The Department of Immigration has finally released the occupation ceilings for the 2017-18 Program Year.
It appears to be good news for accountants, Software Engineers and Mechanical Engineers with significantly higher ceilings for these occupations.
Results of the 12 July SkillSelect Round have also been released and this gives a good idea of the minimum points required at the moment for an invitation.
Pro Rata Occupations
There have been increases in the occupation ceiling for the following pro rata occupations – it is quite possible that the required points score will reduce compared to the 2016-17 program year:
Accountants: Increased by 2285 places to 4785
Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers: Increased by 639 places to 2178
Software and Applications Programmers: Increased by 540 places to 6202
ICT Business and Systems Analysts: Increased by 92 places to 1574
The following occupations had a reduced occupation ceiling – as a result the required points or waiting times may increase:
Computer Network Professionals: Decreased by 108 places to 1318
Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers: Decreased by 86 places to 1327
Ceilings for the following occupations are unchanged at 1000 places:
Electronics Engineers
Other Engineering Professionals
We also have the results of the 12 July SkillSelect Round – we saw required points for pro rata occupations being very high. This is most likely a result of a 3-month backlog of EOIs in the system, and we would expect these to reduce over the next few months:
| Occupation | Points | Weeks |
| Accountants | 75 | 13 |
| Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers | 75 | 15.1 |
| Electronics Engineer | 70 | 3.9 |
| Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers | 70 | 3.7 |
| Other Engineering Professionals | 70 | 14 |
| ICT Business and System Analysts | 75 | 6 |
| Software and Applications Programmers | 70 | 11.4 |
| Computer Network Professionals | 70 | 14.3 |
Other Occupations
70 points were required for all non-pro rata occupations as well in the 12 July round. Waiting time was 3.7 weeks with this score.
We do not yet have an occupation ceiling for the ICT Security Specialist Occupation – this would appear to be an oversight.
The following occupations have experienced significant decreases in their occupation ceilings – It is possible that some of these occupations might go onto the pro rata list in the 2017-18 year:
Bricklayers and Stonemasons: Decreased by 480 places to 1271
Other Medical Practitioners: Decreased by 315 places to 1000
Metal Fitters and Machinists: Decreased by 1347 places to 5330
Solicitors: Decreased by 993 places to 4161
Engineering Managers: Decreased by 252 places to 1155
Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics: Decreased by 274 places to 1427
Social Workers: Decreased by 221 places to 1562
Special Education Teachers: Decreased by 126 places to 1000
Carpenters and Joiners: Decreased by 750 places to 6968
Medical Laboratory Scientists: Decreased by 115 places to 1487
Chefs: Decreased by 179 places to 2675
Electronics Trades Workers: Decreased by 115 places to 1878
| Occupation | Ceiling 2016-17 | Ceiling 2017-18 | Change | % |
| 1331 Construction Managers | 5289 | 5400 | 111 | 2.10% |
| 1332 Engineering Managers | 1407 | 1155 | -252 | -17.90% |
| 1341 Child Care Centre Managers | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1342 Health and Welfare Services Managers | 1177 | 1374 | 197 | 16.70% |
| 2211 Accountants* | 2500 | 4785 | 2285 | 91.40% |
| 2212 Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers* | 1413 | 1327 | -86 | -6.10% |
| 2241 Actuaries, Mathematicians and Statisticians | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2245 Land Economists and Valuers | 1035 | 1000 | -35 | -3.40% |
| 2312 Marine Transport Professionals | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2321 Architects and Landscape Architects | 1391 | 1474 | 83 | 6.00% |
| 2322 Cartographers and Surveyors | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2331 Chemical and Materials Engineers | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2332 Civil Engineering Professionals | 2174 | 3296 | 1122 | 51.60% |
| 2333 Electrical Engineers | 1254 | 1042 | -212 | -16.90% |
| 2334 Electronics Engineers* | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2335 Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers* | 1539 | 2178 | 639 | 41.50% |
| 2339 Other Engineering Professionals* | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2341 Agricultural and Forestry Scientists | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2346 Medical Laboratory Scientists | 1602 | 1487 | -115 | -7.20% |
| 2347 Veterinarians | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2349 Other Natural and Physical Science Professionals | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2411 Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teachers | 1822 | 2639 | 817 | 44.80% |
| 2414 Secondary School Teachers | 8032 | 7910 | -122 | -1.50% |
| 2415 Special Education Teachers | 1126 | 1000 | -126 | -11.20% |
| 2512 Medical Imaging Professionals | 1000 | 1113 | 113 | 11.30% |
| 2514 Optometrists and Orthoptists | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2519 Other Health Diagnostic and Promotion Professionals | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2521 Chiropractors and Osteopaths | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2524 Occupational Therapists | 1000 | 1109 | 109 | 10.90% |
| 2525 Physiotherapists | 1345 | 1464 | 119 | 8.80% |
| 2526 Podiatrists | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2527 Speech Professionals and Audiologists | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2531 General Practitioners and Resident Medical officers | 3495 | 3495 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2533 Internal Medicine Specialists | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2534 Psychiatrists | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2535 Surgeons | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2539 Other Medical Practitioners | 1315 | 1000 | -315 | -24.00% |
| 2541 Midwives | 1017 | 1090 | 73 | 7.20% |
| 2544 Registered Nurses | 16346 | 16741 | 395 | 2.40% |
| 2611 ICT Business and Systems Analysts* | 1482 | 1574 | 92 | 6.20% |
| 2613 Software and Applications Programmers* | 5662 | 6202 | 540 | 9.50% |
| 2631 Computer Network Professionals* | 1426 | 1318 | -108 | -7.60% |
| 2633 Telecommunications Engineering Professionals | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2711 Barristers | 1000 | 1000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2713 Solicitors | 5154 | 4161 | -993 | -19.30% |
| 2723 Psychologists | 1532 | 1750 | 218 | 14.20% |
| 2725 Social Workers | 1783 | 1562 | -221 | -12.40% |