WA State Government slashes jobs on skilled migration list

The State Government has released an updated version of the Western Australian (WA) skilled migration list, slashing it to just 18 eligible occupations.

The Western Australian skilled migration occupation list (WASMOL), which used to carry 178 occupations including bricklayers, electricians, refrigeration mechanics, teachers, cafe managers, psychologists and others are also off the list, which was abolished by the Labor government in March 2017.

The McGowan Government has delivered its election commitment to keep Western Australian jobs in WA. During the State election campaign, WA Labor promised to tear up the list of occupations that fast-tracked overseas workers to WA in a bid to keep jobs in WA for local resident’s due to the soaring unemployment levels faced in the State. WA’s unemployment rate has been consistently above the national rate for more than a year.

“In the current economic climate, it’s more important than ever that we maximise employment opportunities for Western Australians,” Premier Mark McGowan said.

Premier Mark McGowan said the 18 occupations on the list were mainly in the health sector where there was a genuine need, such as GPs, midwives, psychiatrists and specialist nurses.

“This is about West Australian jobs first and foremost, making sure we only sponsor those people that we actually need rather than a whole range of occupations where West Australians are already out of work and need those jobs,” Mr McGowan told reporters on Wednesday.

“Our economy has changed dramatically since the height of the mining boom and we need to do everything we can to get Western Australians back to work.”

Since it was added to the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) during the height of the mining boom in 2011, Perth has been classified as a ‘region’, providing an additional pathway to obtain a visa to work in Western Australia.

Mr McGowan also confirmed that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull agreed to remove Perth as a region from the RSMS.
Click here to read Premier McGowan’s media statement.

2017 Western Australian Skilled Migration Occupation List​

ANZSCO​​ code*​​​​​ ​Skilled​ ​o​ccu​pation Eligi​ble visas ​ ​ ​Assessing authority Status
​190 visa ​489 visa
​251214 Sonographer​​ ✅ ✅ ASMIRT​ Available
​251412 ​Orthoptist ✅ ✅ VETASSESS ​Available
​252711 ​Audiologist ✅ VETASSESS​​ ​Available
​253111 ​General Practitioner ✅ Medical Board of Australia​ ​Available
​​253316 ​Gastroenterologist ✅ ✅ Medical Board of Australia​ ​​Available
253323 ​Rheumatologist​ ✅ ✅ ​​​Medical Board of Australia​ ​Available
​​253411 Psychiatrist ✅ ✅ Medical Board of Australia​​​ Available​
253513 Neurosurgeon ✅ ✅ ​​​Medical Board of Australia​ Available
253515 Otorhinolaryngologist ✅ ✅ ​​Medical Board of Australia​ Available
253521 Vascular Surgeon ✅ ✅ ​​Medical Board of Australia​ Available
​253913​ Obstetrician and Gynaecologist ✅ ✅ ​​​Medical Board of Australia​ Available
2539​18 Radiation Oncologist ✅ ✅ ​​​​​​Medical Board of Australia​​​ Available
​254111 ​Midwife ✅ ​ANMAC ​Available
​254413 ​Registered Nurse (Child and Family Health) ✅ ​​ANMAC​ ​Available
​254414 ​Registered Nurse (Community Health) ✅ ​​ANMAC​ Available​
​254415 ​Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) ✅ ​​ANMAC​ ​Available
​254422 ​Registered Nurse (Mental Heal​th) ✅ ​​ANMAC​ ​Available
​254423 ​Registered Nurse (Perioperative) ✅ ANMAC​ ​Available


Note: 190 Visa = Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190).
489 Visa = Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489).

If you have any questions regarding the Western Australian skilled migration list, please don’t hesitate to contact our team of Immigration Lawyers and Registered Migration Agents.

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