17 May 2010 Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship announced the new Skilled Occupation List (SOL) for General skilled migration (GSM).
The new changes are proposed to commence 1 July 2010 and are based on the ANZSCO (Australian & New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations replacing the ANSCO (Australian Standard Classification of Occupation). This new list recognises the need for Registered Nurses in Australia and has seen the number of skills classified in the nursing stream increase from 4 to 14 to cover specific specialist areas.
The new points system has not yet been announced but is expected to be announced prior to the implementation of the new list. At this time we can also expect the state sponsorship lists to also be announced. On these lists we expect that registered nurse skills to also be prominent, therefore allowing Registered Nurses to gain extra points required for migration.
Now is the time to commence the process for registration so that you are in a position to apply for general skilled migration and/or positions in Australia.