With the release of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) State Migration Plan last week, Australian visa applicants now have more opportunities for skilled immigration than ever before.

While the 1 July 2010 changes to Australian immigration for skilled visa applicants have reduced the number of skilled occupations available on the Skilled Occupation List to 181, the ACT State Migration Plan, in contrast, has released a far more extensive list of almost 400 skilled occupations for which it is prepared to offer State Sponsorship. 

The occupations listed on the ACT State Migration Plan includes many occupations which have traditionally only been available to applicants applying for migration to Australia under employer sponsored schemes.  

Surprisingly, it has also restored options for Australian skilled visa applicants with more generalist occupations previously thought unlikely to be available for State Sponsorship under a State Migration Plan.

While the ACT State Migration Plan imposes additional criteria in relation to English language ability and  some occupations require offers of employment, it’s more generous skilled occupation list affords prospective Australian skilled visas applicants a great opportunity to apply for State Sponsorship for occupations which were thought lost after the 1 July 2010 changes to the Skilled Occupation List. 

Even where South Australia’s State Migration Plan requires an offer of employment before it will sponsor, this is criteria is much easier to satisfy than requiring prospective applicants to ask an employer to formally sponsor under the Employer Nomination Scheme or as a Standard Business Sponsor.

As with all State Migration Plans, places are limited and likely to fill quickly, particularly given the broad range of occupations now available for State Sponsorship under ACT’s State Migration Plan.