Sponsorship for offshore applicationsThe Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship suspended accepting offshore General Skilled Migration visa applications from 7 May 2010 until 30 June 2010. Applicants will only be able to lodge an application after 1 July 2010 if they have been assessed for an occupation on the revised national Skilled Occupation List (SOL).
The Northern Territory will put in place a State Migration Plan and will publish a Northern Territory Occupation List with that plan. This list will contain a number of occupations that are not on the national SOL. The target date for the Northern Territory's State Migration Plan is 1 September 2010.
Processing of all offshore sponsorship applications has been suspended until the Territory Migration Plan comes into effect.
All applicants for Northern Territory sponsorship will be required to demonstrate that they have positive employment prospects in the Northern Territory even if their occupation is on the shortage list.
