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Australian SkillSelect Round Results 2019/2020 - Skilled Independent Visa & Regional Visa Occupation Lists

Australian SkillSelect Round Results 2019/2020 - Skilled Independent Visa & Regional Visa Occupation Lists

 Skill Select Round Results

The Most Recent Australian SkillSelect Invitation Round Results for 2019/2020 program year, Occupation Lists for the Skilled - Independent Visa (subclass 189) and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)

(This article was originally posted as "The Most Recent Australian SkillSelect Invitation Round Results for 2018/2019 program year, Occupation Lists for the Skilled - Independent Visa (subclass 189) and Skilled – Regional Visa (Provisional) (subclass 489)" and includes the results from the 2018/2019 program year)


Skill Select Round Results

SkillSelect Round Results January 2020

Good News for Skilled Visa Applicants as Invitations for 189 and 491 (family sponsored) Visas Increase

January 2020 SkillSelect Invitation Round

The latest report on invitations issued by the Department of Home Affairs shows that 1,000 invitations were issued for the Skilled Independent subclass 189 visa on 10 January 2020. This is a significant increase from the 250 invitations that were issued for the same visa subclass at the last round in December 2019.

A total of 300 invitations were issued for the subclass 491 (family sponsored stream) in this invitation round.

Cut-off Score – 90 Points

Whilst the number of invitations for both the 189 and the 491 (family sponsored stream) has increased, the minimum points remain high. The minimum points for both visa subclasses are 90 points. This minimum point score may be difficult for offshore applicants to access as most applicants rely on points earnt from studies in Australia or regional areas of Australia.

Although the positive change is that points awarded for state sponsorship has now increased to 15 points, in comparison to the previous 10 points.

Visa subclass

Minimum points score

Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)

90

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – Family Sponsored)

90

Source: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skillselect/invitation-rounds

Still Tough Times for Some Occupations

Although there has been a slight decrease in the cut-off scores, minimum requirements for some occupations, such as accountants, auditors and electronic engineers, remain high. It is expected that the points for these occupations, particularly for accountants, will remain high or continue to rise. (link to https://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/all/accountants-applying-for-australian-migration-face-high-points-requirements-how-to-increase-your-points-for-employer-sponsored-rsms-187-ens-186-independent-189-489-and-state-nomination-190-skilled-visas.html)

Subclass

Occupation ID

Description

Minimum points score

189

2211

Accountants

95

189

2212

Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers

95

189

2334

Electronics Engineer

90

491

2334

Electronics Engineer

95

189

2335

Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers

90

189

2339

Other Engineering Professionals

90

189

2611

ICT Business and System Analysts

90

189

2613

Software and Applications Programmers

90

491

2613

Software and Applications Programmers

90

189

2631

Computer Network Professionals

90

491

2631

Computer Network Professionals

90

Our View

Potential for More 189 Invitations

A total of 16,652 Skilled Independent 189 visas are available for the 2019-2020 financial year (link to https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/migration-program-planning-levels). Based on this number, we expect that the Department of Home Affairs may issue more monthly invitations. If over 1,300 invitations are issued per month for the 189, there is a potential for the point cut-off scores to decrease in future rounds. Regardless, scores for popular occupations, such as accountants, are likely to remain high.

More Family Sponsored Stream 491 Visas

There has also been an increase in invitations issued to the subclass 491 (family sponsored stream). In this round, a total of 300 invitations were issued in this stream. Previously, only 10 invitations were issued per month, with a rough estimate of 100 invitations for the year.  This meant that it was practically impossible to receive an invitation under this stream. With the recent increase in the number of invitations, the 491 (family sponsored stream) is becoming a more viable option.

 SkillSelect Round Results February 2019

The Department of Home Affairs has released the Australian SkillSelect Invitation Round Results for February 2019.

January marks the sixth month of the 2018/2019 migration year for Skilled Migration Visa invitations to be issued.

In February 2019, Home Affairs issued 1,490 Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas and only 10 Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visas.

Through the past six months, Home Affairs has continued to issue only 10 Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visas, but up until this February, we have seen a significant drop in the amount of Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas issued each month.

Visa subclass

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Total

Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)

1,000

2,490

2,490

4,340

4,340

2,490

2,490

1,490

       

21,130

Skilled Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 489)

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

       

80

Total

1,010

2,500

2,500

4,350

4,350

2,500

2,500

1,500

       

21,210

*The above figures do not include invitations issued for State and Territory Government nominated visa subclasses. State and Territory Governments nominate throughout the month for specific points tested skilled migration and business innovation and investment visas.

 

Main Differences

 Through the 2018/2019 program year, we have witnessed some major fluctuations within the SkillSelect round invitations. In December and January there was 2500 total invitations issued which is nearly double the number of visas issued in February. This may be attributed to high amount of invitations issued in October and November. As you can see below, there were less invitations issued at every point requirement. The major difference between the past few months and February were the amount of visa issued at 70 points.

Accountants tend to face some of the most competition and highest points requirements. Here are some tips on how accountants and other applicants can receive higher points.  

Below are two charts comparing the invitations issued based on points From November 2018 to February 2019.

Points For:

Skilled - Independent (subclass 189)

70

75

80

85  

90 

         

Total

November

2,200

1,199

764

170

<5

         

4340

December

736

1093

496

156

7

         

2490

January       

848     

1037

402  

200

 

         

2490

February

32

945

271   

229

10

         

1490

                                                                        

While the largest changes are seen above in the Skilled Independent visas, it is worth noting that there was a slight change in the Skilled Regional visas. With that being said, the minimum point requirement for the subclass 489 has stayed firmly at 80 points.

Points For:

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489)

70

75

80

 

85  

 

90 

         

Total

November

-

-

5

 

5

 

-

         

10

December

-

-

<5

 

7

 

-

         

10

January

-

-

7

 

<5

 

-

         

10

February

-

-

                     


Top 5 Most Popular Occupations

Currently, there are about 73 occupations on the occupation list. The table below shows the occupations with the most invitations issued and the invitation ceilings for the 2018-2019 program year. Each occupation on the list of eligible skilled occupations can be found using the four-digit ANZSCO code unit group.

Occupation ID

Description

Occupation Ceiling Value 2018-19

Invitations to 11/02/2019

1)    2613

Software and Applications Programmers*

7,271

4,764

2)    2211

Accountants*

3,753

2,460

3)    2544

Registered Nurses

17,322

1,532

4)    2631

Computer Network Professionals*

2,167

1,419

5)    2332

Civil Engineering Professionals

3,510

1,230

*Occupations that are subject to pro rata arrangements. For Accountants (2211) the occupational ceiling also reflects volumes in other skilled visa categories.

 

Occupations That Have Zero Invitations Issued

Below is a list of occupations that have not been issued any invitations and their occupation ceiling. While this is not the complete list, this is the majority of occupations that have yet to receive a single occupation invitation. Furthermore, there are several occupations that have only received between 0 and 50 invitations.  

Occupation ID

Description

Occupation Ceiling Value 2018-19

Invitations to 11/02/2019

1213

Livestock Farmers

4,841

0

2514

Optometrists and Orthoptists

1,000

<5

2711

Barristers

1,000

0

3222

Sheetmetal Trades Workers

1,000

0

3233

Precision Metal Trades Workers

1,000

0

3332

Plasterers

2,081

<5

3334

Wall and Floor Tilers

1,259

<5

3421

Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics

1,836

<5

3422

Electrical Distribution Trades Workers

1,019

<5

3941

Cabinetmakers

1,421

<5

3991

Boat Builders and Shipwrights

1,000

0


Monthly Points Requirement Changes

Due to demand and other factors the monthly invitation round results also release changes in minimum point requirements. These point changes are often

Occupation ID

Description

November Minimum Points Required

2211

Accountants

85

2212

Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers

80

2334

Electronics Engineer

75

2335

Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers

75

2339

Other Engineering Professionals

75

2611

ICT Business and System Analysts

75

2613

Software and Applications Programmers

75

2631

Computer Network Professionals

75

 

 SkillSelect Round Results December 2018

The Department of Home Affairs has released the Australian SkillSelect Invitation Round Results for December 2018.

November marks the sixth month of the 2018/2019 migration year for Skilled Migration Visa invitations to be issued.

In December 2019, Home Affairs issued 2,490 Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas and only 10 Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visas.

Through the past six months, Home Affairs has continued to issue only 10 Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visas, but up until this December, we have seen continual growth in the amount of Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas issued each month.

Visa Subclass

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct  

Nov

Dec

 

Total

Skilled - Independent (subclass 189)

1000

2490

2490

 4340

4340

2490

17,150

Skilled – Regional Provisional

(subclass 489)

10

10

10

10

10

10

 

60

Total

1010

2500

2500

 4350

4350

2500

 

17,210

*The above figures do not include invitations issued for State and Territory Government nominated visa subclasses.

 

Main Differences

 Through the 2019/2019 program year, we have witnessed some major fluctuations within the SkillSelect round invitations. In October and November there was 4350 total invitations issued which is nearly double the number of visas issued in December. This may be attributed to low amount of invitations issued in July. As you can see below, there were less invitations issued at every point requirement. The major difference between the past few months and December were the amount of visa issued at 70 points.

Accountants tend to face some of the most competition and highest points requirements. Here are some tips on how accountants and other applicants can receive higher points.  

Below are two charts comparing the invitations issued based on points From September 2018 to December 2018.

Points For:

Skilled - Independent (subclass 189)

70

75

80

85  

90 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

September

605

1,202

545

 0

 5

 

 

 

 

2,490

October

1,913

1,458

807

157

 5

 

 

 

 

 

4340

November

2,200

1,199

764

170

<5

 

 

 

 

 

4340

December

736

1093

496

156

7

 

 

 

 

 

2490

 

While the largest changes are seen above in the Skilled Independent visas, it is worth noting that there was a slight change in the Skilled Regional visas. With that being said, the minimum point requirement for the subclass 489 has stayed firmly at 80 points.

 

Points For:

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489)

70

75

80

 

85  

 

90 

 

   

 

 

Total

September

-

-

5

 

-

 

 5

 

 

 

 

10

October

-

-

4

 

6

 

 -

 

 

 

 

 

10

November

-

-

5

 

5

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

10

December

-

-

<5

 

7

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

Top 5 Most Popular Occupations

Currently, there are about 73 occupations on the occupation list. The table below shows the occupations with the most invitations issued and the invitation ceilings for the 2018-2019 program year. Each occupation on the list of eligible skilled occupations can be found using the four-digit ANZSCO code unit group.

Occupation ID

Description

Occupation Ceiling Value 2018-19

Invitations to 12/11/2018

1)    2613

Software and Applications Programmers*

7,271

3,834

2)    2211

Accountants*

3,753

1,980

3)    2544

Registered Nurses

17,322

1,255

4)    2631

Computer Network Professionals*

2,167

1,147

5)    2332

Civil Engineering Professionals

3,510

981

*Occupations that are subject to pro rata arrangements. For Accountants (2211) the occupational ceiling also reflects volumes in other skilled visa categories.

 

Occupations That Have Zero Invitations Issued

Below is a list of occupations that have not been issued any invitations and their occupation ceiling. While this is not the complete list, this is the majority of occupations that have yet to receive a single occupation invitation. Furthermore, there are several occupations that have only received between 0 and 50 invitations.  

Occupation ID

Description

Occupation Ceiling Value 2018-19

Invitations to 11/08/2018

1213

Livestock Farmers

4,841

0

2514

Optometrists and Orthoptists

1,000

<5

2711

Barristers

1,000

0

3222

Sheetmetal Trades Workers

1,000

0

3233

Precision Metal Trades Workers

1,000

0

3421

Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics

1,836

<5

3422

Electrical Distribution Trades Workers

1,019

<5

3941

Cabinetmakers

1,421

<5

3991

Boat Builders and Shipwrights

1,000

0

 

Monthly Points Requirement Changes

Due to demand and other factors the monthly invitation round results also release changes in minimum point requirements. These point changes are often

Occupation ID

Description

November Minimum Points Required

2211

Accountants

80

2212

Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers

80

2334

Electronics Engineer

75

2335

Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers

70

2339

Other Engineering Professionals

75

2611

ICT Business and System Analysts

75

2613

Software and Applications Programmers

70

2631

Computer Network Professionals

70

 

SkillSelect Round Results November 2018

The Department of Home Affairs has released the Australian SkillSelect invitation round results for November 2018. November marks the fifth month of the 2018 migration year for Skilled Migration Visa invitations to be issued.

In November 2018, Home Affairs issued 4340 Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas and only 10 Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visas.

Through the past five months, Home Affairs has continued to issue only 10 Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visas, but we have seen continual growth in the amount of Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas issued each month.

Visa Subclass

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct  

Nov

            

 

Total

Skilled - Independent (subclass 189)

1000

2490

2490

 4340

4340

 

14,660

Skilled – Regional Provisional

(subclass 489)

10

10

10

10

10

   

50

Total

1010

2500

2500

 4350

4350

   

14,710

*The above figures do not include invitations issued for State and Territory Government nominated visa subclasses.

 

Main Differences

With the obvious difference being the amount of Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas issued, there was a vast difference in the range of points for clients who were invited to apply. In fact, there was major growth in the amount of invitations issued at lower points. This is a welcomed change as many of our clients have found it extremely difficult to gain the necessary amount of points. Moreover, gaining the minimum amount of points does not mean that you will receive an invitation. For example, while a minimum requirement for a certain occupation could be 70 points, Home Affairs may issue the majority of invitations for that certain occupation at 80 points. This means that due to the high competition many qualified applicants still may not be issued an invitation.

Accountants tend to face some of the most competition and highest points requirements. Here are some tips on how accountants and other applicants can receive higher points.  

Below are two charts comparing the invitations issued based on points in September 2018 and October 2018.

Points For The

Skilled - Independent (subclass 189)

70

75

80

85  

90 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

September

605

1,202

545

 0

 5

 

 

 

 

2,490

October

1,913

1,458

807

157

 5

 

 

 

 

 

4340

November

2,200

1,199

764

170

<5

 

 

 

 

 

4340

While the largest changes are seen above in the Skilled Independent visas, it is worth noting that there was a slight change in the Skilled Regional visas.

Points For The

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489)

70

75

80

 

85  

 

90 

 

   

 

 

Total

September

-

-

5

 

-

 

 5

 

 

 

 

10

October

-

-

4

 

6

 

 -

 

 

 

 

 

10

November

-

-

5

 

5

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

Top 5 Most Popular Occupations

Currently, there are about 73 occupations on the occupation list. The table below shows the occupations with the most invitations issued and the invitation ceilings for the 2018-2019 program year. Each occupation on the list of eligible skilled occupations can be found using the four-digit ANZSCO code unit group.

Occupation ID

          Description

Occupation

Ceiling Value 2018-19

Invitations to 11/11/2018

1)    2613

Software and Applications Programmers*

7,271

3,253

2)    2211

Accountants*

3,753

1,680

3)    2544

Registered Nurses

17,322

1,081

4)    2631

Computer Network Professionals*

2,167

969

5)    2332

Civil Engineering Professionals

3,510

835

*Occupations that are subject to pro rata arrangements. For Accountants (2211) the occupational ceiling also reflects volumes in other skilled visa categories.

 

Occupations That Have Zero Invitations Issued

Below is a list of occupations that have not been issued any invitations and their occupation ceiling. While this is not the complete list, this is the majority of occupations that have yet to receive a single occupation invitation. Furthermore, there are several occupations that have only received between 0 and 50 invitations.  

Occupation ID

          Description

Occupation

Ceiling Value 2018-19

Invitations to 11/08/2018

1213

Livestock Farmers

4,841

0

2514

Optometrists and Orthoptists

1,000

<5

2711

Barristers

1,000

0

3222

Sheetmetal Trades Workers

1,000

0

3233

Precision Metal Trades Workers

1,000

0

3421

Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics

1,836

<5

3422

Electrical Distribution Trades Workers

1,019

<5

3941

Cabinetmakers

1,421

<5

3991

Boat Builders and Shipwrights

1,000

0

 

Monthly Points Requirement Changes

Due to demand and other factors the monthly invitation round results also release changes in minimum point requirements. These point changes are often

Occupation ID

Description

November Minimum Points Required

2211

Accountants

80

2212

Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers

80

2334

Electronics Engineer

75

2335

Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers

70

2339

Other Engineering Professionals

75

2611

ICT Business and System Analysts

75

2613

Software and Applications Programmers

70

2631

Computer Network Professionals

70

 

What To Expect In The Coming Months

With major differences seen from September to October/November it is tough to say exactly what is to come. With that being said, if the past two months are giving us a look into what is to come, we will see lots more invitations issued.

What we do know is that Home Affairs has allocated a total of 43,990 invitations to be issued for the 2018-2019 migration year. This meant that Home Affairs would have to issue approximately 3,665 invitations per month to reach the 43,990 cap. Up until October, it seemed unlikely that the cap would be met considering Home Affairs had been issuing significantly lower amounts of invitations per month. With only 5 months having past, we are sitting at an average of 2,942 invitations having been issued. Meaning there is still a gap of 723 invitations issued per month before we meet the cap.

With Home Affairs releasing 4,350 invitations in October and November it has brought the current total to 14,710 invitations issued, meaning that they seem to be back on track to meet the invitation ceiling. If we look at the round results from November 2017, we can see that there was a total to 11,321 invitations issued, significantly less than 2018.

All in all, it is great that David Coleman and Home Affairs have stepped up and began issuing a responsible amount of monthly invitations. We can only hope that this continues.

 

Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) Review, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956

or   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

SkillSelect Round Results October 2018

The Department of Home Affairs has finally released the long-awaited Australian SkillSelect round results for October 2018 .

October marks the fourth month of the 2018 migration year for Skilled Migration Visa invitations to be issued.

In October 2018, Home Affairs issued 4340 Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas and only 10 Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visas.

Through the past four months, Home Affairs has continued to issue only 10 Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visas, but we have seen continual growth in the amount of Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas issued each month.

Visa Subclass

Jul

Aug

Sep

 

Oct 

             

Total

Skilled - Independent (subclass 189)

1000

2490

2490

 

 4340

           

10,320

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489)

10

10

10

 

 10

             

40

Total

1010

2500

2500

 

 4350

             

10,360

*The above figures do not include invitations issued for State and Territory Government nominated visa subclasses.

 

Main Differences

 

With the obvious difference being the amount of Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas issued, there was a vast difference in the range of points for clients who were invited to apply. In fact, there was major growth in the amount of invitations issued at lower points. This is a welcomed change as many of our clients have found it extremely difficult to gain the necessary amount of points. Moreover, gaining the minimum amount of points does not mean that you will receive an invitation. For example, while a minimum requirement for a certain occupation could be 70 points, Home Affairs may issue the majority of invitations for that certain occupation at 80 points. This means that due to the high competition many qualified applicants still may not be issued an invitation.

Accountants tend to face some of the most competition and highest points requirements. Here are some tips on how accountants and other applicants can receive higher points.  

Below are two charts comparing the invitations issued based on points in September 2018 and October 2018.

Points For The

Skilled - Independent (subclass 189)

70

75

80

 

85  

 

90 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

September

605

1,202

545

 

 0

 

 5

 

 

 

 

2,490

October

1,913

1,458

807

 

157

 

 5

 

 

 

 

 

4340

 

While the largest changes are seen above in the Skilled Independent visas, it is worth noting that there was a slight change in the Skilled Regional visas.

 

Points For The

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489)

70

75

80

 

85  

 

90 

 

   

 

 

Total

September

-

-

5

 

-

 

 5

 

 

 

 

10

October

-

-

4

 

6

 

 -

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

Top 5 Most Popular Occupations

 

Currently, there are about 73 occupations on the occupation list. The table below shows the occupations with the most invitations issued and the invitation ceilings for the 2018-2019 program year. Each occupation on the list of eligible skilled occupations can be found using the four-digit ANZSCO code unit group.

Occupation ID

Description

Occupation Ceiling Value 2018-19

Invitations to 11/08/2018

1)    2613

Software and Applications Programmers*

7,271

581

2)    2211

Accountants*

3,753

300

3)    2544

Registered Nurses

17,322

293

4)    2332

Civil Engineering Professionals

3,510

230

5)    2621

Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists

2,660

204

*Occupations that are subject to pro rata arrangements. For Accountants (2211) the occupational ceiling also reflects volumes in other skilled visa categories.

 

Occupations That Have Zero Invitations Issued

 

Below is a list of occupations that have not been issued any invitations and their occupation ceiling. While this is not the complete list, this is the majority of occupations that have yet to receive a single occupation invitation. Furthermore, there are several occupations that have only received between 0 and 50 invitations.  

Occupation ID

Description

Occupation Ceiling Value 2018-19

Invitations to 11/08/2018

1213

Livestock Farmers

4,841

0

2514

Optometrists and Orthoptists

1,000

0

2711

Barristers

1,000

0

3222

Sheetmetal Trades Workers

1,000

0

3233

Precision Metal Trades Workers

1,000

0

3421

Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics

1,836

0

3422

Electrical Distribution Trades Workers

1,019

0

3941

Cabinetmakers

1,421

0

3991

Boat Builders and Shipwrights

1,000

0

 

Why Were the Results Released So Late?

 

When asking this question, it is important to remember that Home Affairs has still been issuing the invitations in a timely manner. It is just the monthly round result statistics presented to the public that we have been awaiting. While we are unsure as to why the October round results were released in December, it could be due to a couple of factors. First, Home Affairs is currently in the process of upgrading their website and during the month of October, for the most part, their website was down. Second, after viewing the invitations issued it could be due to the sheer amount of invitations actually issued. Lastly, this is the first time Home Affairs has attempted to release monthly statistics. In the past, the round results had been released quarterly.

 

What To Expect In The Coming Months

 

With major differences being seen from September and October it is tough to say exactly what is to come.

What we do know is that Home Affairs has allocated a total of 43,990 invitations to be issued for the 2018-2019 migration year. This meant that Home Affairs would have to issue approximately 3,665 invitations per month to reach the 43,990 cap. Up until October, it seemed unlikely that the cap would be met considering Home Affairs had been issuing significantly lower amounts of invitations per month.

With Home Affairs releasing 4,450 invitations in October it has brought the current total to 10,360 invitations issued, meaning that they may be on track to meet the invitation ceiling. If we look at the round results from October 2017, we can see that there was a total to 10,616 invitations issued. So, now that it seems as though that that amount of invitations issued is back on track, this leads us to believe that Home Affairs may begin to level off the amount of invitations issued and begin to issue a consistent number of invitations.  With that being said, it is important to remember that we have still yet to see the round results for November, which was scheduled to be released 11 December.

 

Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) Review, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

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SkillSelect Round Results September

After the political spill in late August and several weeks, Home Affairs has released the Australian Skill Select Round Results for September.

In September 2018, Home Affairs issued another 2490 Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visas and only 10 Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visas.

This is the exact same number of visas that were issued for the month of August, which bring the total amount of visas issued to 6010 since the beginning of the migration year.

Visa subclass

Jul

Aug

Sep

 

               

Total

Skilled - Independent (subclass 189)

1000

2490

2490

               

5980

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489)

10

10

10

                 

30

Total

1010

2500

2500

                 

6010

*The above figures do not include invitations issued for State and Territory Government nominated visa subclasses.

 

Main Differences

 

While the total number of visas issued stayed the same, there was a vast difference in the points range for clients who were invited to apply.

 Skilled – Independent

605 visas granted to applicants with 70 points 

1,202 visas granted to applicants with 75 points

545 visas granted to applicants with 80 points

5 visas granted to applicants with 90 points

Skilled - Regional (Provisional)

5 visas granted to applicants with 80 points

5 visas granted to applicants with 90 points

 

Top 5 Most Popular Visas

 

Below you will see the current top 5 most popular visas bases on the amount of invitations issued to date.

Occupation ID

Description

Occupation Ceiling Value 2018-19

Invitations to 11/09/2018

2613

Software and Applications Programmers*

7,271

1,231

2211

Accountants

3,753

636

2332

Civil Engineering Professionals

3,510

339

2335

Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers*

1,780

301

2633

Telecommunications Engineering Professionals

1000

251

 

Occupations That Have Zero Invitations Issued

 

On the other side of the spectrum, there are occupations that have had zero invitations issued. These are not in an order and there are plenty of other occupations that have not issued invitations, see the chart below.

Occupation ID

Description

Occupation Ceiling Value 2018-19

1213

Livestock Farmers

4,841

2711

Barristers

1,000

3211

Automotive Electricians

1,000

3222

Sheetmetal Trades Workers

1,000

3421

Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics

1836

 

Change between August & September

 

While there are significant changes between the August and September SkillSelect Round Results, it is also important to remember that there was a change in leadership and subsequent new Minister for Immigration in late August. Understandably, this could be the reason September’s results were released so late and why they look so different.

A major change we witnessed during the September round results was that there were invitations issued for people with 95 and 100 points. Another major change from August to September is that there was not a single invitation issued to any applicants that held 85 points.

All in all, we witnessed over 200 less independent visa invitations issued at 70 points, over 100 more issued at 75 points, 100 less issued at 80 points, and 100 less invitations issued at 85 points.

 

What can we expect for October?

 

We have seen a large difference between August and September which leaves the question, what should we expect for October?

Hopefully we will see a lot more visas being issued. By 20 September in the 2017-2018 program, Home Affairs had already issued a total of 8059 invitations; 7500 Skilled- Independent visas, and 559 Skilled Regional Visas. With that being said, the 2017-2018 program year only issued 16,296 of the available 43,990 invitations. If Home Affairs were to utilize the entire 43,990 possible invitations they would need to average approximately 3,665 invitations per month.

If Home Affairs does attempt to reach their invitation cap of 43,990 for the 2018-2019 program year, the next rounds will need to have significantly more invitations. For this to happen we may see further movement within the minimum points required for certain occupations.

Remember, the Invitation rounds for Skilled - Independent (subclass 189) and Skilled - Regional Provisional (subclass 489) visas will be run once a month. Invitation rounds are anticipated to run on the 11th day of each month but dates for the rounds are subject to change as we have seen from the month of September.

Invitation numbers in each round may vary depending on the number of applications being processed by the department.

Expect more changes and more difficult requirements for independent, employer, and state-sponsored visas as the competition for these phases will be high, in particularly, for those occupations that cannot get through the 189.

We have already seen a number of changes from states including the ACT Tasmania and South Australia in relation to sponsorship required months for the 190 and 489 Visas.

On 11 August Home Affairs released the second SkillSelect round results for the 2018 program year.

 

SkillSelect Round Results August 

For the month of August 2018 Home Affairs issued a total of 2500 invitations. While the amount of Independent 189 visas skyrocketed to 2490, the Regional 489 Visa invitations remained at exactly 10.

In July 2018 there were a total of 1010 invitations issued; 1000 Independent 189 and 10 Regional 489 Visa invitations sent. July 2018 round results here.

 

More Invitations to Follow Leadership Change?

 

The recent spill and leadership change happened on 21 August. This round of results is from before the leadership change. While we are still unsure as to how or if the leadership change will affect the upcoming round results, we are anticipating that having a dedicated Home Affairs Minister could help. Especially because the policy under Dutton seemed to have been aimed towards lowering the number of approvals.

It is also important to remember that the new Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, David Coleman, celebrates diversity and understands the pain of exclusion. Therefore, we are excited to see what impact he has on the remaining SkillSelect round results.

 

Top 5 Occupation Invitations Issued

Occupation ID

Description

Total # of Invitations Issued

Invitation Ceiling    2018/2019

2613

Software and Applications Programmers*

581

7,271

2211

Accountants*

300

3,753

2544

Registered Nurses

293

17,322

2332

Civil Engineering Professionals

230

3,510

2621

Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists

204

2,660

*Occupations that are subject to pro rata arrangements. For Accountants (2211) the occupational ceiling also reflects volumes in other skilled visa categories.

 

Occupation Point Requirement Changes

 

For the majority of occupations within the 189 Independent Visa the minimum points required is set at 70 points. For the skilled regional sponsored 489 the minimum points required is 80 points. With that being said, the minimum required points have changed for some occupations since the last round results in July.

Occupation ID

Description

July Minimum Points Required

August Minimum Points Required

2211

Accountants

85

80

2335

Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers

75

70

2339

Other Engineering Professionals

80

75

2613

ICT Business and Systems Analysts

80

75

2631

Computer Network Professionals

75

70

 

Invitations Issued Based on Points Score

Skilled – Independent

834 visas granted to applicants with 70 points

1,094 visas granted to applicants with 75 points

453 visas granted to applicants with 80 points

107 visas granted to applicants with 85 points

2 visas granted to applicants with 90 points

Skilled - Regional (Provisional)

9 Visas granted to applicants with 80 points

1 Visas granted to applicants with 85 points

 

Expect Even More Invitations Issued

As of 11 August 2018, there have been a total of 3510 invitations issued; 1010 in July and 2500 in August. During the 2017-2018 program Home Affairs had already issued a total of 4,466. With that being said, the 2017-2018 program year only issued 16,296 of the available 43,990 invitations. If Home Affairs were to utilize the entire 43,990 possible invitations they would need to average approximately 3,665 invitations per month.

If Home Affairs does attempt to reach their invitation cap of 43,990 for the 2018-2019 program year, the next rounds will need to have significantly more invitations. For this to happen we may see further movement within the minimum points required for certain occupations.

 

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Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) Review, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956

or   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

 

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Australian SkillSelect Invitation Round Results July 2018: More Struggles and Stress for Accountants, Engineers, and ICT Occupations

Australian SkillSelect Invitation Round Results July 2018: More Struggles and Stress for Accountants, Engineers, and ICT Occupations

Home Affairs has released the first SkillSelect round invitation results for the 2018-19 program year.

The invitation round to apply for the Skilled - Independent (subclass 189) and Skilled - Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) was conducted on 11 July 2018. This month there were 1000 Independent 189 Visa invitations while only 10 Regional 489 Visa invitations sent. The total number of positions planned for the 2018-19 Skilled Independent Visa remains at 43,990.

Invitation rounds are anticipated to run on the 11th day of each month. Dates for the rounds are subject to change but expect the points to remain high at 70 points or higher within this program year.

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Hot News: Employers to be Burnt by High Costs of Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) Levy for the TSS Subclass 482 Visa, Subclass 457 Visa, ENS Subclass 186 Visa and Subclass RSMS 187 Visa Coming In Effect From 12 August 2018.

Hot News: Employers to be Burnt by High Costs of Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) Levy for the TSS Subclass 482 Visa, Subclass 457 Visa, ENS Subclass 186 Visa and Subclass RSMS 187 Visa Coming In Effect From 12 August 2018.

If you are looking to apply for a TSS subclass 482 visa, subclass 457 visa, ENS subclass 186 Visa or  subclass RSMS 187 visa subclass and you have all of your documents ready to lodge the application, you can avoid the Skilling Australians Fund by lodging it on or before 11 August 2018.


If you still have advertising to complete or have too much work left to do to complete the nomination application before 12 August 2018, it is likely that you will need to pay a contribution to the Skilling Australians Fund Levy.

The Skilling Australians Fund will affect any applications lodged on or after 12 August 2018.

This is going to cause significant additional charges to employers on top of the current application charges.

As we have previously written about, the Skilling Australians Fund is a levy which will be imposed on applications to nominate a foreign worker under a subclass 482, subclass 457, subclass 186 or subclass 187 visa.

 

How Much Does The New Skilling Australians Fund Levy Cost?

The size of your businesses contribution to the levy will vary based on the particular application, as well as the size of the business.

If you are a small to medium business with turnover of less than $10,000,000, your contribution will be less than for a large business with yearly turnover of $10,000,000 or more.

 

Table

 

What Exceptions Are There?

The following kinds of applications are exempted from paying the relevant contribution charge:

  • Subclass 482 visas lodged under the Labour Agreement stream
  • Subclass 186 visas lodged under the Labour Agreement stream
  • If the nomination is for the occupation of Minister of Religion (ANZSCO: 272211) or Religious Assistant (ANZSCO: 451816)

For any of the above applications, the contribution amount is cut down to $0.

 

Meeting The Training Benchmarks

Any applications lodged before 12 August 2018 will still need to continue to meet their training obligations under the current scheme. If you are currently sponsoring an employee or are planning to lodge a nomination before 12 August 2018, you will need to continue to keep clear records and spend:

  • Spend 1% of payroll on the training of your Australian employees, or
  • Contribute 2% to a industry training fund

For nominations on or after 12 August 2018, you will no longer need to meet the training benchmarks. It is important to be careful, however, if you have a blend of pre- and post-SAF nominees. If you have an employee who is looking to use the Temporary Residence Transition stream of 186/187 for a permanent application after holding a 457/482 which was nominated pre-SAF, you will need to show at the time of application that the training benchmarks have been met for all the sponsorship years.

There may be some cases of employers with a large payroll and low utilisation of the employer-sponsored migration scheme where the replacement of the Training Benchmarks with the Skilling Australians Fund Levy will bring an advantage.

 

Can The Nominee / Visa Applicant Pay The Skilling Australians Fund Levy Contribution?

No. Even if they want to, the SAF Levy Contribution has been added to the list of costs which cannot be recovered or transferred to anyone other than the nominating entity (the sponsoring business or organization).

 

Watch Out!

While a lot of the focus is on the Temporary Skills Shortage subclass 482 visa, if you are nominating an employee who already holds a subclass 457 visa and is moving to you from their previous employer, you will still need to contribute to the Skilling Australians Fund Levy.

 

What If?

There is an interesting provision in the Instrument which has provided the date for the Skilling Australians Fund to be brought in. It says that if section 3 of the Migration (Skilling Australians Fund) Charges Act 2018 does not commence (as it is always possible that things might change), then these regulations will not commence either.

If you are considering nominating an employee, it is important that you keep a very close eye on news about the Fund as the 12 August 2018 draws nearer.

 

What Will This Mean Overall?

With the increasing financial friction to nominating an employee for an employer-sponsored visa, it is likely that we will continue to see the number of applications under this stream decrease, even faster than we have previously noted.

 

Comments From Chris Johnston

I expect that the introduction of the Skilling Australians Fund on 12 August 2018 is likely to reduce even further the already restricted number of applications we are seeing for employer-sponsored visas. A lot of applications will probably not go ahead because of the Skilling Australians Fund.

While the Department have projected high expected revenue from this levy, the decrease in the number of applications is likely to strongly affect this. These estimates may be out by up to 50%-75% due to the effect of dicincentivisation not being accounted for.

 

Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) Review, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956 or +61 8 8351 9956 

or   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sources:

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Video: 10 Things you need to know about the 482 visa - Work Visa Australian Immigration & Citizenship News

The new subclass 482 TSS visa has replaced the subclass 457 visa.

This is the 10 Things you need to know about the 482 visa.

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20,000 Less Skilled, RSMS, and Partner Visas Granted Due to New Integrity Measures from Australian Immigration Department

20,000 Less Skilled, RSMS, and Partner Visas Granted Due to New Integrity Measures from Australian Immigration Department

Tougher vetting imposed by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has led migration to plummet to its lowest since 2007. As reported by the Department of Home Affairs, actual intake fell from 183,608 in 2016-2017 to a staggering 162,417 for the 2017-2018 financial year. This is attributed to a 46 per cent increase in visas being refused and an additional 17 per cent rise in application withdrawals due to the greater scrutiny, according to The Australian. Even though the government is not required to fulfil the current migration cap of 190,000, nearly every previous year they have.

 

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