One crucial criterion of skilled visas is that they require visa applicants to work in a particular occupation. This process of identifying the occupation happens at the very start of the process and is done with reference to the ANZSCO dictionary of job descriptions. However, there are many pitfalls with this process. Often, the process of choosing an occupation is not given as much attention as it should be, which can then cause a plethora of problems down the track.
Choosing the correct occupation to nominate is critical in ensuring you meet the visa requirements. It should be:
- an accurate reflection of the role to be performed; and
- appropriate to the applicant’s skills and qualifications.
How do you identify an occupation to nominate?
When assessing an application, the Department of Home Affairs uses the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) dictionary to source the description of a particular occupation and its core tasks.
This means that when choosing an occupation to nominate, it is important that the occupation is both on the relevant government skills list and is identified by an ANZSCO code.
The ANZSCO dictionary includes both an occupation title and a list of tasks and responsibilities that would normally be performed by a person working in that occupation. When choosing an occupation to nominate, the list of tasks and responsibilities to be performed in an applicant’s role must align with the ANZSCO description.
What is the problem?
However, those unfamiliar with navigating ANZSCO could easily be misled. Often, the title of the occupation does not necessarily appear to match the roles and responsibilities involved. You may find an ANZSCO title that is similar to the occupation to be performed; however, the list of tasks and responsibilities may in fact be different. Therefore, is important not to simply nominate an occupation because the titles seem to match. For this reason, the skilled visa nomination system could be improved with an enhanced skills list.
How can it be improved?
These roles require occupation-specific, technical or global skills and experience that are more clearly aligned with the respective occupations. In order to do this, the Department could consult with industry to refine the skills and tasks lists. Proactive engagement with business to enable more occupation-specific lists not currently reflected in the ANZSCO will help migration agents and future visa applicants feel more confident with their applications and avoid mistakes in the future.
Reviews should occur annually to provide greater certainty for applicants and migration agents who are assisting them in making the decision. The skills lists should be suitably updated to provide greater detail for applicants who are for instance, relying on the list to create training plans or skill assessments for 407 Training Visas.
While the codes are useful for categorising most occupations, they are not good at capturing the current skills and tasks in those occupations. At Migration Centre of Australia, we are well-trained to handle skilled migration matters. Book one of our agents for professional advice by calling 02 4626 1002 or email us to book in a time at info@migrationcentreofaustralia.com.au. We also speak fluent Hindi, Nepalese, Punjabi, Turkish, Tamil, Portuguese and Marathi. If one of these isn’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.
