Changes to the Skilled Occupations Lists

The Skilled Occupations List (SOL) has been replaced by the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and the Consolidated Sponsored Occupations List (CSOL) has been replaced by the Short Term Skilled Occupations List (STSOL).

More than 200 occupations have also been removed from the CSOL in creating the STSOL.

These measures are designed to tighten Australia's employer and skilled migration programmes to ensure they better meet Australia's skills needs, increase the quality and economic contribution of skilled migrants and address public concerns about the displacement of Australian workers.

In addition, 24 occupations listed on the STSOL will now be eligible for positions located in regional Australia for the employer subclasses 457 and 186 and for the state and territory nominated stream of subclass 489.

These changes affect a range of temporary and permanent visas including:

• Skilled Independent (subclass 189)
• Skilled Nominated (subclass 190)
• Skilled Regional (subclass 489)
• Temporary Work (subclass 457)
• Direct Entry Stream - Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
• Training visa (subclass 407)
• Graduate Work stream of the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)