Fragomen Australia Newsflash – new Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List released to assist critical workers in health care, construction and IT sectors to enter Australia

Thursday, 3 September 2020

2 September 2020 

A new Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) has been released today which will provide for priority processing of Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa applications for certain critical workers in the health care, construction and IT sectors.
 
The Occupations

In a joint media release with the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Acting Minister Tudge has announced that the PMSOL would be comprised of the following 17 occupations:
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)

The new PMSOL, which will be reviewed regularly, has been compiled based on advice from the newly established National Skills Commission and consultation with relevant Commonwealth agencies. It follows analysis of the recent changes to the internet vacancy index, changes in employment, and longer-term stability in the labour market for certain occupations.

We expect the relevant ministerial instrument to be released soon.
 
Additional Labour Market Testing requirements to apply to nominations lodged on or after 1 October 2020

With effect from 1 October 2020, strengthened Labour Market Testing (LMT) requirements will apply to any TSS or Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) nominations lodged on or after that date. Under the new provisions, in addition to the current requirements of two national advertisements, employers will also be required to advertise their vacancy on the Government’s jobactive website. Exemptions to the LMT requirements based on Australia’s international trade obligations will continue to apply to TSS Nominations.
 
Priority Processing and Travel Exemption to enter Australia

Under the new arrangements, the current Medium Term, Short-Term and Regional Occupation Lists applicable to the TSS visa program will remain in place, however TSS visa applications sponsored in PMSOL occupations will be processed ahead of all other TSS visa applications.

Priority processing for PMSOL occupations will also apply to applications lodged under the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494), Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa (subclass 186) and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa (subclass 187) visa programs.

The Department of Home Affairs has today updated its travel exemption policy to include an exemption for persons sponsored by employers to work in Australia in an occupation on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL). Such travelers will still be required to comply with mandatory 14-day quarantine requirements, including the requirements to pay for quarantine costs in certain Australian States/Territories.

Fragomen will continue to monitor for new developments and will update as additional information becomes available.

If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].  Please visit Fragomen’s dedicated microsite  for the latest Coronvirus immigration updates.
 


Source: Fragomen

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