Australia recognises the contribution of overseas skilled workers and experts, and it has created different visa types to welcome them into occupations with skills shortages. Like many developed countries, Australia faces the demographic challenge of an ageing population, with many workers retired or approaching retirement.
This is why the Department of Home Affairs publishes skilled occupation lists that set which occupations are eligible for skilled visas, such as the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) for points-tested visas and the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) for the employer-sponsored Skills in Demand visa. There are shortages of workers in occupations such as:
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Engineering
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Healthcare
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IT
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Construction and Mining
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Manufacturing
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Tourism
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Accounts and Finance
Visa categories to apply for Australia
If you are interested in applying for a skilled occupation, you have to select the correct visa type.
Have a look at a few Australian skilled visa categories:
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Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa (permanent)
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Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 Visa (permanent, nominated by a state or territory)
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Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Subclass 491 Visa (five-year provisional visa, which replaced subclass 489 on 16 November 2019)
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Skills in Demand Subclass 482 Visa (employer-sponsored temporary visa, which replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa on 7 December 2024)
If you don’t have a nomination or sponsorship from an Australian state or employer, you can apply for the Skilled Independent Subclass 189 visa. It’s a permanent visa that lets you live and work anywhere in Australia. You start by lodging an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect, and you can apply only if you are invited. Competition is intense: in the June 2026 invitation round, most professional occupations needed 80 to 100 points, well above the 65-point minimum. The Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 visa is another permanent visa that lets you move to Australia from Dubai.
To apply for this visa, you first need a nomination from a state or territory government in Australia. If you wish to work temporarily in Australia, the Skills in Demand Subclass 482 visa lets you live and work in Australia for up to four years, but you need sponsorship from an approved Australian employer.
Get expert assistance with Australian immigration in Dubai from XIPHIAS Immigration, working with a registered migration agent (MARA 1680615).
For any query or visa assistance, contact us at [email protected]
Call: +971 52 727 5101