Julian Leeser MP, Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration, welcomes the Government’s recent announcement on adding occupations to the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) to help address some of the critical skills shortages Australia is facing in line with the recommendations of the Interim Report of the Inquiry into Australia’s Skilled Migration Program.
Mr Leeser said that “the announcements will enable employers to bring migrants from overseas who have the skills they need and keep Australians in jobs.”
“The Committee recommended the Government add occupations to the PMSOL after hearing evidence of critical skills shortages from industry and businesses who were struggling to find the workers they need to keep their doors open.”
The Committee recommended that the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List be expanded urgently to include Chefs, Veterinarians, Café and Restaurant Managers and Seafarers. The Committee received quantifiable evidence about the severe shortages of workers in these occupations and how these shortages are inhibiting their ability to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and provide more jobs to Australians.
The Committee also recommends that the Department of Home Affairs conduct an urgent review of the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, with a view to expanding the number of occupations to better reflect the urgent skills shortages in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic recovery. The Committee recommended that the Department give particular consideration to civil engineers, electrical engineers, motor mechanics, cooks, carpenters, electricians and other roles in the hospitality, health, trades, agriculture and manufacturing sectors, occupations and sectors the Committee had heard significant evidence from about the extent of skills shortages.
The Minister announced yesterday that the following occupations would be added to the PMSOL:
No ANZSCO code Occupation
1 221111 Accountant (General)
2 221112 Management Accountant
3 221113 Taxation Accountant
4 233311 Electrical engineer
5 232212 Surveyor
6 232213 Cartographer
7 232214 Other Spatial Scientist
8 234611 Medical Laboratory Scientist
9 251912 Orthotist or Prosthetist
10 261211 Multimedia Specialist
11 261311 Analyst Programmer
12 261399 Software and Application Programmers nec
13 221213 External Auditor
14 221214 Internal Auditor
15 233211 Civil Engineer
16 233512 Mechanical Engineer
17 233214 Structural Engineer
18 233212 Geotechnical Engineer
19 233215 Transport Engineer
20 233611 Mining Engineer
21 233612 Petroleum Engineer
22 262112 ICT Security Specialist
23 351311 Chef
Julian Leeser MP said, “It’s great to see the Government adopting our recommendations and making the changes necessary to assist employers to recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic.”
These changes will enable skilled migrants in these occupations to enter the country and quarantine at their own expense.
