Government Cuts Migration Program
In response to the current economic circumstances, the Government has decided to cut the 2008-09 permanent skilled migration program by 14 per cent, reducing intake from 133 500 to 115 000.
Building and manufacturing trade occupations will be removed from the Critical Skills List, Occupations in the areas of health and medical, engineering and IT professions will remain on the list.
Effective immediately, only General Skilled Migration applications which are State/Territory sponsored, or which have nominated occupations on the new Critical Skills List will be processed. There will be no visa grants to other applicants before 1 July 2009 or until further notice.
Critical Skills List
The Critical Skills List provides a list of occupation in short supply in Australia. The list is last updated on 16 March 2009 and will only apply to people that are seeking to migrate under the skilled migration program who are not sponsored by an employer or nominated by a state or territory government.
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Occupation Shortages - Professional |
| Occupation Title |
ASCO
Code |
| Anaesthetist |
2312-11 |
| Dentist |
2381-11 |
| Electronic Equipment Trades |
4315-11 |
| Emergency Medicine Specialist |
2312-15 |
| Engineer - Chemical |
2129-17 |
| Engineer - Civil |
2124-11 |
| Engineer - Electrical |
2125-11 |
| Engineer - Electronics |
2125-13 |
| Engineer - Mechanical |
2126-11 |
| Engineer - Mining |
2127-11 |
| Engineer - Production or Plant Engineer |
2126-13 |
| Aircraft Maintenance Engineer - Avionics |
4114-15 |
| Aircraft Maintenance Engineer - Mechanical |
4114-11 |
| Gasfitter |
4431-13 |
| General Medical Practitioner |
2311-11 |
| Medical Diagnostic Radiographer |
2391-11 |
| Obstetrician & Gynaecologist |
2312-17 |
| Occupational Therapist |
2383-11 |
| Pharmacist (Hospital) |
2382-11 |
| Pharmacist (Retail) |
2382-15 |
| Physiotherapist |
2385-11 |
| Podiatrist |
2388-11 |
| Psychiatrist |
2312-27 |
| Quantity Surveyor |
2122-11 |
| Registered Mental Health Nurse |
2325-11 |
| Registered Midwife |
2324-11 |
| Registered Nurse |
2323-11 |
| Secondary School Teacher |
2413-11 |
| Specialist Medical Practitioners NEC |
2312-79 |
| Specialist Physician |
2312-25 |
| Surgeon |
2312-31 |
| Surveyor |
2123-13 |
| Urban & Regional Planner |
2523-11 |
| Wall and Floor Tiler |
4416-11 |
| Speech Pathologist |
2386-11 |
| Sonographer |
2391-17 |
| Ophthalmologist |
2312-19 |
| Paediatrician |
2312-21 |
| Pathologist |
2312-23 |
| Radiologist |
2312-29 |
| Accountant -- where the applicant has achieved a score of at least IELTS 7 in each of the four competencies, and/or has completed The Professional Year – Skilled Migration Internship Program Accounting (SMIPA) |
2211-11 |
| Computing Professionals -- where the applicant's specialisation is listed on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL).
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Label Free Travel for Subclass 457 Visa Holders from Eligible Countries
From 2 January 2009 Subclass 457 visa holders who hold a passport from an eligible country will no longer need to present their passport to an immigration office in Australia or overseas to have a visa label placed in their passport.
The visa and passport details of Subclass 457 visa holders will be electronically recorded and available to airline staff and officers at airport immigration clearance will electronically confirm that the visa holder has the authority to travel to, enter and remain in Australia.
The following list contains eligible passports for travel to Australia without a visa label on a Subclass 457 as at 2 January 2009.
Andorra
Austria
Bahrain
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cypress
Czech Republic
Brunei
Canada
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong , Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
Hungary
Iceland
Republic of Ireland
Italy
Japan
Kuwait
Republic of Korea
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Malta
Monaco
New Zealand
Oman
The Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Republic of San Marino
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
South Africa
Switzerland
Sweden
Taiwan
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Vatican City
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