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New Australian Skilled Occupation List (SOL) Announced

Finally, on May 17, 2010, the Government announced the new Skilled Occupation List (SOL), after a long wait for many would-be migrants to Australia.

Many people have been waiting to see whether they still qualify to apply for General Skilled Migration to Australia, after the Australian Immigration Department revoked the MODL in February this year, and announced that the SOL would be replaced in mid 2010. 

The Fact Sheet announcing the changes to the SOL, explain that the Australian Government has been making use of the independent body, Skills Australia, to provide 'expert and independent advice' relating to Australia’s 'current, emerging and future workforce skills and workforce development needs.'

The new SOL, which will replace the previous SOL, was created to better service the Australian labour market demand-driven skilled migration program.

The Fact Sheet states that "The number of places available to independent skilled migrants in the skilled migration program is expected to fall as the number of places available for employer-sponsored skilled migrants increases."  It is felt that migration through the Employer Sponsored route, matching skilled foreign nationals 'directly to jobs in Australia', will make Employer-sponsored migration 'the best method to ensure the labour market gets the skills it needs now.'

The new SOL has been created to ensure that 'skills that are critical to Australia’s economic development in the medium to long term' are addressed.

The current SOL contains 400 occupations that are allowed to apply for General Skilled Migration.  However, the new list will contain a meer 180 occupations, which is more than half of the current skilled occupations lost.  However, if your occupation has been removed from the SOL, you may still be eligible for employer sponsored migration to Australia.

To determine whether your occupation will be removed from the current SOL, or will remain, visit: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/whats-new.htm

The new SOL includes managerial, professional, associate-professional and trade occupations, and will be reviewed annually, to ensure that the SOL meets the demands of the Australian work force, however, it is expected that the list will remain 'relatively stable over time'.

The current SOL will remain in effect until July 1st, when it will be replaced by the new SOL.  This date ties in with the current suspension of certain General Skilled Migration applications, which ends on June 30th, 2010.

If you find that you are not eligible for independent migration based on the new SOL, it may be that you are eligible to apply for migration in other visa categories, including employer sponsored migration.  More information is available in a fact sheet on the Australian Immigration department’s website at: www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/whats-new.htm

The department is also operating a dedicated phone line to respond to any queries on the new list of occupations. The contact number is 1300 735683.

If you would like to have an assessment to determine which migration program is best for your situation, we recommend that you book an assessment with our Registered Australian Migration Agent, Danielle Ferris, by clicking here now.

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions

Click here for the Fact Sheet on Options for those people who are not eligible for general skilled migration (under the new SOL)