The Critical Skills List (CSL) can be found on the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC) website at: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/critical-skills-list.pdf
The CSL only applies to people who are seeking to migrate under the skilled migration program and who are not sponsored by an employer or nominated by a state or territory government.
The following outlines key information about this CSL:
• it includes mainly information technology professionals, engineers and medical professionals
• the CSL is a smaller list of occupations developed in consultation with state and territory governments
• applications from people nominating the occupation of Accountant will receive processing priority only if they have completed the Skilled Migration Internship Program – Accounting (SMIPA); and/or they have demonstrated that they have proficient English language skills under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS 7) in the past two (2) years
• this list will be subject to ongoing review to ensure that it remains responsive to skill demands.
Greater scope to meet critical skill shortages in state/territory jurisdictions
This change will provide state and territory governments with greater scope to meet critical skill shortages in their jurisdiction. Under previous arrangements, state and territory governments could nominate applicants against a restricted range of occupations, in areas where they considered a skills shortage existed in their jurisdiction:
• states and territories have been provided with an expanded baseline list of occupations which will be reviewed regularly
• in addition, state and territory governments have been offered a quota of 500 places in 2008-09 to nominate skilled migrants in occupations beyond their existing lists of eligible occupations.
Extract for DIAC Factseet General Skilled Migration Visas – July 2009
Mege Dalton – Dublin based migration agent
MARN 0501113
