Updates to the visa occupation lists for Australian temporary and permanent skilled visas will come into effect from 17th January.
This update follows a review conducted by the Department of Jobs and Small Business in late 2017.
The occupations of ‘Property Manager’, ‘Psychotherapist’, and ‘Real Estate Representative’ will be added to the visa occupation lists. However, ‘Building Associates’ and ‘Hair and Beauty Salon Managers’ have been removed.
The changes have been made to reflect the skills needs of the Australian labour market, and to continue to support Australian businesses to address skills shortages that they are unable to fill locally. The six-monthly review cycle of the visa occupation lists was established by the Australian Government in April 2017 to ensure that the occupations lists are responsive to changes in the Australian labour market, and align with the Australian Government’s policy that Australian workers have priority.
The changes will only apply to applications made on or after 17th January 2018. They will not affect existing nominations or applications made prior to this date. In the case of points-tested visas, the changes will apply to invitations issued on or after 17th January.
The Department of Jobs and Small Business review was informed by labour market analysis, feedback from employer and employee groups, and other government agencies.
A new regional visa occupation list is currently under development. This additional list will come into effect with the introduction of the new Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa in March 2018 and will help ensure regional employers are well supported.
In March 2018, the subclass 457 program will be closed and replaced by the new, more targeted TSS visa.
A summary of the proposed changes, and the caveats you will need to qualify for the visas, can be found here.
Article published 16th January 2018