The new occupation lists have been released for the 2017-18 immigration intake program

Australia has announced the new skilled occupation list for the immigration intake program for the year 2017-18. The new occupation list takes effect on Saturday, 1st July 2017.

Applicants for General Skilled Migration are required to nominate an eligible occupation from the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL).

Applicants for the following visas can nominate an occupation from the MLTSL

Subclass 189 (Skilled—Independent) visas; and

Subclass 489 (Skilled—Regional (Provisional)) visas by applicants who are not nominated by a State or Territory government agency; and

Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visas.

The new MLTSSL has 178 occupations that can be nominated for skilled migration to Australia.

Each year, the Department of Education and Training advises the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection on composition of the skilled occupation list.

The suitability of occupations for inclusion on the SOL is assessed through a two-step process. The first step involves identifying occupations that are most susceptible to supply constraints and are likely to warrant government intervention to address these constraints.

The second step involves assessing the medium to long-term skill needs of the economy for each occupation identified in step one, to determine if the occupation would benefit from skilled migration.

12 occupations have been entirely removed from the list of eligible skilled occupations.

A number of occupations have been added to the lists for certain visa programmes and some additional occupations have moved between the STSOL to the MLTSSL.
The Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) replaced the Consolidated Skilled Occupation List in April this year.

Those applying for Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 visa, Skilled Regional Provisional Subclass 489 visa (state nominated), Employer Nomination Scheme Subclass 186 visa, Temporary worker (Skilled) Subclass 457 visa and Training Subclass 407 visa- Occupational Training Stream must nominate an occupation on the STSOL.

It must be noted that on the Subclass 190 and Subclass 489 your occupation needs to be on a nominating State’s list as well as being on the MLTSSL or STSOL.