The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alex Hawke MP has today announced the inclusion of a range of new skilled occupations on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL).
The PMSOL, first announced in September 2020, is developed in conjunction with the National Skills Commission to ensure a number of critical occupations are filled to continue to create Australian jobs and aid in Australia's ongoing recovery from the impact of COVID-19.
This is largely because at the moment there are gaping holes in the employment market, and a serious shortage of skills, due to the ongoing closure of the borders and cessation of skilled migration. Unemployment is at figures not seen since before the covid outbreak.
The addition of 22 occupations brings the PMSOL to 41 in total - they are:
- Chief Executive or Managing Director (111111)
- Construction Project Manager (133111)
- Accountant (General) (221111)*
- Management Accountant (221112)*
- Taxation Accountant (221113)*
- External Auditor (221213)*
- Internal Auditor (221214)*
- Surveyor (232212)*
- Cartographer (232213)*
- Other Spatial Scientist (232214)*
- Civil Engineer (233211)*
- Geotechnical Engineer (233212)*
- Structural Engineer (233214)*
- Transport Engineer (233215)*
- Electrical Engineer (233311)*
- Mechanical Engineer (233512)
- Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum) (233611)*
- Petroleum Engineer (233612)*
- Medical Laboratory Scientist (234611)*
- Veterinarian (234711)
- Orthotist or Prosthetist (251912)*
- General Practitioner (253111)
- Resident Medical Officer (253112)
- Psychiatrist (253411)
- Medical Practitioners nec (253999)
- Midwife (254111)
- Registered Nurse (Aged Care) (254412)
- Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) (254415)
- Registered Nurse (Medical) (254418)
- Registered Nurse (Mental Health) (254422)
- Registered Nurse (Perioperative) (254423)
- Registered Nurses nec (254499)
- Multimedia Specialist (261211)*
- Analyst Programmer (261311)*
- Developer Programmer (261312)
- Software Engineer (261313)
- Software and Applications Programmers nec (261399)*
- ICT Security Specialist (262112)*
- Social Worker (272511)
- Maintenance Planner (312911)
- Chef (351311)*
* Indicates occupation added in June 2021
As you will see several of the added occupations, particularly in the accounting and engineering fields, had difficult paths prior to covid, but are now highly sought after.
It must be highlighted though, that the PMSOLonly relates to employer sponsored applications to fill gaps in the employment market and to allow those sponsored visa holders into the country while the borders are closed. It does not in effect relate to invitations for offshore skilled visa applications, which are still pretty much a no go.
Given the above, and the severe gaps in the employment market, my advice is that if you are skilled in one of the above occupations to start applying for jobs in Australia as soon as you can - I have had a couple engineering clients be successful in that regard recently.
The best recruitment websites are seek.com and indeed.com.au. You could also research industry related websites and have a look at LinkedIn.
Also, if you are indeed successful in receiving an offer from an employer who has not sponsored before or is usure about the process, please reach out to me and I will gladly take them through the process. We have done countess of these types of applications over the years.
I wish you the very best of luck.
