On 3 December 2024, the Department of Home Affairs released the new Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) for the Skills in Demand visa (replacement of the Temporary Skilled Shortage 482 visa) and the Employer Nomination Scheme Direct Entry stream (186) visa. This list applies to these visas from 7 December 2024.
This article intends to showcase the opportunities that this new list brings to future visa applicants and sponsors.
1. One consolidated list with one stream
The previous skills list had three subgroups (short-term, medium-term, and regional) which provided two different visa durations that affect sponsors’ Skilling Australian Fund (SAF) levy payment. Having just one list means that the maximum visa duration for all the nominated occupations will be the same as well as the SAF levy costs.
For example, Cooks were on the short-term list and their maximum visa duration was only two years while Chefs had a maximum visa duration of four years as they were under the medium-term list. Sponsors used to pay two years of SAF levy for Cooks and four years for Chefs. With this new list, every occupation on the list (including Cooks and Chefs) can have a maximum of four years on their 482 visa which is more cost-effective for both the sponsor and the visa applicant.
2. Child Care Workers now on the skills list
Previously, people in this role had difficulties in getting sponsorship as this occupation was not on the standard 482 occupation list but was only available through the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) program or Labour Agreement. Also, it was the Child Care Centre Manager role that was on the 482 visa occupation list which required at least a Bachelor’s degree in a highly relevant field. Now that Child Care Workers replaced the Child Care Centre Manager on this new list, graduates of at least a Certificate II or III in Early Childhood Education and Care with the required work experience for the 482 visa can be eligible for sponsorship.
3. Expansion of Cyber roles
The previous list only had the ICT Security Specialist which was combined with the Database and Systems Administrators roles. In this new list, the following Cyber roles were added with a clearer scope of tasks per role as these roles are not in a single ANZSCO unit group:
- Cyber Governance Risk and Compliance Specialist
- Cyber Security Advice and Assessment Specialist
- Cyber Security Analyst
- Cyber Security Architect
- Cyber Security Operations Coordinator
- Cyber Security Engineer
This opens opportunities for Cyber professionals with the required work experience and relevant qualifications to be sponsored on a TSS 482 or ENS 186 visa.
4. Sales roles are back on the list
This is great news for those in the sales field as these roles are back on the list:
- Sales Representative (Industrial Products)
- Sales Representative (Medical and Pharmaceutical Products)
5. More variety of roles added to the list
There are over 80 new occupations added to this new Core Skills list with a few of these worth mentioning:
- Retail Manager (General)
- Travel Agency Manager
- Travel Consultant
- Out of School Hours Care Worker
- Office Manager
- Legal Secretary
- Beauty Therapist
- Tour Guide
This gives business owners of retail stores, travel agencies, law firms, companies that offer beauty services, or any business with offices, a chance to sponsor employees in the occupations listed above.
Although there were also many occupations taken out from the previous list, it is good to focus on how sponsors and visa applicants can maximise the benefits of this new Core Skills list. If you are an employer who is considering sponsoring employees or if you have an employer who is willing to sponsor you on a work visa, it is best that you seek advice from an Immigration Lawyer or a Registered Migration Agent.
(Johanna Bertumen Nonato is a Lawyer at Dragon Legal Services, a Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1386856) and the CEO of BridgeAus Migration Consultancy. For enquiries, email info@bridgeaus.com.au or call 0416 455 453.)
