EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Migration Regulations 1994

MIGRATION OCCUPATIONS IN DEMAND

(REGULATION 1.03)

1. This Instrument is made under regulations 1.17 and 1.03 of the Migration Regulations 1994 (‘the Regulations’).
2. Regulation 1.17 of the Regulations provides that the Minister may, by notice published in the Gazette, specify matters required by individual provisions of the Regulations to be specified for the purposes of those provisions.
3. Regulation 1.03 of the Regulations defines the term “migration occupation in demand” to mean a skilled occupation that is specified by Gazette Notice as a migration occupation in demand.
4. The purpose of the Instrument is to specify skilled occupations as migration occupations in demand for the purposes of the definition of “migration occupation in demand” in regulation 1.03 of the Regulations.  The Instrument specifies occupations according to the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) classification system.
5. The Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) is a mechanism used to facilitate the entry of migrants under the General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program who have particular specialist skills and where there is an ongoing demand in the Australian labour market for these skills.  Applicants applying for a GSM permanent points tested visa who nominate an occupation on the MODL benefit as their application receives processing priority and they receive an additional 15 or 20 points (if they have a full time job offer) under the general points test. 
6. Consultation was undertaken with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) to update the MODL.  This Instrument was made in response to information provided by DEWR which identifies an additional 9 occupations as eligible to be placed on the MODL and 4 occupations to be removed.  The occupations added to the MODL are one manager and administrator, three professional and five information and communication technology occupations.  The four occupations removed from the MODL are two professional, one ICT and one trade occupation.  The information provided by DEWR is based on DEWR’s skills-in-demand research.
7. This Instrument, IMMI 06/066, commences on the day of registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.