Australia’s migration program for the current new financial year 2020-2021 is driven by the need to assist Australia’s economic recovery.
The existing skilled migration occupation lists will remain active and visas will still be processed, but priority will be given to those in occupations on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL).
The Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL), comprises 17 occupations focusing mainly on the engineering, health and IT sectors.
It is a Combined list containing the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and Regional Occupation List (ROL) listing all occupations that are currently deemed needed to assist with Australia’s skilled labour shortage either independently, state sponsored or through the employer sponsored stream.
You must nominate an occupation from one of these lists and show that you can meet all relevant criteria for the grant of the visa.
Each state government/territory creates its own list eligible for state nomination under state nominated visa stream, i.e. subclass 190 and subclass 491 visa applications.
Candidates need to search whether their nominated occupations are on the state government’s occupation list before they proceed in seeking state nomination approval from the relevant state government.
Subclasses | Number of eligible occupations |
ENS visa (subclass 186) | 216 skilled occupations |
Skilled Independent (subclasses 189) | 212 skilled occupations |
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) | 427 skilled occupations |
Skilled Regional (Provisional) State or Territory nominated visa (subclass 491) | 504 skilled occupations |
TSS visa (subclass 482) | 508 skilled occupations |
Training visa (subclass 407) | 509 skilled occupations |
To ensure that only workers of a higher skill level are sponsored, some occupations on the lists are subject to caveats.
Examples of visa caveats include:
The Department of Education, Skills and Employment (formerly the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) is responsible for regularly reviewing the skilled migration occupation lists to ensure the skilled migration lists reflect genuine skills needs and enable businesses to temporarily access the skills they need to grow if skilled Australian workers are not available.
The MLTSSL and STSOL are reviewed at least biannually to ensure Australia is targeting those occupations which it needs in the short term. Occupations can move between the MLTSSL and the STSOL, or be removed from the lists altogether.
There is no guarantee that your occupation will remain on a list. Therefore, it is important for students to be aware that there is NO guarantee that your studies in Australia will lead you to gain Permanent Residency. We recommend you read our article ‘Which course will lead to PR in Australia?’
A “Traffic Light” system is being used – with some occupations flagged that are under consideration for a proposed change in their status on the STSOL and MLTSSL.
If an occupation has been removed from the list and you have not yet lodged your application with the relevant authorities, you may not be eligible for the visa application you have planned on applying for.
If you are a holder of a subclass 457 visa or have applied for/held a subclass 457 visa prior to 18 April 2017, you can contact our office to learn more about your eligibility for certain visas, as a grandfathering clause may be applicable to you under such circumstances.