The National Skills Commission, Australia is entrusted to provide independent intelligence on the country's labor market, a detailed analysis of occupations in demand, labor market analysis to guide and manifest Australian Government policy initiatives, including targeting of skilled migration, apprenticeship incentives, and training funding. Skills Priority List is updated and published annually and is a significant deliverable by the National Skills Commission, recently published in June 2021.  

The Skills Priority List furnishes a present labor market rating and a future demand rating for occupations country-wide. The ratings are analyzed for each occupation and segment, including occupations at a state as well as territory level.

The report highlights:

• Occupational fields in national shortage but with high future demand include services in sectors such as Corporate, agriculture, quality assurance, auditing, engineering (Aircraft maintenance, electrical, geotechnical, transport, etc ) , health care and pharmacy, information technology, clinical psychology, etc.
• Professions with moderate future demand but national shortage include services in sectors such as construction and building, geology, biochemistry, teaching, medical profession and doctors (physiotherapist, oncologist, dermatologist, cardiologist, surgeon, gynecologist, etc), civil engineering, carpenters, mechanics, telecommunications, nursing, etc.
• Farming, automotive, road, and plant operators are a few occupational segments that are in national shortage with soft future demand.
• Occupational fields with national shortage but strong future demand include sales, marketing, public relations, information technology, import and export, supply and distribution, journalism, editing, company relations, finance, research and development, customer support, management, advising, patent examination, architecture, etc.
• Occupational fields with national shortage but moderate future demand include management roles, schooling, beauty and skincare, betting agency, photography, public relations, food technology, meteorology, life science, etc.
• Occupational fields with national shortage but soft future demand include farming, art, and direction, child residential care, refuge work, machine operations, etc.

Skills Priority List provides a detailed analysis of the intensity of demand with respect to occupation and geography keeping in view the economic scenario of the country. The Skills Priority List is the backbone of the labor market although it is not the sole input to government decisions on these policies.

The evidence supporting the development of the Skills Priority List includes labor market data analysis, employer-employee surveys as well as consultation with federal/state government agencies and representative bodies.