Occupation Ceilings for 2017-18 Program Year Released

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%