matters, not a count of overdue decisions. A matter still in progress can be at any stage of review.
ART backlog 2026: nearly 54,000 study matters
Study visas accounted for 53,984 active matters at 31 August 2026.
That is approximately 64.4% of the total migration caseload of 83,847 matters.
These study matters are already included in the migration total and should not be added again.
The detailed migration report recorded 53,357 active refusal reviews for the Student visa (subclass 500).
The broader study figure also includes cancellation reviews and other study-related categories.
See the detailed study-visa table, page 5 for these separate categories. In the ART backlog 2026 snapshot, “Study Visas” is the broader reporting group; “Student refusal” is a category used in the completion-time table.
How has the ART backlog 2026 changed?
| Caseload | 30 June 2025 | 31 August 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole Tribunal | 110,387 | 135,640 | +25,253 |
| Migration | 56,684 | 83,847 | +27,163 |
| Protection | 42,759 | 35,625 | -7,134 |
The direction was not the same across every part of the Tribunal.
Migration matters increased substantially, while protection matters decreased.
It would therefore be misleading to say every part of the ART backlog increased.
Practitioner point: the overall headline can hide very different trends within each jurisdiction.
For visa applicants, the relevant review category matters more than the Tribunal-wide total.
The ART backlog 2026 comparison spans 30 June 2025 to 31 August 2026, about 14 months. It is not a one-year growth rate. Both columns show open matters at a date; the reports cover different periods for new and completed matters.
ART backlog 2026 and review completion times
The following selected categories cover reviews finalised between 1 March and 31 August 2026. This is a historical completion snapshot, not a forecast for a new review.
They measure the period from review lodgement to finalisation.
| Review category | 50% completed within | 95% completed within |
|---|---|---|
| Partner | 3 years 2 months | 3 years 11 months |
| Protection | 2 years 1 month | 4 years 11 months |
| Family | 1 year 9 months | 3 years |
| Nomination / sponsor approval | 1 year 6 months | 2 years 4 months |
| Temporary work | 1 year 6 months | 2 years 10 months |
| Student refusal | 1 year 5 months | 2 years 2 months |
| Student cancellation | 1 year 1 month | 1 year 7 months |
| Visitor | 1 year | 2 years 3 months |
These figures exclude matters where ART lacked jurisdiction. Migration figures exclude character and citizenship matters.
What do 50% and 95% waiting times mean?
The 50% figure is the median for reviews that were completed during the reporting period.
It means half of those completed reviews were finalised within that period.
The 95% figure means 95% of completed reviews were finalised within that period.
It is not a maximum waiting time.
Some cases took longer, and neither figure guarantees when a new or pending review will be finalised.
For example, a median of 1 year 5 months does not mean a pending case has that much time left. The ART backlog 2026 figures cannot tell you the remaining wait, even if you know when your review began.
ART review times are not Home Affairs visa processing times.
They measure Tribunal review proceedings after a review application has been lodged.
Why the ART backlog 2026 is not a countdown
A large pending caseload gives useful information about Tribunal workload.
It does not reveal where a particular review sits in the queue or when that review will be decided.
Different review categories have different volumes, complexity and processing patterns.
Simply dividing pending matters by recent monthly completions would create a misleading estimate.
The ART backlog 2026 total also says nothing about your chance of success. Keep the reason for refusal or cancellation, the evidence and the review process separate from statistics about how many matters remain open.
For applicants, the more useful questions are specific to the individual review.
- What decision is being reviewed?
- Which ART review category applies?
- What were the reasons for refusal or cancellation?
- What issues must the Tribunal consider?
- What evidence is available to address those issues?
Frequently asked questions about the ART backlog 2026
ART backlog 2026: caseload figures
How many matters were pending at the ART?
There were 135,640 matters on hand across the Tribunal at 31 August 2026. This ART backlog 2026 total includes migration, protection and other jurisdictions.
How many migration matters were pending?
The ART reported 83,847 migration matters on hand at 31 August 2026. Study visa matters are included in that number, so they must not be added again.
How many protection matters were pending?
The ART reported 35,625 protection matters on hand at 31 August 2026. That is 7,134 fewer than the 42,759 reported at 30 June 2025.
How many study visa matters were active?
Study visas accounted for 53,984 active matters, including refusal and cancellation reviews. Within that group, 53,357 were Student visa (subclass 500) refusal reviews at 31 August 2026.
Review completion times
How long were student refusal reviews taking?
50% were completed within 1 year 5 months and 95% within 2 years 2 months. These figures cover reviews completed from March to August 2026 and do not predict your finish date.
How long were partner visa reviews taking?
50% were completed within 3 years 2 months and 95% within 3 years 11 months. These are historical results for March to August 2026, not a deadline for your review.
What the figures cannot predict
Does the 95% waiting time mean my case must finish by then?
No. It describes completed reviews during the reporting period and is not a maximum or guaranteed timeframe.
Can the overall ART backlog predict my waiting time?
No. Individual timing depends on the review category, issues, evidence and circumstances of the matter.
Waiting for an ART migration review?
The headline backlog does not tell you what needs to be done in your individual case.
Millennium Migration can review the refusal decision, ART category and evidence relevant to your matter.
For advice beyond the ART backlog 2026 headline, explore Millennium Migration’s visa services or use the assessment below. The statistics alone cannot establish your review rights or prospects.
Free visa assessment Book a consultationAbout the author
Sam Lotfollahi is Principal of Millennium Migration, MARN 0901704, with seventeen years of migration practice across Melbourne and Adelaide. Check the MARA register.
For questions about your circumstances, book a consultation or contact the team via WhatsApp or email.
Sources
- ART Caseload Report: 1 July–31 August 2026
- ART Caseload Report: 14 October 2024–30 June 2025
- ART Migration Detailed Caseload Statistics 2026–27, to 31 August 2026 (page 5)
- ART processing times: reviews finalised March–August 2026
General information only, not migration advice. ART review strategy and prospects depend on the individual decision and circumstances. Outcomes depend on individual circumstances.
Caseload and processing-time figures in this article are current to 31 August 2026.
Sam Lotfollahi, Registered Migration Agent, MARN 0901704, leads Millennium Migration.