To meet the country’s migration needs, the Australian Government has made changes to prioritize skilled visas in 2024. The focus this year is on addressing gaps and shortages outside major cities. Applicants sponsored by employers in designated regional areas will receive top priority, and their visa processing will take precedence.

This priority applies to regionally-based applicants for various visas, including the Employer Nomination Scheme, Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme, Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional), and Temporary Skills Shortage visas. Fortunately, most areas in Australia are considered regional for migration purposes, including cities like Canberra, Adelaide, and Perth. Only the largest capital cities, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, are not classified as regional.

The next priority is given to individuals in approved teaching or healthcare occupations, such as school teachers, child care center managers, medical scientists, counselors, social workers, and more.

Following this, the department will prioritize those nominated by Approved sponsors with Accredited Status, followed by applications contributing to the migration program. All other applications will be assessed based on their lodgement date.

In terms of skilled occupations in demand in Australia in 2024, various industries are experiencing skills shortages. In 2023, over a third of roles faced shortages, especially in professional occupations like health, information and communication technologies, and science, as well as technicians and trades workers. Critical shortages were identified in roles such as aged care workers, child care workers, pathologists, dentists, plumbers, electricians, cybersecurity professionals, and mechanical engineers.

While the 2024 Skilled Priority List is not yet available, it is expected that many roles in high demand in the previous year will continue to be sought after. Keep an eye on this page for updates on the 2024 Skilled Priority List as soon as it’s published.