Six Key Industries Officially Prioritized
NSW Government has, for the first time, released a four-year plan, clearly identifying the following sectors as priorities:
- Construction & Infrastructure (housing and major projects)
- Renewable Energy Transition
- Care Economy (early childhood, aged care, disability care)
- Digital Technology (software engineers, cybersecurity, computer-related roles)
- Agriculture & Food Production (especially in regional areas)
- Advanced Manufacturing (high-skilled engineering roles)
Our Observations
01IT occupations remain dominant – Software Engineers had the highest number of invitations in the 2023–24 program year.
02Soaring demand for care roles – Early Childhood and Aged Care continue to rank in the Top 3.
03Renewable energy could be the next big winner – Strong government backing expected.
⚠️⚠️⚠️但需注意：
“Priority” ≠ exclusive. Other occupations may still be invited.
The final NSW Skills List will be released after July 1.
491491 Major Reform: Pathway 1 & 3 Now Require ROI Pre-assessment
Old system: Direct application submission，New system: Submit ROI (Registration of Interest) first → receive invitation → then lodge formal application
In short, NSW has introduced a pre-selection mechanism before granting nominations, giving the state more control over which applicants proceed.
Pathway 1 – Regional NSW employment stream
Pathway 3 – Recent regional NSW graduate stream
Impact Analysis
✔️ Positive: More accurate state selection, fewer invalid applications
❌ Challenge: Increased competition, applicants should prepare documents such as employer reference letters in advance
The 2025–26 skills list will continue to revolve around the six priority sectors, with no major structural changes.However, some non-priority fields (e.g., certain business occupations) may see reduced allocations.
Greater Transparency & Predictability
NSW Government has indicated it will ideally notify applicants ahead of each invitation round.Quarterly and annual reports will be published, including a Top 10 occupations list by invitation numbers.
Still, actual execution may vary and changes remain possible.