The government has released a new occupations list for Australia’s Skilled Migration programme.
The Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) identifies occupations which fill critical skills needs to support Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19.
Skilled candidates – whether through the Employer Nomination or GSM programmes – with occupations on the PMSOL will be given priority processing. This may cut processing times down from 8 months to as little as 2 weeks!
The PMSOL is a temporary and flexible list which identifies current occupations in demand but will change as Australia recovers from the pandemic.
So, if your occupation is on the PMSOL, the time to act may be NOW. Read on and then consider getting expert advice as to the best strategy for you to take advantage of this new opportunity.
PMSOL – The Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List
The PMSOL includes 17 occupations in targeted sectors of health care, construction and InfoTech.
The Government’s aim is to provide Australian employers with the ability to fill staff shortages by supplementing its Australian workforce with new migrants. Approved as permanent residents, these visa grantees will be eligible to enter Australia – if they are not already here – despite the current border closure.
Occupations on the PMSOL are:
Chief Executive or Managing Director (111111)
Construction Project Manager (133111)
Mechanical Engineer (233512)
General Practitioner (253111)
Resident Medical Officer (253112)
Psychiatrist (253411)
Medical Practitioner 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)
Developer Programmer (261312)
Software Engineer (261313)
Maintenance Planner (312911)
Visa Options for PMSOL Candidates
To take advantage of the PMSOL opportunity, candidates may consider two pathways: the Employer Nomination pathway or the GSM pathway.
Under the ENS, an Australian employer will nominate you for a permanent position in the nominated occupation. If you are not already employed in Australia by that employer, you may be nominated for Direct Entry if you have a skills assessment and at least three years’ employment in the nominated occupation.
If you do not have an employer, the GSM pathway offers you the opportunity for a visa once you have achieved a positive skills assessment, meet the English threshold, and have achieved a minimum point score. Your EOI will be fast-tracked for selection and you can start making your what-should-I-pack-for-Australia list!
Conditions for visas granted under the PMSOL
At present, visas are being offered to those already in Australia.
Moving forward, offshore visa holders who have been sponsored by an eligible Australia business in any of the PMSOL occupations or successful GSM candidates will have their visas assessed.
Once granted, any offshore PR visa holders will be subject to 14 days quarantine on arrival into Australia and at their own expense.
How a Registered Migration Agent can Help
The new PMSOL provides some certainty for Australian businesses in these difficult times.
It recognises the importance for businesses to be able to supplement their workforce in times of critical shortage. It also provides streamlined access for visa processing and entry to Australia. A win-win!
Aspire Australia has extensive experience working with skilled workers on their goal of obtaining a residence visa for to Australia. We specialise in helping clients in the fields of IT, Engineering and Management.
If you have recognized your occupation on the PMSOL, we invite you to contact us for an appointment in which we will determine your eligibility, your strategy and your MAP: Migration Action Plan for Australia.