Cooks and hairdressers are just two of the 219 occupations to be struck off the list of valued vocations under Australia's skill migration program.
SKILLED MIGRANT OCCUPATION LIST
A new skilled occupation list has been devised as the federal government cracks down on people seeking permanent residency through low-value education courses.
Developed by Skills Australia, an independent body, the list has slashed the number of occupations deemed to be highly valued from 400 to 181.
Other occupations to disappear from the list include acupuncturists, private dance teachers, illustrators, piano tuners, journalists and naturopaths.
Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Evans said the list would ensure Australia's skilled migration program is demand-driven rather than supply-driven.
"Through a targeted migration program, the Rudd government will attract skilled migrants of the highest calibre and deliver people with real skills to meet real need in our economy," Senator Evans said in a statement.
The new list would close the door on those trying to manipulate the migration system, Senator Evans said.
Only people with relevant occupations in the new list will be eligible for independent general skilled migration.
"International students who have the skills our economy needs will still be able to apply for permanent migration or be nominated by employers but we will no longer accept the thousands of cooks and hairdressers who applied under the guidelines established by the Howard government," Senator Evans said.
People who completed short courses in vocations including cooking and hairdressing and had poor English skills were almost assured of gaining permanent residence as a skilled migrant under the previous government, the minister said.
More than 5000 of the 41,000 general skilled visas granted in 2007-08 were granted to cooks and hairdressers, and three quarters of them had formerly studied in Australia.
Both occupations have been struck off the new list.
Skills Australia had sought advice from industry skills councils and peak industry bodies to make sure the list contained occupations Australia needs in the medium to long term, Senator Evans said.
Young Australians should be trained and given the chance to fill existing job vacancies first but there were some occupations for which there was not enough trained people, he said.
"Hospitals can't go without nurses, country towns can't do without a local GP and the resources sector increasingly needs skills."
The new framework is proposed to come into effect on July 1 and will be updated each year.
People who have already applied for visas under the general skilled migration program would not be affected by the implementation of the new list.
