Australia’s current Skilled Occupation List (SOL) has been recently updated.

The updated SOL has seen the removal of 4 previously listed occupations and the addition of 13 new skilled occupations, with these changes taking effect  on 1st July 2011.

What is the Skilled Occupation List (SOL)?

Australia’s Skilled Occupation List sets out which skilled occupations prospective applicants can nominate for skilled migration to Australia under the General Skilled Migration visa program.

General Skilled Migration Skilled Occupation List

If you apply for a General Skilled Migration visa on or after 1 July 2011 and you are not nominated by a State or Territory Government, you must nominate an occupation from Schedule 1 of the Skilled Occupation List.

If you apply for a General Skilled Migration visa on or after 1 July 2011 and you are nominated by a State or Territory Government you must nominate an occupation from either Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 of the Skilled Occupation List

Note: If you are applying under the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS), you are required to have been nominated by an Australian employer to fill a position in an occupation that appears in the ENSOL.  

The occupations listed on the Skilled Occupation List will continue to be reviewed by Skills Australia on an annual basis. This is to ensure that the SOL reflects the actual needs of the Australian labor market and promotes the granting of skills visas to those overseas applicants with necessary skills and experience to benefit Australia’s labor market and economy. 

What has changed on the updated Skilled Occupation List?

In total, the updated SOL will contain 192 ‘high value’ occupations and will include managerial, professional, associate professional and trade occupations. 

The following 4 occupations will be removed from the updated Skilled Occupation List and will therefore no longer be eligible for an Australian skills visa;

• Optometrist (ANZSCO code 251411)
• Orthoptist (ANZSCO code 251412)
• Panel Beater (ANZSCO code 324111)
• Vehicle Painter (ANZSCO code 324311)

The following 13 occupations will be added to the updated Skilled Occupation List and will therefore now be eligible for an Australian skills visa;

• Medical Physicist (ANZSCO code 234914)
• Environmental Health Officer (ANZSCO code 251311)
• Occupational Health and Safety Adviser(ANZSCO code 251312)
• Hospital Pharmacists (ANZSCO code 251511)
• Retail Pharmacists (ANZSCO code 251513)
• Barrister (ANZSCO code 271111)
• Solicitor (ANZSCO code 271311)
• Fitter (General) (ANZSCO code 323211)
• Fitter and Turner (ANZSCO code 323212)
• Fitter-Welder (ANZSCO code 323213)
• Metal Machinist (First Class) (ANZSCO code 323214)
• Boat Builder and Repairer (ANZSCO code 399111)
• Shipwright (ANZSCO code 399112)

Which visa applications will be affected by the updated SOL?

The occupations listed on the updated SOL will apply to all independent or sponsored General Skilled Migration visa applications lodged with DIAC either on or after July 1st 2011. 

All GSM visa applications currently in processing or lodged before July 1st 2011, will be processed in the usual manner according to the Skilled Occupation List as it currently exists before this date. 

These applicants are still eligible to apply for an Australian permanent skilled migration visa based upon the SOL in effect on 8th February 2010. These transitional arrangements will remain in place until December 31st 2012.