Results for the 15 March SkillSelect invitation round have been published.
Two occupations have reached their occupation ceiling and most other pro rata occupations are likely to be filled by the end of April.
Our article analyses the results and gives an indication of what to expect in the next few rounds.
Occupations Filled in 15 March Round
The following occupation groups reached their occupation ceiling in the 15 March round:
Other Engineering Professionals
Computer Network Professionals
In fact, more invitations were issued than were available in the occupation ceiling in these occupations.
Occupations Likely to be Filled in the Next Few Rounds
Looking at the current invitation rate for pro rata occupations and the number of remaining places, we can forecast when each occupation is likely to be filled:
29 March Round
ICT Business and System Analysts
12 April Round
Accountants
Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers
Software and Applications Programmers
26 April Round
Electronics Engineer
Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers
Consequences of Occupations Filling Early
Once an occupation is filled, no further invitations can be issued in that occupation for the Skilled Independent Subclass 189 or Skilled Regional Provisional Subclass 489 (family stream) until the program reopens on 1 July 2017.
If no invitations are issued in pro rata occupations between April 2017 and July 2017, this will create a significant backlog of applicants who have lodged EOIs through SkillSelect.
Unless there are increases in the occupation ceilings for the pro rata occupations, we can expect either the minimum score to be higher for pro rata occupations or for the waiting time to increase for an invitation.
Recommendations for Applicants in Pro Rata Occupations
It is getting more competitive for applicants in pro rata occupations looking to apply for the Skilled Independent Subclass 189 visa.
People in this situation could consider:
Increasing Points Score – this improvise your priority when it comes to SkillSelect
Considering skills assessment in other skilled occupations – in some cases, this could be based on qualifications and work experience you already have, or looking at further studies in a different field
State Nomination – occupation ceilings do not apply to state nominated visas, and this also streamlines the invitation process
Alternative visa types – for instance you might eligible for employer sponsorship or sponsorship by a family member
If you would like full advice on your migration options, please book a consultation with one of our advisors. We will go through your situation in detail, and look at all your migration options. This would include advice on requirements for the most likely skilled occupations, ways to increase your points score, state nomination options as well as likely migration pathways.
| Data Table | |||||||
| Below is the current status of pro rata occupations in SkillSelect. | |||||||
| Occupation/Subclass | Points Required | Waiting Time | Invitations – 15 Mar | Running Total | Target | Places Remaining | Rounds Left |
| Accountants | 70 | 22 weeks | 196 | 2296 | 2500 | 204 | 1 |
| Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers | 70 | 13 weeks | 110 | 1265 | 1413 | 148 | 1.3 |
| ICT Business and System Analysts | 65 | 31 weeks | 120 | 1440 | 1482 | 42 | 0.4 |
| Software and Applications Programmers | 65 | 4 weeks | 450 | 5198 | 5662 | 464 | 1 |
| Electronics Engineer | 60 | 14 weeks | 58 | 879 | 1000 | 121 | 2.1 |
| ndustrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers | 65 | 17 weeks | 34 | 1467 | 1539 | 72 | 2.1 |
| Other Engineering Professionals | 65 | 10 weeks | 56 | 1018 | 1000 | 0 | 0 |
| Computer Network Professionals | 65 | 6 weeks | 100 | 1482 | 1426 | 0 | 0 |