Is Your Job Skilled Enough for Tasmania’s State Nomination? Find Out What Counts

Introduction The latest update from Migration Tasmania provides additional clarity on the criteria for determining skilled employment, specifically regarding the gold, green, and orange-plus attributes for the Tasmanian Skilled Employment pathways. This document outlines the necessary conditions for claiming skilled employment and offers insight into the assessment process, key statistics, and upcoming events.

Skilled Employment and Claiming Attributes

To claim the gold, green, or orange-plus attributes in the Tasmanian Skilled Employment pathway, the role must be classified as ANZSCO Skill Level 1, 2, or 3. This means the duties performed must closely align with an occupation that falls under one of these skill levels according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).

Key Considerations for Skilled Employment

When evaluating whether a role qualifies as skilled, Migration Tasmania assesses three primary factors:

1. Skills and Qualifications: The applicant’s qualifications should align with the duties of the role.
2. Duties: The tasks performed in the role should correspond to those outlined in the relevant ANZSCO occupation description.
3. Pay: A pay rate higher than the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (currently $73,150) may be an indicator of a skilled role. Roles paid close to the National Minimum Wage typically do not meet skilled employment criteria.

If these factors do not align, Migration Tasmania may not recognize the role as skilled. Additionally, the case officer may compare the pay rate to similar positions in the industry.

Examples

1. Cook at a Tasmanian Restaurant: If the pay rate for a cook is similar to that of a kitchenhand (a Skill Level 5 role), Migration Tasmania may not consider it a skilled role, even if the duties align with a skilled occupation.
2. Mechanic at a Repair Shop: If the pay rate is comparable to that of a Driveway Attendant (Skill Level 5), the case officer may find that the role is not skilled.

For further clarification on appropriate pay rates and conditions, the Fair Work Ombudsman offers free guidance.

Overlapping Roles and Skill Levels

In cases where duties overlap between lower-skilled (ANZSCO Skill Levels 4-5) and higher-skilled roles (Skill Levels 1-3), Migration Tasmania requires that at least 70% of the duties match those of a higher-skilled occupation. For the Tasmanian Skilled Employment pathway, only those roles with at least a 70% match to the duties of an ANZSCO Skill Level 1-3 occupation will be accepted.

Examples of Overlapping Roles

1. Disability Support Worker: If the majority of duties align with a lower-skilled role (ANZSCO 4), the applicant will not be able to claim priority attributes.
2. Assistant Accountant: Roles primarily focused on administrative support do not qualify as skilled. However, a junior accountant may be eligible under the Skilled Graduate pathway if at least 40% of their duties align with a skilled role.

Key Statistics (as of 26 November 2024)

• Registrations of Interest (ROIs):
  • 1,924 submitted
  • 1,230 invited to apply (64% acceptance rate)
  • Anticipated invitation rate: 80% of submitted ROIs
• Applications for Nomination:
  • 1,235 lodged
  • 755 approved
  • 108 declined (mostly due to false or misleading information)
  • Over 87% of applications are approved

Focus on Overseas Applicants

Migration Tasmania will conduct a selection round in late January/early February 2025 for overseas applicants without a job offer from a Tasmanian business. This selection will primarily target applicants in the health, allied health, and education sectors. Candidates with skills and experience relevant to these sectors may be invited to apply for Tasmanian nomination.

Upcoming Events and Deadlines

December 2024 Information Webinar

A webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, 17 December 2024, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM AEDT. The session will cover various important topics, including:

• Definition of skilled employment
• Priority ROIs and nomination applications
• Claiming priority attributes for business operations
• Pay and salary standards
• Addressing fraud and misleading information
• Overseas applicant selection for health and education sectors
• Holiday office operations

Registration: 

Christmas/New Year Office Closure

Migration Tasmania will be closed for the Christmas/New Year holiday period from 12:00 PM on Tuesday, 24 December 2024 until Thursday, 3 January 2025. While applications and registrations can still be submitted during this period, no processing or inquiries will be handled during the closure.

Conclusion

Migration Tasmania remains committed to ensuring a transparent, fair, and efficient process for skilled employment assessments. Applicants are encouraged to carefully consider the outlined criteria to ensure they meet the necessary qualifications and conditions when submitting their applications.