Immigration and the STSOL Australia Occupation List

If you are interested in moving to Australia to live and work, and you are planning to apply for skilled migration through a State or Territory government nomination, then you must specify your planned occupation, out of the ones on the STSOL list

The STSOL Australia occupation list is the Short Term Skilled Occupation List. This is a list of skills that the Australian government considers to be important. People with skills that are on that list are welcome to apply for visas and highly likely to have their applications accepted. The STSOL Australia occupation list was introduced in March 2017 and replaces the consolidated list, which was originally used to determine eligibility for immigration.

Which List Should You Use?

It is important that you check the correct list before you apply. The STSOL Australia occupation list is for people who are applying for a general skilled migration visa who have been nominated by a territory or state government. Those who do not have such a nomination should use the MLTSSL instead. If you are unsure, you should contact your embassy for advice.

There are a huge number of occupations on the list, including everything from surgeons to editors, nutritionists to poultry farmers. There is a good chance that if your job requires training and specialization then it will fit on the list.

Assessments For the Occupation

Simply nominating an occupation is not enough. You will be required to show that you are qualified for the job, and this will be confirmed via an assessment by a certified body. For some professions, proving qualifications is simple, but for others, the assessment may be more in-depth.

Anyone wishing to immigrate to Australia will also need to be in good health and will need to have a sufficient proficiency of the English language to work in Australia. This is examined through the IELTS tests for written and spoken English.

Confirming Your Qualification for a Skilled Visa

Before you apply for an Australian Skilled Visa, it is a good idea to take an online test that will rate your score based on your age, qualifications, career, family status, and language proficiency, among other things. This will help you to determine whether or not you are indeed qualified. If you are unsure about your status, then you should speak to the embassy to get personal advice because every individual’s circumstances can be quite different, and there are other visas that may be more suitable for you.

For example, if you have been offered a job in Australia and it is on a shorter term contract you may be able to apply for a short-term visa with the assistance of your employer. There are specific options for younger people who may wish to spend a short time traveling in the country, for example on a Gap Year, or if they are taking a year out after graduating.

Some jobs will require a specific license, and you will need to arrange that before you accept the job. You will also need an Australian Tax Number so that your employer can deduct the right amount of tax and pay you in compliance with Australian laws. You have the option of joining unions if you wish, but unions are not compulsory.

What About Your Family?

If you are moving on a Skilled Visa and you want to bring your family with you then you will need to arrange for partner, spouse or child migration visas as appropriate. There are also some options for parents and other family members, such as carers, who wish to come to Australia on a long term basis. There are specific application forms and processes for each of these categories.

The visa process can take a fair while to complete, so be sure to apply in good time if you are hoping to move over by a specific date. While applications in some cases can be processed very quickly, especially for high-scoring applicants in the most in-demand professions, applications for those in professions that are lower in priority may take a while longer to process. You are still likely to get accepted but you should allow yourself plenty of time to get all of the paperwork sorted out so as to avoid disappointment.