Bricklayers and chemists no longer wanted in Australia From July 1, bricklayers, floor and wall tilers and chemists will find it difficult to apply for permanent residency Down Under, unless they have sponsorship by an interested party, such as one of the Australian states. Edwina Shanahan, the manager of visafirst.com, said: "Although the changes won't come in effect until July 1, processing time for visas means that any of the people affected who start their application now for the skilled migrant visa will be too late as they will have insufficient time to get a successful skills assessment before July 1. Australia's skills shortage list has 192 occupations including mechanics, accountants, stonemasons and engineers, all needed to plug gaps in the country's thriving economy. The country has largely been unaffected by the global economic slowdown, with its mining boom in particular creating thousands of jobs for immigrants. The changes to the skills shortage list come as Australia's skilled migration programme undergoes a major overhaul, which the Government hopes will make sure that only the most useful candidates are given visas. From July 1, instead of directly applying for visas, potential migrants will have to register an "express of interest," after which they can spend up to two years waiting for an invitation to formally apply. Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship says that the new arrangements "are designed to better respond to labour market demand."