The Department of Home Affairs has announced that for the current 2022-2023 migration year, out of the 142,400 places for skilled visas, 31,000 places have been allocated to State/Territory-nominated visas. This is more than 2.5 times the number of places allocated in the 2021-2022 migration year of 11,200.
This significant boost to the skilled visas program is welcome news for skilled migrants looking to settle in Australia.
Skilled visas – Focus on Regional Migration and Offshore Applications
In October 2019, the then-Australian Government indicated its ongoing commitment to regional Australia by increasing the number of places allocated to regional visas and amend the definition of ‘regional Australia’ to encourage skilled migrants and refugees alike to settle in regional Australia.
The current Australian Government has affirmed this commitment to regional Australia, increasing the number of places for regional visas within the skilled visa places to 34,000.
Additionally, the Department of Home Affairs has just released a new Ministerial Direction 100 on the priority of processing of skilled visa applications. The Australian Government is bringing skills and labour to Australia to fill skill and workforce shortages fuelled by the global COVID-19 pandemic, by giving priority to visa applications lodged by applicants offshore at the time of lodging their visa applications within each skilled visa subclass subject to the new Direction.
Additionally, visa applications nominating healthcare and teaching occupations are being prioritised, including school teachers and principals, health and welfare workers, childcare centre managers and workers, medical scientists, counsellors, psychologists, medical technicians, aged or disabled care workers, nursing support workers and personal care assistants.
States and Territories Reopen Skilled Visas for the 2022-2023 Migration Year
State/Territory-nominated visas include the permanent Skilled – Nominated (subclass 190) visa and the five-year Skilled Work Regional Provisional (subclass 491) visa which has a pathway to the Permanent Residence Skilled Regional (subclass 191) visa.
The eight Australian States and Territories have now received their skilled visa allocations for the 2022-2023 migration year and reopened their migration programs. We summarise the updated skilled occupation lists and requirements for applicants to successfully secure state/territory nomination
Australian Capital Territory – Skilled Visas
ACT – Skilled Visa – ACT nomination and Business Migration Guidelines
The Australian Capital Territory is now nominating applicants living in Canberra or overseas and also has a Doctorate Streamlined stream for holders of a Doctorate completed at an ACT university. The ACT has also created an invitation-only Significant Benefit stream where an applicant’s employment is considered to be of significant economic benefit to the Territory but they do not meet the current eligibility criteria for Territory nomination.
The Territory continues to rely on the Canberra Matrix system to select applicants for nomination for the subclass 190 visa and subclass 491 visa, where amongst other criteria the nominated occupation must be on the latest ACT Critical Skills List.
The Territory’s migration program is open to applicants both in and outside Australia and offers only one nomination place per applicant.
New South Wales – Skilled Visas
NSW – Visas and Immigration
New South Wales has released its skilled occupation lists for the subclass 190 visa and subclass 491 visa along with minimum point scores and years of skilled work experience requirements for prospective applicants. State nomination by New South Wales has always been highly competitive, and the new high minimum points and work experience requirements reflect the high demand for state nominations by NSW for the subclass 190 visa and subclass 491 visa.
Any changes (if made) are effective immediately and apply to all EOIs regardless of when they were submitted (or amended) in SkillSelect. New South Wales migration program is now open to applicants in and outside Australia.
Victoria – Skilled visas
VIC – Live in Melbourne
Victoria has also reopened its skilled migration program to applicants in and outside Australia. All occupations on the relevant Department of Home Affairs occupation list are now eligible, and applicants for both the subclass 190 visa and subclass 491 visa are no longer required to be using STEMM skills and working in a target sector to apply. Health occupations for the subclass 491 visa applications continue to be prioritised.
Victoria’s migration program is also very highly competitive, and those who lodged a Registration of Interest in the 2021-2022 migration year but did not receive an invitation to apply are encouraged to reapply this migration year.
Queensland – Skilled visas
QLD – Business & Skilled Migration Queensland
Queensland has also reopened its skilled migration program to applicants in and outside Australia, and provides pathways to Australian permanent residency for skilled workers, graduates, and small business owners in Queensland. A similarly competitive migration program, only brand-new Expressions of Interests lodged on or after 16 August 2022 will be considered for invitations.
Queensland has different criteria to nominate applicants in and outside Australia in four different streams, each with additional criteria such as minimum points scores, evidence of employment with a Queensland employer in the nominated occupation, minimum English language levels, the nominated occupation to be on the relevant Department of Home Affairs occupation list for applicants in Australia or on the 2022–23 Queensland Skilled Occupation List (QSOL) for applicants outside Australia.
Northern Territory – Skilled visas
NT – Northern Territory Visa nomination eligibility
The Northern Territory has reopened its skilled migration program with new criteria for applicants outside Australia, while existing criteria continue to apply for applicants in Australia.
Western Australia – Skilled visas
WA – Skilled Migration Western Australia
Western Australia has released its skilled occupation lists for the subclass 190 visa and subclass 491 visa for prospective applicants in and outside Australia.
Other changes introduced by Western Australia include a waiver of the $200 state nomination application fee, removal of the requirement to demonstrate sufficient funds for WA State nomination, reduction in the English requirements for applicants at the Manager and Professional occupation level to the Competent level of English.
South Australia – Skilled visas
South Australia has released its skilled occupation lists for the subclass 190 visa and subclass 491 visa for prospective applicants in and outside Australia.
For the 2022-2023 migration year, South Australia will prioritise nominations for skilled migrants:
- with backgrounds in in-demand industries, such as Health, ICT, Education, Engineering, Agribusiness and Trades; or
- who can bring their skills to growing sectors such as Hi-Tech / Digital, Health and Life Sciences, Green Energy, Defence, Space and Cyber Security.
Tasmania – Skilled visas
TAS – Migration Tasmania
Tasmania’s Skilled Migration State Nomination Program is expected to open to Registrations of Interest (ROIs) from all eligible candidates on Tuesday, 15 November 2022.
In the current stage of Tasmania’s 2022-2023 migration program, prospective applicants must meet the minimum requirements for one of the nomination pathways and have at least one of the gold or green attributes listed for that pathway.
From 15 November 2022, the Migration Tasmania Gateway will open to prospective applicants to register their interest in nomination by Tasmania, which will indicate if an applicant appears to meet the nomination requirements, and whether applicants are competitive against the priority attributes listed for the pathway registered for.
The Migration Tasmania Gateway will advise by email applicants’ pass colour, being a Gold Pass, Green Pass, Orange Pass or Red Pass, which indicates whether or not an application for Tasmanian state nomination can be lodged, and if so when.
Tasmania’s migration program is open to applicants in and outside Australia.
Australian Immigration law surrounding skilled visas is constantly changing. Get the right advice now
Confused by the changes to state/territory nomination skilled visas occupation lists, finding it difficult to know which option is best for you, or worried about impacts on your skilled visa?
Australian immigration law is complex and constantly evolving. A great deal of time, expense and angst can be avoided when approaching your Australian skilled visa application by engaging an experienced immigration lawyer.
Guidance from an immigration lawyer can be invaluable in ensuring that you choose the correct visa and pathway for yourself, and that any information prepared from the start of the visa process through to the decision on the application is consistent and sufficiently supported by the right kinds of evidence. We can give you the comfort that we will give you the very best chance of success in obtaining an Australian skilled visa.
For a confidential discussion about your permanent visa options or any other immigration matter, please contact our team on 1300 123 529, or via email at visas@craddock.com.au. Our team of friendly and experienced immigration lawyers are at the ready to assist.
Please note that this page states the law as of November 2022. Australian immigration law is complex and changes frequently, and the law in relation to Australian skilled visas may have been changed since we prepared this page.