Pharmacists added to the PMSOL

Immigration has added Pharmacists to the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL), in order to provide further support to Australian businesses during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. This brings the total number of occupations on the list to 44.

Employer-sponsored applicants in the PMSOL occupations will be given priority processing for both nomination and visa applications in the following visa types:

• Subclass 482 - Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa
• Subclass 494 - Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
• Subclass 186 - Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa
• Subclass 187 - Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)

Applicants and existing employer-sponsored visa holders on the PMSOL can also request a travel exemption to enter Australia during the current border closures. However, the mandatory 14-day quarantine period still applies and will still be at the traveller or sponsor's expense.

Occupations on the PMSOL as of 27 July 2021 include

• Chief Executive or Managing Director (111111)
• Construction Project Manager (133111)
• Accountant (General) (221111)
• Accountant (Management) (221112)
• Accountant (Taxation) (221113)
• External Auditor (221213)
• Internal Auditor (221214)
• Surveyor (232212)
• Cartographer (232213)
• Other Spatial Scientist (232214)
• Civil Engineer (233211)
• Structural Engineer (233214)
• Geotechnical Engineer (233212)
• Transport Engineer (233215)
• Electrical Engineer (233311)
• Mechanical Engineer (233512)
• Mining Engineer (233611)
• Petroleum Engineer (233612)
• Medical Laboratory Scientist (234611)
• Veterinarian (234711)
• Hospital Pharmacist (251511)
• Retail Pharmacist (251513)
• Industrial Pharmacist (251512)
• Orthotist / Prosthetist (251912)
• General Practitioner (253111)
• Resident Medical Officer (253112)
• Psychiatrist (253411)
• Medical Practitioner nec (253999)
• Midwife (254111)
• Registered Nurse (Aged Care) (254412)
• Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) (254415)
• Registered Nurse (Medical) (254418)
• Registered Nurse (Mental Health) (254422)
• Registered Nurse (Perioperative) (254423)
• Registered Nurses nec (254499)
• Multimedia Specialist (261211)
• Analyst Programmer (261311)
• Developer Programmer (261312)
• Software Engineer (261313)
• Software and Applications Programmers (261399)
• ICT Security Specialist (262112)
• Social Worker (272511)
• Maintenance Planner (312911)
• Chef (351311)

General Skilled visa applicants in the above applications also appear to be receiving preference under the Independent and State/Territory Nominated visa programs, though still with a focus on applicants already living and working in Australia.