Classic small business job titles like bricklayer, chef, and hairdresser are among the 456 occupations covered by the federal government’s updated temporary skilled visa program, in what industry leaders have called a win for local employers.
But some business figures say the list could have included even more job titles in the construction sector, to help alleviate Australia’s housing crisis.
The federal government unveiled its Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) on Tuesday, detailing which occupations are eligible for the Core Skills stream of the new Skills in Demand visa.
That visa will replace the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa from December 7 this year, changing how employers sponsor overseas workers.
The CSOL also applies to the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), which allows skilled workers to live and work in Australia on a permanent basis.
Occupations like construction project manager, carpenter, painter, and roof tiler are included in the CSOL.
This means small construction firms may be able to recruit from overseas when local talent is unavailable.
The Property Council of Australia and the Business Council of Australia (BCA) have both welcomed the inclusion of construction jobs on the list.
“We called for more skilled workers to help boost housing supply and today’s announcement is a very useful step in the right direction,” BCA chief executive Bran Black said in a statement.
“Australian businesses can’t build more houses, care for an ageing population, and embark on the energy transition if we don’t have enough skilled workers.”
Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia, commended the government for including construction jobs missing from previous skills shortage lists.
However, she used her own statement to call for construction machinery operators to make the list.
“You can’t build a house, schools, hospitals or roads without crane, bulldozer and excavator operators, who have not made the cut,” she said.
Elsewhere, Wes Lambert, CEO of the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association, said the list recognises the need for skilled workers across the hospitality industry — including small businesses.
“We argued that restaurants and cafes could not survive with any major changes to the current list,” he shared on LinkedIn.
The fact job titles like chef, cook, baker, pastrycook, and butcher remain on the CSOL is a “huge win”, he said.
You can view the CSOL list here.
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Senior Business Journalist
Focused on the small business sector, David’s work covers the political, regulatory, and economic issues facing Australian entrepreneurs. Prior to joining SmartCompany, he was a reporter for Business Insider Australia. You can follow him on LinkedIn.
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