Critical Skills Occupations List
The official list of highly skilled occupations eligible for the Critical Skills Employment Permit.
If your role appears on this list, the hiring process gets dramatically easier: no Labour Market Needs Test, a fast track to Stamp 4 after two years, and immediate work rights for the employee's partner. Chef roles have moved on and off eligible categories over the years and healthcare roles feature prominently, so always check the current list before deciding which permit route to use — the list is updated as labour market needs change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Through periodic reviews by the Department, informed by labour market data and submissions from industry bodies. Sectors experiencing acute shortages can and do lobby for inclusion — the movement of chef grades between lists over the years shows the system responds to evidence of shortage.
Three big ones: no Labour Market Needs Test (so no 28-day advertising cycle), a route to Stamp 4 for the employee after two years, and immediate work rights for their spouse or partner. Together these make Critical Skills roles faster to fill and far easier to recruit for internationally.
The list concentrates on highly skilled shortage occupations — healthcare professionals feature prominently, alongside engineering, IT, and other specialist roles. The list is updated as labour market needs change, so check the current version at DETE when planning a hire rather than relying on last year's position.