The new Skilled Occupation List and Consolidated Skilled Occupation List has come into effect from 1 July 2016.

Are you wanting to apply for a skilled visa or for a skilled permanent pathway? Then you need to be aware of the 2017 Skilled Occupation List.

Persons wishing to apply for any of the General Skilled Migration visas must nominate an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL), before they can apply. The Skilled Occupations List is specified by legislative instrument and consists of a range of skilled professions and trades.

The SOL consists of two schedules:

• Schedule 1 is the actual skilled occupations list (SOL), occupations on which are regarded as being ‘in demand’. Persons with recognised occupations in this Schedule can apply for a skilled visa, with or without a sponsorship or nomination.

• Schedule 2 is termed the Consolidated Skilled Occupations List (CSOL), and consists of occupations which are regarded as ‘not so much in demand’, but where applicants can still use occupations listed to make a skilled visa application, providing they are sponsored:
o by a State/Territory government (subject to a further State/Territory skilled occupations list, put out by each individual State or Territory), or
o by an Australian employer in the 457 visa or ENS/RSMS categories.

Read more and see the new list here: Australia Releases new SOL and CSOL