Applications continue to be split into the General stream and the Graduate stream →First, submit an EOI (Expression of Interest) → The state government issues a preliminary invitation → Applicants who receive a preliminary invitation must submit their full application within 28 days →After approval, the applicant receives official WA state nomination.

Selection criteria for the General Stream:

– The quota allocated to the specific nominated occupation within WA’s state nomination programme (determined internally by the state government)

– Meeting the minimum requirements for the General Stream

– EOI score

Selection criteria for the Graduate Stream:

– The quota allocated to the specific nominated occupation within WA’s state nomination programme (determined internally by the state government)

– The quota for higher education graduates and VET graduates within WA’s state nomination programme (determined by the state government)

– Meeting the minimum requirements for the Graduate Stream

– EOI score

Invitation priority for local graduates by qualification level

Applicant priority tiers:

Priority 1: Applicants residing within Western Australia

Priority 2: Applicants residing elsewhere in Australia

Priority 3: Applicants residing overseas

– Nominated occupation is listed on the WASMOL – Schedule 1

– Work experience requirements:One year of work experience in Australia in the nominated occupation, or three years of overseas work experience in the nominated occupation (within the past 10 years)

-Job offer: A full-time job offer/contract in Western Australia for the nominated occupation or a closely related role, for a minimum of 12 months

– English language requirements: Applicants whose nominated occupation falls within ANZSCO Group 1 (Managers) or Group 2 (Professionals) must achieve an IELTS score of 7 in each band (equivalent PTE accepted); all other occupations require an IELTS score of 6 in each band

– Nominated occupation is listed on the WASMOL – Schedule 2

– English language requirements: Applicants whose nominated occupation falls within ANZSCO Group 1 (Managers) or Group 2 (Professionals) must achieve an IELTS score of 7 in each band (equivalent PTE accepted); all other occupations require an IELTS score of 6 in each band

-Job offer: A full-time job offer/contract in Western Australia for the nominated occupation or a closely related role, for a minimum of 12 months

Compared to the General Stream Schedule 1, the work experience requirement is removed

– Nominated occupation is listed on the Graduate Occupation List (GOL)

– Education requirements:Completion of at least two years of study in Western Australia at Certificate III level or above

– Work experience requirements:At least 6 months of paid work experience in Australia in the nominated occupation or a closely related role (within the past 5 years)

-Job offer: A full-time job offer/contract in Western Australia for the nominated occupation or a closely related role, for a minimum of 6 months

– English language requirements: Applicants whose nominated occupation falls within ANZSCO Group 1 (Managers) or Group 2 (Professionals) must achieve an IELTS score of 7 in each band (equivalent PTE accepted); all other occupations require an IELTS score of 6 in each band

Newstars Analysis

The specific policies for each stream of WA state nomination in the new financial year have not changed significantly in substance. The biggest highlights, as stated in the minister’s press release, arethe addition of over 190 occupations to the Graduate category, and the opening of applications to offshore applicants.

However, the shift in the WA state government’s attitude over time is very much worth examining.

During the early days of Mark McGowan’s government —

WA has been under Labor control since 2017, and current Premier Mark McGowan has continued in the role ever since. However, in the early years of his government, WA was openly very unfriendly toward international students and graduate migrants. Education institutions across the state were deeply frustrated — at a time with no pandemic and no other external factors,every other state and territory in Australia was recording year-on-year growth in new international student enrolments, while WA was the only one experiencing a decline — a situation directly tied to the state government’s attitude.

State nomination invitations were sluggish at best, and people would joke that WA had its mining industry, so it didn’t need to care.

Then came the reality check and a complete reversal —

Faced with the impact on the international education industry, the effects on the economy, and the challenge of skills shortages,from around 2019, WA’s attitude toward international students began to gradually shift, and state nomination invitations slowly started to improve.

In the current 2021–22 financial year, WA received a mid-range original quota allocation and managed it quite generously:

the original allocation was exhausted by early January,which on one hand suggests the quota wasn’t managed particularly well, but on the other hand reflects how actively and generously they were issuing invitations.WA also proactively approached the Department of Home Affairs to request additional supplementary quota — they asked for 5,000 — which was ultimately not approved,though this too speaks to the state government’s intent.After receiving the supplementary quota, they wasted no time continuing to issue preliminary invitations and nominations — so it wasn’t a matter of rushing to finish early.

Labor as a positive indicator? —

Looking ahead to the new financial year starting 1 July,WA has, surprisingly, become the first state to announce its new financial year state nomination policies and occupation list (Canberra usually goes first), continuing its broad direction of encouraging graduate international students and adding 190+ eligible occupations, while retaining most of the common occupations on General Stream Schedule 2.Is it reasonable to infer that they are anticipating a larger — and significantly larger — quota allocation in the new financial year?

The joint statement from the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for International Education yesterday also clarified that “Attracting migrants and international workers to study, live and work in WA” is part of Premier Mark McGowan’sReconnect WA programme.

This morning, a separate WA government statement highlighted support for working holiday makers — also part of the Reconnect WA programme.

With Labor governing WA announcing the new financial year state nomination policies just days after the federal election result was confirmed, the prompt release of positive signals can be read as an encouraging indicator!

Migration information sharing and Q&A group