Migration Strategy

Will your occupation be on the new Core Skills Occupation List?

Wednesday, 01 May 2024

Australian Immigration Migration Strategy Core Skills Occupation List Core Skills Skills in Demand Occupation list employer Employer Sponsored Visa

Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) has opened a consultation on the new Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). The Core Skills is one of the pathways in the Skills in Demand Visa introduced in the Migration Strategy, released in December 2023.

The Core Skills Visa seems set to replace the current 482 employer-sponsored visa and will have similar requirements to the 482 visa. Click here to check the 482 Occupation List.

The Draft Core Skills Occupations List is an important component of Australia's evolving migration strategy. This draft list categorizes occupations into different streams based on their importance to the economy and the current labor demand, providing a structured approach to manage employer-sponsored migration more effectively.

Chef Australia 1

Core Skills Occupation List

The Core Skills Occupation List is being designed to identify occupations that are essential for Australia’s economic health, particularly those that are in shortage and can benefit from employer-sponsored migration. The list is split into three categories:

Confident On List – Occupations that Jobs and Skills Australia is certain should remain on the list.

Occupations such as Registered Nurse, Social Worker, Diesel Motor Mechanic, and IT Network Administrator are on the Confident On List.

Confident Off List – Occupations recommended for removal based on current labor market insights.

Occupations such as Cafe or Restaurant Manager, Cattle Farmer, ICT Project Manager, and Real Estate Representative are on the Confident Off List.

Targeted for Consultation – Occupations that require further input from stakeholders to determine their necessity and priority.

Occupations such as Chef, Cook, Finance Manager, Web Designer, Hairdresser, and Marketing Specialist are on the Targeted for Consultation List.

Public Consultation Open for the Draft Core Skills Occupations List

The draft Core Skills Occupations List is currently open for public consultation, providing a unique opportunity for stakeholders to influence Australia’s migration landscape. Participants can provide feedback through surveys, submissions, and other forms of engagement as outlined by Jobs and Skills Australia.

The consultation process is a critical step in ensuring that the Core Skills Occupations List is well-rounded and effective in meeting the strategic objectives of Australia's migration and labor policies. Engaging in this process is a way for stakeholders to contribute to the policy-making process, ensuring that their voices are heard and their concerns are addressed.

The JSA notes that this is a draft list and further surveys, submissions, bilateral meetings, and qualitative analysis will be undertaken on the list with the closing date for submissions of 10 May 2024.

Guidelines on the timeline for the release of the final list and for lodging submissions are available on the JSA webpage.

As soon as the Core Skills Occupation List is available, we will update it on our website.

Skills in Demand Visa

The Migration Strategy, released in December 2023, introduced the Skills in Demand Visa. There are three new types of temporary work visas focusing on clear pathways to Australian permanent residency and aiming to alleviate labor shortages. 

The three new pathways are called Specialist Skills, Core Skills, and Essential Skills.

You can find more information about the Skills in Demand Visa here.