The Tasmanian Nominated Skilled Migration Program now has only very limited subclass 491 nomination places remaining. Tasmania will not close to new applications. The State Nomination Program is then expected to recommence with a full quota in July 2021.
SKILLED MIGRATION PROGRAM
Tasmania’s nomination quota for the 2020–22 program year is:
Subclass 491 – 1400 places
Subclass 190 – 1000 places
Business migration – 45 places
Approximately 60% of total skilled visa (subclass 491 and 190) nomination places have been used.
Approximately 75% of subclass 491 places have been used.
Migration Tasmania cannot guarantee to be able to process all applications lodged after 31 March 2021 but will continue to accept both Subclass 190 and subclass 491 applications until 11 June 2021 (5:00 pm AEST).
Tasmania has fewer than 400 subclass 491 nomination places remaining for the 2020–2023 program year and a high number of nomination applications not yet considered. A total of over 2000 applications are expected to be in the pool before the end of the program year.
What does this mean for applicants?
Subclass 491 nomination applications will continue to be processed on an ongoing basis and eligible candidates will be ranked and nominated at a later date if there is sufficient quota available.
Applications that do not meet eligibility or are not ranked as sufficiently competitive will be declined nomination.
The highest priority applicants (Priority 1-3) will continue to be nominated until the end of the program year (See Nomination Priorities below)
Unless candidates are in the top 3 priority categories, they are unlikely to be offered nomination this program year. Candidates may want to wait until the new program year before lodging an application.
Subclass 491 nomination applications which are lodged after 19 March 2021 but not considered and ranked will be closed at the end of the program year and the service fee refunded.
Applications will not be refunded if they were lodged on or before 19 March 2021, subsequently processed but not ranked high enough to be nominated.
Competitive applicants with an expiring visa and no viable further visa options (such as subclass 485) may be considered as a priority where skilled employment is at risk. However, visa expiry alone cannot be considered for prioritised assessment.
Subclass 190 applications are not affected by this process and are being considered as normal.
Nomination Priorities
- Critical employment – health, allied health, technology, infrastructure, engineering, technology. Must have relevant skills assessment.
- TSOL related employment and skills assessment.
- Other skilled employment (ANZSCO 1-3) with related skills assessment/business owners employing locals.
- All other eligible candidates, depending upon likely contribution to economy.
Applications will be considered according to these priorities, with those in critical roles being nominated first.
Existing applicants who are not in critical roles will be considered only after priority applications for critical roles have been processed.
In practice, applicants in Priorities 1-3 will be approved and nominated on an ongoing basis.
Periodically, other eligible applicants will be nominated if sufficient quota places are available.
Given the limited number of places remaining, Priority 4 applicants may not receive an outcome for some weeks after their application is considered.
What are critical roles?
For Tasmania these roles include people:
- engaged by Tasmanian Government and directly assisting in Tasmania’s COVID-19 response
- providing critical or specialist medical services or delivering medical supplies potentially associated with the COVID-19 response. This includes all general nursing and medical positions with the Tasmanian Health Service
- directly involved in the supply of essential goods and services (medical technology, critical infrastructure, telecommunications, engineering and mining, supply chain logistics, agricultural technology, food production, and the maritime industry) including highly skilled and specialised roles in:
- infrastructure engineering and maintenance such as dams, large-/high-complexity bridges, irrigation schemes, transport logistics planning and maintenance
- agriculture such as artificial insemination technicians, wool classers, livestock pregnancy scanners
- the supply of essential goods and services which would be in jeopardy without the applicant.
- delivering services in sectors critical to economic recovery such as financial technology, large scale manufacturing, film and television production and emerging technology which:
- must be high-value/highly-skilled/specialised roles
- would normally include a significant and recognised contribution to export income, significant flow-on employment and economic benefits, high-value national/ international exposure.
Lower skilled positions such as retail workers, harvest labour, delivery drivers, or warehouse staff are not considered to be critical roles.
Further guidance can be found in in our Frequently Asked Questions
