On 1 July 2012, the six Skilled lists are to be combined into one list to simplify the procedure

The Government will:

1. replace the current six permanent employer-sponsored visas with two new visas.
2. consolidate the existing three sponsored occupation lists – subclass 457, employer nomination, and state and territory sponsored general skilled migration lists – into one list.

Permanent employer-sponsored visa places currently account for 39 per cent of the total skilled migration program for 2011-12, including 16,000 places through RSMS.