5.30 AM 17 May Sydney Australia: Australia’s major press outlets are this morning reporting that a new occupations list comprised of 181 “Highly Valued” occupations is to be released following consideration by Australia’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) of Skills Australia’s recommendations.
This number of occupations is fewer than half the number on the current Skilled Occupations List (SOL) for Australian permanent residency General Skilled Migration visas but about twice as many as were included on a draft list released in March. So for some the new list will be very bad news, but for some who had read the draft list and thought their occupation was to be scrapped from the new list, there may be a pleasant surprise to come.
The list is yet to be formally announced but it appears likely to commence operation on 1 July 2010, at which time the current suspension of offshore GSM visa applications is also likely to be lifted. We will keep you updated as the news unfolds. NB the List has now been offically announced: please go to the front page of this site and read read our related post: Latest News Update: Diac’s New Skilled Occupations List (SOL) of 181 “Highly Valued Occupations” announced for Australian GSM visas.
Diverse Immigration Australia
