Three weeks after Immigration Minister Tony Burke promised that carpenters, plumbers and other “housing-trade” applicants would soon earn the same migration-points weighting as university graduates, no legislative amendment has surfaced. A 11 October analysis by Migratio highlights that Schedule 6D of the Migration Regulations—Australia’s official points table—remains unchanged, leaving trade qualifications stuck at 10 points compared with 15 for a bachelor degree. The promised uplift was touted as a signature element of Labor’s broader migration overhaul and has been widely cited by construction industry bodies seeking relief from chronic skills shortages. Yet searches of the Federal Register of Legislation show no instrument altering the points test since the student-visa reforms on 2 October. For employers sponsoring permanent skilled visas, the gap between announcement and implementation creates planning headaches. Some candidates invited to apply after 17 September assumed they would gain additional points and may now fall below invitation thresholds if the change is delayed past the next SkillSelect round on 15 October. Migration agents are fielding urgent queries from tradespeople overseas who fear missing out on visa invitations. The uncertainty also affects state nomination programmes that mirror the federal points grid. States considering allocations for 2026-27 must decide whether to model their quotas on the existing table or gamble on imminent changes. Migratio advises applicants not to lodge Expressions of Interest based on the minister’s speech alone and urges employers to factor in contingencies, such as employer-sponsored streams, where points are not decisive. Minister Burke’s office says drafting is “progressing” and insists the uplift will apply retrospectively to the date of announcement once regulations are made. Until then, the status quo holds—and so do the points gaps that continue to disadvantage trade applicants compared with degree-holders.
Source: Migratio
