1. SkillSelect Update
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has conducted two invitation rounds on 9th and 23rd May respectively.
The number of invitation remained at 305 in each round. 300 were allocated to subclass 189 visa while the remaining five were for subclass 489 EOI applicants. We expect this trend will continue in the coming rounds till the end of the current financial year.
It is worth noting that the minimum points to get an invitation further increased to 75. The table below set out the allocation of invitations by point score in May’s rounds (for subclass 189 only).
For 9 May round, DHA continued to clear most of the backlogs for the pro-rata arrangement occupations, such as Software and Application Programmers, Accountants, Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers and ICT Business and System Analysts,. The invitations allocated to these pro-rata arrangement occupations accounted for approximately 58% of the total invitations of this round.
Among the non pro-rata occupations, Other Medical Practitioners (21), Registered Nurses (13), Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists (11) and Civil Engineering Professionals (10) were the four types of occupations which received the most invitations.
For 23 May round, the proportion allocated to non pro-rata applicants accounted for around 40%. Registered Nurses (15), Other Medical Practitioners (14), Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists (14) and Telecommunications Engineering Professionals were the top four non pro-rata occupation which received the most invitations.
Estimated waiting time
Based on our analysis, the estimated waiting time for non-rata arrangement occupations is set out below:
Points | Approx. waiting time for those who reached the points |
75+ | Next round |
75 | Next round |
70 | Min. 7 months |
65 | Min. 12 months |
60 | Min. 18 months |
Please note that the above analysis is based on the assumptions that the number of invitation and invitation rounds are maintained at current level.
The table below shows the latest estimated waiting time for pro-rata arrangement occupations.
Occupation | Required points | Total invitations issued for 23 May round | Quota filled up | Remaining quota (%) | Approx. Waiting time for those who reached the required points |
Accountants (2211) | 80 | 45 | 2768 | 2017(42%) | 18 weeks |
Auditors (2212) | 80 | 12 | 974 | 353 (27%) | 15 weeks |
Electronics Engineers (2334) | 75 | 8 | 485 | 515 (52%) | Next round |
Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers (2335) | 75 | 22 | 1,155 | 1,023 (47%) | Next round |
Other Engineering Professionals (2339) | 75 | 9 | 624 | 376 (38%) | 8 weeks |
Software and Applications Programmers (2613) | 75 | 58 | 3513 | 2,689 (43%) | 9 weeks |
ICT Business and System Analysts (2611) | 75 | 15 | 1,150 | 424(27%) | 14 weeks |
Computer Network Professionals (2631) | 75 | 12 | 739 | 579 (44%) | 5 weeks |
The table below sets out some Hong Kong popular occupations with low filled up rate. All of them are not under pro-rata arrangement.
Occupation | Quota for the financial year | No. of invitations up-to-date for 2017/18 | Filled up rate (%) |
Architects and Landscape Architects | 1,474 | 124 | 8.4 |
Civil Engineering Professionals | 3,296 | 423 | 12.8 |
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teachers | 2,639 | 61 | 2.3 |
Secondary School Teachers | 7,910 | 197 | 2.5 |
Occupational Therapists | 1,109 | 32 | 2.9 |
Physiotherapists | 1,464 | 50 | 3.4 |
General Practitioners and Resident Medical officers | 3,495 | 160 | 4.6 |
Registered Nurses | 16,741 | 802 | 4.8 |
Psychologists | 1,750 | 27 | 1.5 |
Social Workers | 1,562 | 118 | 7.6 |
Processing time
According to the DHA, the estimated visa application processing time as of 15 May 2018 for the following visas are as follows:
Subclass 189 (points-tested stream) around 8 – 9 months
Subclass 190 (state nomination) around 6 – 10 months
This is for indicative purpose only. Please bear in mind that processing times are impacted each month by changes in application volumes, seasonal peaks, complex cases, and incomplete applications.
2. Possible changes to occupation lists on 1 July 2018
The Department of Jobs and Small Business is responsible for regularly reviewing the skilled migration occupation lists to ensure they meet Australia’s labour market needs. The Department has recently published a Traffic Bulletin which listed out the flagged occupations to be removed or changes. The details are summarised as follows.
Red light - occupations for possible removal (from STSOL to OFF)
- Manufacturer (ANZSCO 133411)
- Director (Film, Television, Radio or Stage) 212312
- Film and Video Editor 212314
- Program Director (Television or Radio) 212315
- Stage Manager 212316
- Technical Director 212317
- Video Producer 212318
- Middle School Teacher 241311
- Textile, Clothing and Footwear Mechanic 323215
- Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer 323316
- Cabler (Data and Telecommunications) 342411
- Telecommunications Linesworker 342413
- Chemical Plant Operator 399211
- Library Technician 399312
- Residential Care Officer 411715
- Insurance Loss Adjuster 599612
- Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals NEC 211499
Orange light - occupations for possible move from Medium Long Term Strategic List (MLTSSL) to Short Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)
- Management Accountant (ANZSCO: 221112)
- Agricultural Consultant 234111
- Civil Engineering Technician 312212
Yellow light - occupation for possible move from STSOL to MLTSSL
- Footballer 452411
Purple light - occupation for possible move from STSOL to Regional Occupation List (ROL)
- Dentist 252312
- Anaesthetist 253211
3. State nomination update
Tasmania
Retail Pharmacist (ANZSCO 251513) Hospital Pharmacist (ANZSCO 251511) are now removed from the state occupation list.
State nomination statistics for subclass 190 and state requirement updates
The latest state nomination statistics are as follows:
| April 2017 | March 2017 | From July 2017 – April 2018 |
QLD | 89 | 97 | 933 |
NSW | 256 | 583 | 2590 |
VIC | 278 | 394 | 2678 |
WA | 0 | 0 | 0 |
SA | 68 | 44 | 767 |
TAS | 41 | 189 | 593 |
ACT | 100 | 159 | 719 |
NT | 14 | 37 | 221 |
Total | 846 | 1503 | 8501 |
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