To ensure that skilled migration program is not dominated by a small number of occupations, skilled independent and regional family sponsored visas have occupation ceilings that limit the number of invitations issued for a specific occupation during a particular financial year. The ceiling value for each occupation is based on a percentage of stock employment figures provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. When comparing 2020-2021 and 2019-2020 ceilings, it is clear that certain ANZSCO groups have been impacted more than others. The biggest winners are Construction Managers and University Lecturers/Tutors, while the biggest losers are Sports Coaches/Instructors/Officials and Carpenters/Joiners.
Occupation Ceilings Changes
The below list of occupations shows the ANZSCO group number followed by 20190-2020 ceiling value and ending with 2020-2021 ceiling value. It is sorted from the highest to the lowest ceiling value as of 2020-2021. Occupations with less than 5% change in ceiling value are highlighted in grey. While occupations with more than 5% increase are highlighted in green and with more than 5% decrease are highlighted in red. ANZSCO group 1213 Livestock Farmers is no longer subject to occupation ceiling and has been removed from 2020-2021 list.
Registered Nurses
- ANZSCO group 2544
- 17,509
- 17,859
Secondary School Teachers
- ANZSCO group 2414
- 8,052
- 8,716
Software and Applications Programmers
- ANZSCO group 2613
- 8,748
- 8,405
Electricians
- ANZSCO group 3411
- 8,624
- 8,021
Construction Managers
- ANZSCO group 1331
- 4,983
- 7,145
Carpenters and Joiners
- ANZSCO group 3312
- 8,536
- 6,812
Metal Fitters and Machinists
- ANZSCO group 3232
- 7,007
- 6,335
Plumbers
- ANZSCO group 3341
- 5,060
- 5,861
Motor Mechanics
- ANZSCO group 3212
- 6,399
- 5,205
University Lecturers and Tutors
- ANZSCO group 2421
- 3,407
- 5,042
Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers
- ANZSCO group 3223
- 3,983
- 4,866
Solicitors
- ANZSCO group 2713
- 4,650
- 4,535
General Practitioners and Resident Medical officers
- ANZSCO group 2531
- 3,550
- 4,257
Management consultant
- ANZSCO group 2247
- 5,269
- 4,526
Other Specialist Managers
- ANZSCO group 1399
- 3,044
- 4,188
Civil Engineering Professionals
- ANZSCO group 2332
- 3,772
- 3,919
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teachers
- ANZSCO group 2411
- 2,294
- 3,321
Painting Trades Workers
- ANZSCO group 3322
- 3,330
- 3,303
Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers
- ANZSCO group 2335
- 1,600
- 2,682
Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security Specialists
- ANZSCO group 2621
- 2,887
- 2,667
ICT Business and Systems Analysts
- ANZSCO group 2611
- 2,587
- 2,273
Chefs
- ANZSCO group 3513
- 2,738
- 2,256
Computer Network Professionals
- ANZSCO group 2631
- 2,553
- 2,245
Electronics Trades Workers
- ANZSCO group 3423
- 1,313
- 2,047
Social Workers
- ANZSCO group 2725
- 2,128
- 1,862
Special Education Teachers
- ANZSCO group 2415
- 1,111
- 1,721
Bricklayers and Stonemasons
- ANZSCO group 3311
- 1,610
- 1,712
Cabinetmakers
- ANZSCO group 3941
- 2,112
- 1,694
Physiotherapists
- ANZSCO group 2525
- 1,784
- 1,685
Health and Welfare Services Managers
- ANZSCO group 1342
- 1,785
- 1,666
Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers
- ANZSCO group 2212
- 1,552
- 1,619
Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics
- ANZSCO group 3421
- 1,851
- 1,581
Psychologists
- ANZSCO group 2723
- 1,832
- 1,545
Medical Laboratory Scientists
- ANZSCO group 2346
- 1,505
- 1,536
Engineering Managers
- ANZSCO group 1332
- 1,000
- 1,474
Occupational Therapists
- ANZSCO group 2524
- 1,082
- 1,461
Architects and Landscape Architects
- ANZSCO group 2321
- 2,171
- 1,452
Plasterers
- ANZSCO group 3332
- 2,100
- 1,452
Electrical Engineers
- ANZSCO group 2333
- 1,000
- 1,348
Midwives
- ANZSCO group 2541
- 1,218
- 1,333
Environmental Scientists
- ANZSCO group 2343
- 1,472
- 1,295
Sports Coaches, Instructors and Officials
- ANZSCO group 4523
- 4,071
- 1,262
Animal Attendants and Trainers
- ANZSCO group 3611
- 1,051
- 1,239
Other Medical Practitioners
- ANZSCO group 2539
- 1,250
- 1,168
Medical Imaging Professionals
- ANZSCO group 2512
- 1,203
- 1,161
Other Natural and Physical Science Professionals
- ANZSCO group 2349
- 1,000
- 1,056
Artistic Directors, and Media Producers and Presenters
- ANZSCO group 2121
- 1,098
- 1,000
Wall and Floor Tilers
- ANZSCO group 3334
- 1,682
- 1,000
Accountants
- ANZSCO group 2211
- 2,746
- 1,000
Occupation Ceilings Without Changes
The below list shows occupations which ceiling value has not changed and remained at the same 1,000 level as in 2019-2020.
Occupations with ceiling value 1,000
- Other Natural and Physical Science Professionals
- Child Care Centre Managers
- Actors, Dancers and Other Entertainers
- Music Professionals
- Actuaries, Mathematicians and Statisticians
- Cartographers and Surveyors
- Chemical and Materials Engineers
- Electronics Engineers
- Mining Engineers
- Other Engineering Professionals
- Agricultural and Forestry Scientists
- Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists
- Geologists, Geophysicists and Hydrogeologists
- Life Scientists
- Veterinarians
- Optometrists and Orthoptists
- Other Health Diagnostic and Promotion Professionals
- Chiropractors and Osteopaths
- Podiatrists
- Speech Professionals and Audiologists
- Internal Medicine Specialists
- Psychiatrists
- Surgeons
- Multimedia Specialists and Web Developers
- Telecommunications Engineering Professionals
- Barristers
- Civil Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians
- Electrical Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians
- Telecommunications Technical Specialists
- Automotive Electricians
- Sheetmetal Trades Workers
- Precision Metal Trades Workers
- Panelbeaters
- Glaziers
- Electrical Distribution Trades Workers
- Boat Builders and Shipwrights
- Economists
- Land Economists and Valuers
- Sportspersons
Occupation Ceilings Effects
It is important to note that when a limit is reached in a particular occupation group, no further skilled independent and skilled regional family sponsored visa invitations are issued for that group in the current financial year. However, intending migrants with the affected occupations may explore other permanent residency pathways as occupation ceilings do not apply to state/territory nominated or employer sponsored visas.
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