RecentlyTasmania’s state nomination programmehas seen quite a few updates — this is the second article we have written on the topic in one week. Before we get into today’s main theme, allow us to take a moment to reflect: Tasmania, this picturesque haven, has attracted tens of thousands of international students to the island since 2016, drawn by its favourable migration policies. Years have passed in the blink of an eye, and many students are still on their journey towards permanent residency.On 6 April, the Tasmanian state government releasedthe first draft of the state nomination reform proposal(for a full breakdown and analysis of the new financial year draft, please see:[Tasmania State Nomination — Major Changes Possible for New Financial Year, Public Submissions Now Open] Long-Term Residents May Be Eligible for a Subclass 190, Employment Pathway Broadened! System Upgrades to Improve Invitation Certainty!
The Tasmanian state government says
they want to hear from you!!!
● At today’s webinar, the state government repeatedly urged everyone to have their say: YOUR VIEWS ARE VALUBALE. PLEASE VOICE YOUR OPINIONS!!!
● We are currently drafting a submission to the state governmentSubmission, and we ask that you spend no more than 30 secondspressing and holding the QR code to complete our survey,to help us gather more useful information. We hope the new policies for the coming year will be favourable overall — whether you have been living in Tasmania for many years, are yet to move there, or are just about to graduate. Let us wait together for the good news!
Right, that is enough from us on that — below we share the key updates from this morning’s state government webinar!
This morning’s webinar was the first session held since the state government released the new financial year draft on 6 April. It covered updates on the processing progress, remaining quota, backlog figures, and priority processing levels for the current financial year.Martin from State Growth also gave a detailed update on what everyone is most eager to know about for the upcoming financial year —the latest developments and changes to the new policy!
Key Highlights from the Tasmania Online Webinar
1
Current Financial Year — State Nomination Processing Update
Latest Processing Overview:
As at 11 April 2022,the state government has received a total of Subclass 190 and Subclass 491applications totalling1,627 and 2,218 respectively,with invitations issued forSubclass 190 and Subclass 491 at 917 and 1,531 respectively,a backlog of600 and 855 outstanding Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 applications, with remaining quotas of 183 and 669,and an overall state nomination grant rate of approximately 82% for the current financial year.
Quota Release Rate:
The monthly invitation release rate (monthly invitations as a proportion of the total quota) for Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 state nominations this financial year has been approximately 8.7% and 10.4% respectively.If invitations continue to be issued at this rate, the quota for this financial year will be exhausted by May!
Ultimately, various measures have not been sufficient to slow the rapid depletion of the quota —
Tasmania’s state nomination applications for this financial year are expected to close very soon!!!
(Martin emphasised this point three times during the webinar.)
If you are planning to lodge a state nomination application this financial year, act now!Since any state nomination applications that have not been decided in the current financial year will be carried over to the next, even with the quota running low, as long as the state nomination application portal remains open, applicants with skills assessment-related work or who otherwise meet the general requirements should consider lodging this financial year — early lodgement means earlier processing (particularly for priority-level applications), and the chances of receiving an invitation in the next financial year remain relatively high!If you have any questions about Tasmania state nomination applications or would like our help lodging yours, please feel free to contact us at any time!
Priority Processing Levels:
This financial year the state government continues to prioritise applications from those with skills assessment-related employment. The term“skills assessment-related employment” means the applicant’s current role is closely aligned with the duties and skill level of their nominated occupation, and if the role’s duties are belowthe skill level of the nominated occupation, then that employmentdoes not count as related.
For example, if an applicant has an Accountant skills assessment and is working as a Bookkeeper,since the duties of a Bookkeeper are at a considerably lower skill level than an Accountant, the applicant would not be considered to have “skills assessment-related employment”, and their state nomination application would not receive priority processing!
How can you tell whether your current role is closely aligned with your nominated occupation??
You can look up your nominated occupation in ANZSCO to find itskey duties(see the TASKS section in the listing),then compare them against your actual day-to-day responsibilities to assess whether they broadly align!
How to look up the key duties for your occupation level
Search Google for ANZSCO + occupation, for example: ANZSCO Chef
Click the result,and you will be able to see the listed duties for that occupation.
Latest Processing Progress:
The Tasmanian state government is currently processing applications lodged in early November 2021(the oldest application currently in the queue was lodged on 13 October last year)
If you lodged before 13 October and have not yet received an outcome:
there are two possible scenarios:
-Scenario 1:If you have skills assessment-related employment but have not yet received a state nomination outcome, please emailskilled@migration.tas.gov.au to contact the state governmentto find out the current status of your application;
-Scenario 2:If your application is not at priority processing level and you have not yet received a response, this is relatively positive news — wait patiently forprocessing in the new financial yearand you should receive your outcome soon :-)
Current financial year applications that have not yet been processedwill be carried over and processed by the state government from July in the new financial year. Applications lodged in the current financial year will be assessed according to the requirements in place at the time of lodgement,which means the new policy taking effect in the next financial year will not apply to applications already lodged this financial year!
Applications with Skills Assessment-Related Employment — Invitation Within 1–2 Weeks:
Priority-level applications with skills assessment-related employment are currently being processed in approximately 1–2 weeks,while the state government is also processing non-priority applications on an ad hoc basis where the overall profile is strong (for example, applicants with small business experience),howeverthe majority of applications that have been reviewed are still sitting at Pending status, and are expected to remain so until the new financial year before a decision is issued!
Here is a real-life example of a recent Tasmania Subclass 190 invitation —
※ The applicant held a Registered Nurse NEC (ANZSCO 254499) skills assessment with relevant employment, but at the time of lodgement had signed an employment contract without yet having commenced work. The application was lodged on 28 March and there was one request for additional documents (proof of residence for the secondary applicant).In under two weeks, an invitation was successfully granted on 8 April!
02
New Financial Year 2022–23 — Latest Updates on Draft Policy
New Financial Year State Nomination Pathways:
Tasmanian Skilled Employment (Employment Pathway)
This pathway is expected to bethe pathway used by the greatest number of graduates going forward (Martin noted this is why it was placed first among the six proposed pathways)not only can directly employed workers apply through this pathway, but subcontractors can too. The occupation list for the new policy will reference the National Skills Commission’s work and will replace the current TSOL,with a significantly larger number of occupations expected to be added.
Tasmanian Skilled Graduate (Graduate Pathway)
Applying for state nomination through the Graduate Pathway requires at least three months of work experience relevant to both your skills assessment and your completed course of study.On the question many people are asking — whether work experience gained while studying can count:
Martin’s response was that students are expected to focus on their studies,and the state government does not want applicants taking on “ridiculous” jobs during their studies simply to meet state nomination requirements, so work undertaken while enrolled is in all likelihood not going to count towards the requirement.
Tasmanian Established Resident (Residency Pathway)
This newly added state nomination pathway is primarily intended for applicants who have been living in Tasmania for many years but have not yet met the state nomination requirements or have been unable to secure higher-level employment. The state government hopes this new pathway will support their applications!
As for the question many are asking — whether all applicants who meet the residency and employment conditions are guaranteed to receive an invitation— what is the answer?
Martin repeatedly emphasised one point:When it comes to the “Residency Pathway”, the required six months of ANZSCO Skill Level 4 employment must not constitute “a low skilled employment pathway”,meaning that even if your current role is at a lower skill level, your career pathway must be able to clearly demonstrate future skills and career development, not simply work confined to low-skill tasks,and you must not give the state government the impression that the role was taken solely to satisfy state nomination requirements!
Tasmanian Business Owner (Small Business Pathway)
In the new financial year, the Small Business Pathway will not accept partnership applications (unless the partnership is with a spouse/partner).
This pathway does not apply to subcontractors; subcontractors may instead apply through the Employment Pathway or the Residency Pathway.
The government is also considering developing suitable state nomination requirements for graduates with small business experience.
Regarding the nominated occupations and industries for offshore applicants, the state government has surveyed more than 160 professionals working across various industries in Tasmania. The government is seeking to ensure that offshore applicants nominated in the new financial year are working in occupations needed by the Tasmanian workforce.
03
FAQ: Answers to Common Questions on Applications and the Draft Policy
Q1. When is the new Tasmania state nomination policy expected to be announced?
For the 2022–23 financial year,an announcement is expected in July(shared verbally by Martin at the webinar — we recommend waiting for the official website to be updated for specific dates)
Q2. For students who are already enrolled, will the new policy affect our state nomination applications?
It will not have an impact (in Martin’s view). The new nomination policy will accommodate both current students and graduates, and there will be suitable pathways available to applicants in different circumstances. Details around the transition period are still being discussed and developed, and a full update will be shared once the new policy is finalised.
Q3. What exactly does “80% of $53,900” mean under the Tasmanian Business Owner (Small Business Pathway)?
It means the primary applicant’s established business income under the Small Business Pathway must reach at least 80% of $53,900 — that is, $43,120. In the new financial year, this pathway will not accept partnership applicants (the business must be solely owned or co-owned with a spouse/partner).
Q4. What is ANZSCO? How do I look up occupation skill levels?
ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) is a classification system for all paid occupations and jobs in the Australian and New Zealand labour markets, currently administered by the ABS and Stats NZ.
Search Google for “ANZSCO + occupation name” or “ABS + occupation name” to look up the ANZSCO skill level for any occupation.
Q5. Does the newly added Residency Pathway have any requirements regarding the nature of employment (full-time, part-time, casual, or self-employed)?
The state government has not yet released details on this; further clarification is pending.
Q6. For University of Tasmania graduates who run their own small business, are they limited to applying for a Subclass 491 state nomination?
Under the current draft policy,if the residency requirements are met, the Residency Pathway could in all likelihood be an option; and if the self-employed role is related to the skills assessment(for example, an applicant with a Hotel Manager skills assessment who is running a hotel business),the Tasmanian Graduate Pathway may also be available.
Q7. For a University of Tasmania IT student graduating in one year — what pathways could be available under the new policy?
Their work is closely related to their nominated occupation, and they are currently enrolled in an MBA programme — would they be able to apply through the Tasmanian Graduate Pathway in the new financial year?This would need to be confirmed with the state government further, as it depends on how the government defines “RELATED” (relatedness).
Q8. When will Tasmania’s quota for the new financial year be announced?
The specific quota figures need to come from the federal government first; states generally announce their state nomination quotas in July or August of the new financial year.
Q9. If a state nomination application has been lodged but no outcome was received in the current financial year, will it be assessed under the new financial year’s requirements?
No. All state nomination applications lodged in the current financial year, regardless of whether a decision has been issued, will be assessed according to the requirements in place at the time of lodgement.
Q10. I have an IT Master’s degree from the University of Tasmania, have been living in Tasmania for two years, and have been working part-time as a plasterer for one and a half years — can I apply for a Subclass 190 state nomination in the new financial year?
Under the current draft policy requirements, you would need to have been residing in Tasmania for three years or more to apply for a Subclass 190 through the Residency Pathway; otherwise, you may at this stage only be able to apply for a Subclass 491.
Q11. If I am not studying but have lived in Tasmania for three years and have been employed in an ANZSCO Skill Level 4 role for six months, can I apply for a Subclass 190?
Based on a plain reading of the current draft, the Residency Pathway does not require applicants to have a local Tasmanian study background, which would mean that applicants who are not studying but meet the residency and employment requirements can apply for a Subclass 491 or Subclass 190,however the practical implementation requirements of the new policy remain an open question.
The FAQ responses are drawn from this morning’s state government webinar, as well as our own answers to frequently asked questions about the Tasmania draft policy in recent weeks. If you have any questions about the FAQ responses, please add us on WeChat via the details below for a more detailed consultation!
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