According to its recent declaration, the Australian government is fast-tracking healthcare and education sector employer-sponsored visas as a high priority in regional areas. An effective ministerial directive has recently underscored the significance of simplifying visa processing for businesses sponsoring skilled workers in regional Australia.
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The Department of Home Affairs says the new direction elevates employer-sponsored visa applications to a top priority for all occupations in regional Australia. This change favors Australian regional employers, who face ongoing critical skills shortfalls throughout all industries and sectors.
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The department further said that all occupations in regional Australia would be highly prioritized to fill a recognized shortage under these visa categories:
- Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482)
- Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186)
- Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 494)
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Moreover, the preference for processing employer-sponsored visas in regional Australia for healthcare and education is still the priority. According to the department spokesperson, the processing times for the healthcare and education sectors will be slightly impacted by this priority change, given the decrease in the visa backlog.
How Many Visas Were Granted in The Healthcare And Education Sectors?
The Department of Home Affairs permitted 6,466 visas to Health Care and Social Assistance workers under the Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 482) visa category in the program year 2022-23. This keeps the healthcare sector at the highest volume for temporary and permanent skilled visa applications. Furthermore, almost 1,060 visas were permitted in the Education and Training sector. Finally, the department confirms that these visa grants were underpinned by targeted invitation rounds for the industry.
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