Change to the Skilled Migration Lists

The work visas in Australia interact closely with the occupation lists which can change every 6 months. The Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business is responsible for undertaking regular review of these lists so that they continue to reflect the needs of the Australian economy and labour market. 

In December 2019, consultation commenced (called the Traffic Light Bulletin) of the changes that they intend to make and invited comments by various stakeholders. Consultation closed in February 2020 and was intended to be implemented by the Government in about March-May 2020. However, due to COVID-19, all announcements have been postponed to an unknown date. 

Here is a summary of the likely changes to be made to some common occupations:

Occupations to be removed completely:

• Massage therapist 

• Careers Counsellor 

• Community Worker 

• Hairdresser 

Occupations that will become STSOL

• Automotive Electrician 

• Painting Trades Worker 

• Glazier 

• Wall and Floor Tiler 

• Real Estate Representative (This is moved up from the Regional Occupation List) 

• Aged or Disabled Carer, Nursing Support Worker, Personal Care Assistant (this was previously not on any list and will be included on the STSOL subject to mandatory skills assessment) 

Occupations that will become MLTSSL

• Sales and Marketing Manager (this will move up from STSOL with caveat regarding salary)

• ICT Project Manager (this will move up from STSOL with caveat regarding salary)

• Procurement Manager (this will move up from ROL with no caveats)

Occupations that will experience caveat changes

• Baker, Pastry Cook – suggested to include a salary caveat of $65,000. It is unclear whether the existing caveats will still apply

It is not known when the Department may officially announce these changes however given that the changes occur every 6 months, we feel that the next opportunity for change could occur in the next few months. Should your occupation fall within one of these categories, we urge you to contact a professional immediately to receive advice as to the best pathway for you and whether you need to lodge the application immediately or wait until these announcements are made. 

We also note that the summary above is subject to changes in the official announcement. 

How Can Agape Henry Crux Help You

If you want to find out more about your eligibility or need advice on your Australian migration matter, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can book a Migration Planning Session with one of our immigration lawyers to seek professional advice by calling 02-7200 2700 or email us to book in a time at info@ahclawyers.com.

We speak fluent English, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Indonesian, Burmese, and Malay. If these aren’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.

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