NSW State Migration Plan

The New South Wales (NSW) State Migration Plan has been implemented from 3 March, 2011.  

Click here to view the NSW State Migration Plan.

The NSW State Migration Plan includes 138 occupations. There are 18 occupations included on the NSW State Migration Plan that are not on DIAC's new Skilled Occupation List (Schedule 3). Eight of these occupations are now open for new sponsorships by NSW under the Skilled Regional Sponsored or Skilled Sponsored visa programs.

There are six new occupations now open for sponsorship for the Skilled Regional Sponsored 475/487 visa. They are:

• Chef
• Baker
• Fitter (General)
• Metal Machinist (1st Class)
• Toolmaker
• Cabinet Maker

Click here for more information on NSW regions sponsoring these occupations.  There are two new occupations now open for sponsorship for the Skilled Sponsored 176/886 visa. They are:

• Insurance Broker
• Solicitor

NSW has also added the occupation of Ships Engineer from DIAC's new skilled occupation list to the list of occupations sponsored for the skilled sponsored 176/886 visa.


How Do the SMP's Work
Prior to submitting a visa application for a subclass 176, 475, 487, 886 with the Department of Immigration & Citizenship an applicant is required to have State or Territory sponsorship. Each State and Territory has a list of occupations that they have identified as in shortage. If sponsorship is needed to submit a visa application then an application for sponsorship can be made to a State or Territory that has the applicants skill identified as in shortage.

The SMP is designed to encourage migrants with the right skills set to live and work in the State or Territory that needs them most. In return for sponsorship for the visa application, the relevant State or Territory want the applicant to make a commitment to live and work in that State or Territory for the first two years that they are a permanent resident.

An applicant is a permanent resident as soon as their visa is granted with the rights and entitlements that provides. However, the new permanent resident still has a commitment to live and work in the State or Territory that offered them sponsorship for the first two years they are in Australia.

The SMP is to make the General Skilled Migration system more efficient in that it is matching the migrant and their skills set with the area that will provide them with the most opportunity but also assist the Australian economy to fill a critical skill shortage.


Processing Times
There is one additional important point to add about having sponsorship from a State or Territory under a State Migration plan. An applicant with sponsorship under a SMP will have their visa application processed by the Department of Immigration & Citizenship within 12 months from the date of lodgement. Priority processing Group 2 is reserved for these applications and is the fastest processing category under General Skilled Migration.


Are you eligible?
AMVL can advise if you are eligible to make an application for State or Territory sponsorship. There are a restricted number of sponsorships available for each occupation in each State or Territory. There is also an overall restriction on the total number of sponsorships on offer. For example, a State may have 500 sponsorship spots for an electrician and a total of 4500 sponsorship places for the financial year.

Click here to contact Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers to assess your eligibility.