List of Eligible Skilled Occupations 2017-2018
Occupations for employer sponsored visa programs
Combined list of eligible skilled occupations for subclasses 457 and 186
- Employer Nominated Scheme (subclass 186) – Direct Entry Stream
- Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)
As the occupations available are, however, the same, a single list of these occupations is provided below in alphabetical order (for ease of reference). Details on this website bellow.
Training visa (subclass 407) – Nomination eligibility type 2 – Occupational training to enhance skills in an eligible occupation. See: IMMI17/071 Specification of Occupations—Subclass 407 Visa
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017L00834
If you are applying for any of the below:
- Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) – Points-tested stream
- Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) – Family nominated
- Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) – Graduate Work Stream.
You will need to nominate an occupation from the MLTSSL of the relevant legislative instrument – see: IMMI 17/072 Specification of Occupations and Assessing Authorities.
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017L00850
If you are applying for any of the below:
- Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
- Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) – State or Territory nominated.
You will need to nominate an occupation from the same legislative instrument above. Additional occupations included in the STSOL will, however, also be available to you.
Note: the above instrument also restricts the use of certain occupations to certain subclasses listed above.
Removed occupations
On 1 July 2017, 12 occupations were removed entirely from the list of eligible skilled occupations. See: Summary of 1 July 2017 changes to the lists of eligible skilled occupations.
If your occupation has been removed from the list, you will be impacted if:
- you apply for one of the following visa programs on or after 1 July 2017:
- Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) – Direct Entry Stream
- Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
- Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
- Training visa (subclass 407) – Nomination eligibility type 2 – Occupational training to enhance skills in an eligible occupation.
- Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)
- Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
- Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489)
- Your subclass 457 visa or nomination application is still being processed by the Department on 1 July 2017. In such cases, your application cannot be approved. Once your application has reached the assessment stage, you will be contacted by the Department and given the opportunity to withdraw your application in writing. Alternatively, you can request a withdrawal in writing at any time and request a refund of the application fee. If you do not withdraw your application, it will be refused.
- This means that any applications already lodged before 1 July 2017 for the above visa subclasses (other than a 457 visa) will not be impacted (even if the occupation was removed on 1 July 2017).
- If you already hold a subclass 457 visa, you will not be impacted by these removed occupations unless you apply for a further subclass 457 visa or are changing your occupation or employer.
- Your subclass 457 visa or nomination application is still being processed by the Department on 1 July 2017. In such cases, your application cannot be approved. Once your application has reached the assessment stage, you will be contacted by the Department and given the opportunity to withdraw your application in writing. Alternatively, you can request a withdrawal in writing at any time and request a refund of the application fee. If you do not withdraw your application, it will be refused.
This means that any applications already lodged before 1 July 2017 for the above visa subclasses (other than a 457 visa) will not be impacted (even if the occupation was removed on 1 July 2017).
If you already hold a subclass 457 visa, you will not be impacted by these removed occupations unless you apply for a further subclass 457 visa or are changing your occupation or employer.
Caveats on occupations
As of 1 July 2017, caveats apply to 67 occupations for the purposes of the following visa programs only:
- Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)
- Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) – Direct Entry Stream.
These caveats are designed to ensure that the above visa programs are used to fill skilled positions that cannot be filled via the local labour market. If you are working in a highly skilled position, you are unlikely to be impacted by these arrangements.
A summary of Caveats on occupations:
That apply to particular occupations is available. For the specific wording of each caveat, see the relevant legislative instrument listed above.
The caveats apply to:
- subclass 186 visa and nomination applications lodged on or after 1 July 2017
- subclass 457 visa and nomination applications which:
- are lodged on or after 1 July 2017
- Were lodged before 1 July 2017 and have not yet been decided by the Department.
If your occupation is now subject to a caveat, an officer will assess whether the caveat applies in the particular circumstances of your nominated position.
If you have a pending application with the Department which was lodged before 1 July 2017 and you are certain you cannot meet the caveat requirements, you can request a withdrawal in writing at any time and request a refund of the application fee. If you do not withdraw your application and do not meet the caveat requirements, your application will be refused.
If you already hold a subclass 457 visa, you will not be impacted by these caveated occupations unless you apply for a further subclass 457 visa or are changing your occupation or employer.
Conclusion
Changes to the occupations lists have been quite major – on balance more occupations have been added than removed, but applicants in certain occupations may be adversely affected.
If you would like an assessment of your eligibility for Employer Sponsored or General Skilled Migration or how the changes to the occupations list affect you, please book a consultation with one of our advisors.
