If you're new here, you may be interested to know that you can receive all of our latest articles directly to your inbox. Click Here for more info. We promise to keep your email safe and will use it for only this purpose

The Australian state of Victoria has announced sweeping changes to the list of occupations that it deems eligible for state sponsorship under the class 176 visa for emigration to Australia.

Migrants to Australia who seek permanent residence have the option of applying for a subclass 176 visa, if they are unable to pass the immigration points test for independent migration. A 176 visa allows a migrant to be sponsored either by an eligible family member, or the government of an Australian state or territory.

In the case of state or territory sponsorship, governments can sponsor the residence application of a migrant, in exchange for a commitment to live in the state for at least the first two years after migrating to Australia. Each state has a list of occupations in demand that it deems eligible for sponsorship.

Victoria has been an active participant in the 176 visa scheme. The changes, effective from January 12, 2009, reflect the changing labour market in Australia’s second-most populous state.

Gone from the list are traditional occupations in demand such as teachers, accountants, and an assortment of trades. Additions to Victoria’s shortage occupation list include a host of engineering jobs, geologists, dental technicians, and social workers.

These occupations have been added to the Victoria list of occupations eligible for 176 sponsorship:

Geologist
Agricultural Scientist
Agricultural Advisor
Engineering Manager
Production Manager (Mining)
Production or Plant Engineer
Building Associate
Civil Engineering Associate
Electrical Engineering Associate
Mechanical Engineering Associate
Clinical Psychologist
Dental Technician
General Communications Tradesperson
Communications Linesperson
Computing Professional NEC (Solaris, Unix, Linux, Data warehousing, .Net technologies)

These occupations have been removed from the Victoria list of occupations eligible for 176 sponsorship:

Accountant
Applications and Analyst Programmer
Architect
Audiologist
Boat Builder and Repairer
Bricklayer
Carpenter
Carpenter and Joiner
Chef
Chemical Engineer
Childcare Coordinator
Computer Systems Auditor
Computing Professional NEC (Specializing in Sybase SQL Server)
Cook
Dental Therapist
Dentist
Electrical Powerline Tradesperson
Electrician Special Class
Electronic Instrument Tradesperson (special class)
Electronics Engineer
Environmental Health Officer
Extractive Metallurgist
Fibrous Plasterer
Fitter
Furniture Finisher
Furniture Upholsterer
General Mechanical Engineering Tradesperson
Hairdresser
Head Chef
Hospital Pharmacist
IT Manager
Joiner
Lift Mechanic
Locksmith
Mechanical Services and Air-Conditioning Plumber
Metal Machinist 1st Class
Optical Mechanic
Painter and Decorator
Petroleum Engineer
Physiotherapist
Podiatrist
Pre-Primary School Teacher
Pressure Welder
Quantity Surveyor
Radiation Therapist
Retail Pharmacist
Secondary School Teacher
Shipwright
Solid Plasterer
Speech Pathologist
Stonemason
Surveyor
Systems Programmer
Toolmaker
Urban and Regional Planner
Vehicle Body Maker
Wall and Floor Tiler

It is unknown at this time what changes, if any, may be made by other Australian states.

Source :   The Visa Bureau

Article Popularity: 17%

Related Posts

1. Changes to the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL)
2. Occupations removed from South Australian sponsored visa programs
3. Occupations Lists – Everything you need to know
4. Construction Workers needed in Victoria
5. More changes to skilled occupations lists announced