Australia PR Updates/Changes in 2017; General Skilled Migration Update - September 2017

Australia PR Updates/Changes in 2017

Australian's SkillSelect results for the 20 September round have been released. Most occupations, the required score continues to be declined. The required score for Accountants to receive an invitation has increased to 85 points.

NSW also has released its Priority Skilled Occupations List for 2017-18 and should soon start nominating applicants for the Skilled Nominated 190 visa.

This article looks at the latest SkillSelect invitation round and at the NSW State Migration Plan for 2017-18.

20 September SkillSelect Invitation Round

For non-pro rata occupations, the required score for a Skilled Independent Subclass 189 invitation remains at 65 points. However, waiting times with this score are now down to 1 week, so we expect the required score to drop to 60 points in the next invitation round.

Most pro rata occupations remain stable, but the occupation of Accountant required 85 points in the last round, up from 75 points. The same number of invitations was issued in the 20 September round (239), so this result is very difficult to understand. We are currently seeking clarification from the Department of Immigration as it appears that there may be an error with the SkillSelect system.

We will post further information as it becomes available. Below is a summary of results by occupation for the 20 September round:

Occupation/ Subclass	Points Req.	Waiting Time	Invit - 15 Mar	Running Total	Target	Places Remain	% Filled
Non Pro Rata
189 Skilled Independent	65	Next round	1750	7500
489 Family  Sponsored	60	Next round	47	569
Pro Rata Occupations
Accountants	85	Next round	239	1434	4785	3351	30.0%
Auditors,  Company  Secretaries  and Corporate  Treasurers	75	8 weeks	66	396	1327	931	29.8%
ICT Business  and System  Analysts	70	14 weeks	78	468	1574	1106	29.7%
Software and Applications Programmers	65	25 weeks	310	1860	6202	4342	30.0%
Electronics  Engineer	65	9 weeks	50	300	1000	700	30.0%
Industrial,  Mechanical and Production Engineers	65	31 weeks	108	648	2178	1530	29.8%
Other  Engineering Professionals	70	Next round	50	300	1000	700	30.0%
Computer  Network Professionals	65	30 weeks	65	390	1318	928	29.6%

NSW Priority Skilled Occupations List Released

NSW has released the long-awaited Priority Skilled Occupations List. So far this program year, NSW has not granted many 190 Nominations and we expect that NSW will resume the invitation and processing of Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 nominations in the coming weeks.

The NSW list is similar to the list for Independent and Family Sponsored visas (IFSOL). There have been a number of occupations added and subtracted as compared to the 2016-17 list:

Occupations Added

The following occupations which are also on the IFSOL have been added:

• Architect
• Chemical, Electronics, Industrial, Production and Plant Engineers
• ICT Security Specialists
• Civil Engineering Technicians
• Stonemasons

There are also a number of occupations which are not on the IFSOL which are available for NSW nomination including:

• Baker
• Cook
• Enrolled Nurse
• Architectural Draftsperson
• Butcher or Smallgoods Maker

Occupations Removed

A number of occupations which are on the IFSOL have been removed including:

• Surveyors, Cartographers and Other Spatial Scientists
• Agricultural Engineers, Consultants and Foresters
• Teachers of the hearing and sight impaired, as well as special education teachers
• Chiropractor and Osteopaths
• Speech Pathologists
• A range of Medical practitioner specialisations - such as General Practitioners, Cardiologists, Surgeons etc
• Electrical and electronics trades such as Electrician (Special Class), Electronic Instrument Trades Workers, Radio Communications Technicians, Telecommunications Field Engineers and Cable Jointers
• Boat Builders and Shipwrights

Other occupations appear to have been removed as a result of being also removed from the IFSOL, including:

• Mining Engineers
• Occupational Health and Safety Adviser
• Anaesthetist
• Psychotherapist
• Dental Technician

Conclusion

The results in the latest SkillSelect round are very unexpected for accountants. For all other occupations, results were in line with expectations and we expect the required points for a 189 invitation to reduce to 60 for non-pro rata occupations in the next round.

NSW has reduced their priority skilled occupations list somewhat, but there are still some great opportunities for state nomination through NSW.

Thanks to acacia immigration Australia for compiling this information.