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DIAC’s official Skilled Occupation Lists (SOL)

Article 3 taken from Immigration News (Volume 176):

DIAC released the official Skilled Occupation Listswith their corresponding points values for each occupation and the skill assessment body authorised to carry out the assessments. There are also new lists for the Employer Nomination visas and for the new up and coming State Migration Program.

The point levels have remained constant, for example the new ANZSCO occupation, Accountant (general) is still worth 60 points. The link can be followed here which will provide all of them together from Schedule 1 to Schedule 4;
 
http://www.immi.gov.au/employers/_pdf/asco-anzsco-sol-correlations.pdf
 
DIAC’s own introduction and explanation of these lists can be viewed at;
 
http://www.immi.gov.au/employers/anzsco/transitional-arrangements.htm
 
The Skilled Occupation List  (SOL) – Schedule 1
 
This list is to be used for the determination of applications which have already been lodged and waiting to be processed. If you are going to lodge your application before the 1st July 2010 then this is the list you will use.
 
The Skilled Occupation List (SOL) – Schedule 2
 
This list is designed to accommodate the transitional arrangements released on the 8th February 2010. There are two distinct groups of international students and former international students who can use this list. Lets call them Group A and Group B
 
Group A
This list is to be used for applications made on or before 31st December 2012 for a 885, 886 or 487 visa by an applicant who held a 485 visa on the 8th of February 2010 or had applied for a 485 visa that was not finally determined on the 8th February 2010 and may nominate an occupation on the current SOL or the new SOL that commences from the 1st of July 2010.
 
Group B
This list also applies to applicants who held a student visa in Subclass 572, 573 and 574 on the 8th February 2010 and who apply for the 485 visa on or before the 31st December 2012. Note this means the 485 only, the 1.5 year TR visa, not the 885 (PR), 886 (PR) or 487 (3ry TR) visas.
 
These group of applicants listed above can nominate an occupation from either the current ASCO SOL or the new ANZSCO SOL. This list has authorised corresponding ANZSCO and ASCO occupations. This means even though you can nominate an ANZSCO occupation you can provide the approved old ASCO skill assessment which correlates to it.
  
Skilled Occupation List (SOL) – Schedule 3
 
This list applies to all GSM applicants from the 1sy July 2010 including those in Group A and Group B who qualify for the transitional arrangements.
 
All applicants who do not qualify for the above transitional arrangements must use this list. Applicants can only nominate an ANZSCO occupation from the 1st of July 2010. You are permitted to use an old, still valid, ASCO skill assessment result which correlates to the ANZSCO occupation if it is on this list.
 
Skilled Occupation List (SOL) – Schedule 4
 
This list applies to the Sate Migration Plans due to begin on the 1st July 2010. From this list each State or Territory may nominate any occupation they choose and set corresponding criteria for their regions. These individual lists will be issued by each region on their web sites after the 30th June 2010.
 
This list applies to applicants for subclasses,176 (Skilled – Sponsored), 886 (Skilled – Sponsored), 475 (Skilled – Regional Sponsored) and 487 (Skilled – Regional Sponsored) visas who are nominated by a State or Territory government agency.
 
You will notice there are many more occupations on this list than the other SOL’s. it doesn’t mean the states will choose to sponsor everyone of these occupations, they can pick and choose as they see fit. Then they can also place extra criteria for the occupation they choose such as work experience or IELTS. Each ANZSCO code has a corresponding ASCO code DIAC will accept if applicants wish to use their old skill assessments.
 
Youwill see that the occupations removed from the new SOL’s such as Cook, Hairdresser, Welfare Worker etc are on this list. It will be important then to see from next week which states which choose to support the sponsorship for which occupations!

What to expect in July 2010

Article 2 taken from Immigration News (Volume 176):

DIAC Fees Increase on 1st July
From 1st of July onwards, the two main DIAC fees students will have to pay for their onshore GSM visa are set to increase;
 
PR $2575 (up $25)
TR $235   (up $5)
  
Lodging without Completion letters
 
Many students are finding it hard to obtain the  official transcripts and completion letters before the crucial 1st of July cut off.
 
You may lodge your applications if you have completed your two years of study even without the official completion letters. You must however demonstrate that your results have been issued. This means you know that you have completed all the subjects and there is nothing more to do academically to meet the requirements of the course.
 
Also just a reminder, unfortunately for the PR applications of 886 and 885 visa you must have the skill assessment result to be able to lodge a valid application.  This is very different to the 485 graduate visa which allows evidence of applying for skill assessment to be able to lodge.

Change of Sponsorship Rules coming 1st of July for the 886 visa
 
There are many legal changes coming the first of July that centre around the new SOL. There is one however which relates to the onshore sponsored 886 visa. The new law is going to stipulate that you must have the sponsor at the time of application.

Currently you can lodge the 886 visa without a sponsor and you have the chance to show that you have obtained a sponsor by the time you get a DIAC case officer (which can be years away). From next week this will not be allowed, you must declare that you have a sponsor at the time you apply.