Skilled Occupations List

What is the skilled occupations list?

As a result of various skill shortages in the Australian labour market, the Australian Government has recognised various industries and circumstances where an influx of skilled foreign workers is required. In doing so, the Australian Government attempts to balance the need to address skill shortages with safeguarding local employment opportunities, conditions and wages for the same or similar occupation types. These occupations are listed by the Department and change regularly.

The three lists for skilled occupations in most skilled visas are the Short-term Skilled Occupation List, the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List and the Regional Occupation List. These lists identify the occupation, its Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) code, the relevant visa types and the skills assessment authority or any caveats that apply.

The most common skilled visa types that utilise an occupation list ranked by popularity are:

Employer-Sponsored Visas (186, 482, 494)
State/Territory Nominated Visas (190)
Regional Skilled Work Visas (491)
Business Innovation & Investment Visas (188)
Global Talent (Independent) Visas (858)
Skilled Independent Visas (189)

Full list of Australian skilled occupations list

Entering text will return any items in the below table that match

Occupation

ANZSCO code

List

Visa subclass (streams or type)

Assessing authority

Skilled occupations by state/territory

For the State and Territory Skilled Nominated Visas (subclass 190) and Regional Skilled Work Visas (subclass 491), it is often required that an Australian State or Territory nominates an applicant. Applicants are typically invited to fill out a nomination request where the applicant has a positive skills assessment (from a relevant assessing authority) in an occupation identified on the eligible skilled occupation list, meets the minimum points requirement in SkillSelect and has filled out an expression of interest for nomination. While different states have varying policies to determine how the nomination process is carried out, typically expressions of interest are prioritised where an applicant’s occupation falls into a target sector. The following section will identify the occupations in demand within each State and Territory at the time of writing.

Victoria

Target sectors for 190 and 491:

Healthcare
Social services
Education
Construction
New energy

Additional sectors prioritised for 491 applicants living in Australia:

Digital economy
Advanced manufacturing
Tourism and hospitality

For 491 applicants living overseas, only these are prioritised:

Healthcare
Social services
Education

New South Wales

Target sectors for SELECT occupations (see link) for 190 and 491:

Agriculture
Manufacturing and production
Education
Construction/Trades
Engineering
Scientific research
Healthcare and welfare services
Childcare
ICT

ACT

Target sectors for the list of occupations (essentially everything):

Finance
Engineering
Management and business services
Tourism and hospitality
Healthcare and welfare services
Scientific research
Legal professionals
Education
Construction/Trades
ICT

Tasmania

Target sectors for the list of prioritised occupations:

Engineering
Construction/Trades
ICT
Education
Healthcare and welfare services
Scientific research

‍

South Australia

The complete list of South Australian occupations eligible for nomination is available on the SA government website. SA does not publicise the target sectors but from the Job & Skills website one can deduce the following are target sectors:

Management and business services
Engineering
Transport and logistics
Construction/Trades
Agriculture and environment
Education
Healthcare and welfare services
ICT
Legal
Tourism and hospitality

Western Australia

Target sectors for the list of occupations:

Construction/Trades
Education
Healthcare and welfare services
Tourism and hospitality

Northern Territory

Target sectors for the list of prioritised occupations (based on the “priority occupation” stream which is for offshore applicants):

Healthcare and welfare services
Construction/Trades
Engineering
Tourism and hospitality
Education
ICT
Agriculture and environment
Legal
Finance
Transport and logistics
Arts and media
Management and business services

Queensland

Target sectors for those living in Queensland:

Energy
Construction/Trades
Healthcare and welfare services
Education
Professional services
Agribusiness
Tourism and hospitality
Transport and logistics

Target sectors for the list of occupations for those living offshore:

Energy
Engineering
Scientific research
Healthcare and welfare services
Construction/Trades

How the skilled occupation process works

The skilled occupation process is established and maintained by the Department of Home Affairs. The Department, in conjunction with the Australian Government, identifies occupations which are eligible to be filled by eligible skilled migrants. Once these occupations have been identified, these occupations are added to the Department’s Skilled Occupation List. This list specifies the ANZSCO code for each occupation that provides relevant information about the occupation, caveats that exclude the use of the occupation in certain circumstances, what specific list the occupation belongs to and the assessing authority for any skill assessments. This list is used by state and territory governments as well as prospective sponsoring employers and applicants to assess an applicant's eligibility for different visa types.

To make this assessment, an applicant's occupation should be compared to the Skilled Occupation List. Once an appropriate occupation is identified on this list, the applicant’s experience and qualifications should be compared against the relevant ANZSCO criteria. Should an applicant meet this criteria (and any related caveats), an applicant will be preliminarily eligible for the visa specified on the list.

Priority migration of skilled occupations

On top of the previously mentioned state and territory priority occupations, the Department does process some applications according to government policy priorities. These priorities are outlined in Ministerial Direction No. 105 and listed in the following order of priority they are:

For employer-sponsored visas, applications in relation to occupations in designated regional areas
Applications in relation to healthcare or teaching occupations
For employer-sponsored visas, applications where the applicant is nominated by an Approved sponsor with Accredited Status
For permanent and provisional subclasses, applications that count towards the migration program (excluding the subclass 188 visa)
All other visa applications

Where not referenced within Ministerial Direction No. 105, applications are assessed in order of date of lodgement

Short-term skilled visas

Applicants should be aware that some skilled visas are short-term visas and do not offer permanent residency. This can be for a variety of reasons. If an applicant wishes to pursue permanent residency, they should explore other visa options or contact an Australian Migration Lawyer who can provide them assistance in this process. Some short-term visas may also provide a direct pathway to permanent residency by making you eligible to apply for a permanent visa after holding a short-term visa for a period of time.

From the aforementioned list of the most common and popularly applied for visas the following are short-term temporary skilled visas

Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482)
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494)
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)

Benefits of using an immigration lawyer

There are several benefits to using migration agents and lawyers such as Australian Migration Lawyers. At Australian Migration Lawyers, we have profound experience and knowledge in assisting applicants with a range of visa applications including skilled occupation visa applications. As this page has identified, there are a range of potential visas that may be available to applicants. Assessing the appropriateness of these options can be challenging for any applicant alone, however an Australian Migration Lawyer can provide guidance and advice tailored to an applicant's unique circumstances.

This extends to the whole of the application process and includes confirming an applicant's eligibility, assisting with the collation and lodgement of the visa application form and relevant documentation, communicating with the Department on an applicant’s behalf and advising applicants on the outcome of their visa application.

Our team of qualified Australian lawyers draw on their knowledge of legislation, case law, and policy, to give clear and accurate advice on all requirements and strategies relevant to your matter
As lawyers, we have an obligation to ensure that your application meets all legislative requirements, which greatly improves your chance of success
We assist in all stages of the process, including the preparation of all necessary applications all the way through to the grant of the visa, including working with you to action any additional requests from the Department of Home Affairs

1. Consultation and engagement

Organise a consultation time to speak with one of our lawyers. You can meet with us in person, via Zoom or telephone. Following this, we will send you paperwork that confirms our engagement to represent you.

2. Preparation and support

We will prepare written submissions in support of your visa application. This will be based on your individual circumstances, and supported by evidence where appropriate.

3. Submission and communication

We submit your application to the relevant body (Department of Home Affairs, courts or tribunal). We will continue to update you concerning the status of your application.

4. Representation and success

We will keep you informed about your application, and notify you of the outcome. If you receive an unfavourable outcome and we can reapply, we will!

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Processing times and conditions

Due to the range of visa options available and the varying eligibility requirements for each visa type, it can be difficult to provide an exact estimate of how long it will take for any application to be processed. Furthemore, the varying demand and availability of visa allocations can also impact how long a visa takes to process. Applicants should be aware that avoidable delays often arise where there are mistakes in an application, applications are incomplete and where applications lack relevant documentation. If applicants are having difficulty in making sure their application is complete to minimise any potential delays, an Australian Migration Lawyer can assist them during the application process.

Applicants should also be aware that on the Department’s website, they provide a provisional processing time guide for various different skilled application types. This will provide information on how long 50% of applications take and how long 90% of applications take. Applicants should be aware that these form a guide and as visas are determined on a case-by-case basis, different factors, like those mentioned above, can affect processing times.