Occupation ceiling for the 2018-19 program year will stay on the same level as for 2017-18. However, there is a change for the accountants. Although the limit remains the same as last year at 4785, the Department has announced that this will also include invites made in other skilled visa categories.
Skilled visas as determined by the department include subclass 482, 186, 187, 189, 190 and 489.
At the end of December 2017 Department of Home Affairs made an assessment that the 4,785 places allocated to Accountants last financial year (July 2017) would also include the visas given to Accountants in other visa categories such as 186, 187, 190 and 489 (state-sponsored) in addition to the Skilled Independent visas (189) and Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (489 families sponsored). The department has continued this strategy in the new financial year too.
"The recent announcement is an indication that this would continue to be the strategy of the Department concerning the invites issued for Accountants. It is yet to be seen which visa categories would be included to make up the allocation. However this is for sure that the 4,785 is not a true reflection of the seats allocated to accountants under the General Skilled Migration," says Chaman Preet of Migration and Education Experts and Students in Melbourne.
In the recent rounds of invites that went out on 11 July 2018, Accountants have only received 36 invites as opposed to nearly 717 invites that went out in first three invitation rounds last year.
The picture is not looking rosy for the accountants, opines Rohit Mohan of Lakshya Migration. He says, "We are going to see a tough year ahead for Accountants. In the last invitation round on 11th July 2018, 36 invitations were issued to accountants, and the points were further increased to 85 to secure an invite for visa lodgement. This is due to a substantial increase in the pipeline for EOI’s lodged and the applicants trying their best to increase their points by exploring every trick in the book which includes obtaining eight each in IELTS or equivalent, completing a professional year and passing CCL test."
However, Mohan adds that there is a ray of hope for the aspirants. He says, "It’s not all doom and gloom though. The inclusion of Accountants in the occupation list for 489 visa application is a ray of hope and provides much-needed relief to eligible applicants."
