5 Priority Sectors Open Doors for Subclass 190 & 491 (Health, Edu, ICT, Infra, Agri).

If you are living in NSW and seeking to apply for the Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) visa or the Skilled Work Regional (Subclass 491) visa, you will need to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) for these visas. The NSW state government will then decide whether or not to invite you to apply for these visas based on factors such as your points score, English proficiency, and your relevant skilled work experience.

The NSW state government announced in September 2023, there will be a shift in how they will be assessing EOIs and selecting candidates. Whilst the NSW Government previously announced a set list of unit groups from the ANZSCO skilled migration list that would be considered for an invitation, now they have shifted to a priority sectors approach. The priority sectors that the NSW government will now prioritise for invitation are:

  • Health

  • Education

  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

  • Infrastructure

  • Agriculture

In effect, this means that any expression of interest with an occupation that fits under one of these 5 categories will be prioritised by the NSW government and therefore will stand a far higher chance of being invited.

Whilst the NSW government has not specified which occupations fall within which priority sector, below outlines some of the common occupations that would fall under each of these priority sectors.

Health

  • Registered Nurse

  • Medical Practitioner

  • Pharmacy Technician

Education

  • Teachers (early childhood, primary and secondary school)

  • University Lecturer/ University Tutor

  • School Principal

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

  • ICT Business Analyst

  • ICT Account Manager

  • ICT Security Specialist

  • ICT Support Engineer

  • ICT Support Technician

  • ICT Project Manager

  • Analyst or Developer Programmer

  • Software and Applications Programmer

  • Computer Network and Systems Engineer

Infrastructure

  • Construction Project Manager

  • Surveyor

  • System Engineer

  • Architectural, building and surveying technician

  • Civil Engineer

  • Engineering Manager

Agriculture

  • Animal attendant and trainer

  • Farm Worker

What if your occupation does not come under one of these sectors?

If your current occupation does not come under one of the above sectors, you are still permitted to submit an EOI and it will still be considered by the NSW government. EOIs with high point scores still can be invited. However, given the high demand for occupations in the 5 sectors listed above and the limited places available (2, 650 for subclass 190 visa and 1,500 for subclass 491 visa), the chances of being invited are now considerably lower.

For this reason, we recommend looking into alternative visa pathways available to you, such as the Employer-Sponsored visa programs. Alternatively, you can look to lodge an EOI in another State or Territory if you are willing to move interstate.

How Can Agape Henry Crux Help

Unsure whether your occupation fits under one of the priority sectors or you need assistance with finding alternative pathways to Skilled Migration in NSW given that your occupation does not fit under a priority sector. Contact us at Agape Henry Crux, our Accredited Specialist Immigration Lawyer(s) and our team of immigration lawyers and migration agents are specialised in handling highly complex matters. You may schedule an appointment with one of our lawyers or agents to seek professional advice by calling 02-8310 5230 or email us at info@ahclawyers.com.  

We speak fluent English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Malay. If this isn’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.

This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact our office.