The Department of Immigration and Border Protection has released the occupation ceiling information for the General Skilled Migration 2016-2017 program. There appears to be both winners and losers in the occupations, with the most obvious changes including a drastic reduction in the number of places for Accountants. The figure mentioned below now will be a limit on the TOTAL number of skilled visas (GSM and employer-sponsored) granted to Accountants over the course of the year.

Occupation ceilings for the 2016-17 programme year

Occupation ID	Description	Occupation Ceiling Value 2016-2017
1331	Construction Managers	5289
1332	Engineering Managers	1407
1335​	Production Managers	3368
1341	Child Care Centre Managers	1000
1342	Health and Welfare Services Managers	1177
2211	Accountants*	4777​
2212	Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers	1413
2241	Actuaries, Mathematicians and Statisticians	1000
2245	Land Economists and Valuers	1035
2312	Marine Transport Professionals	1000
2321	Architects and Landscape Architects	1391
2322	Cartographers and Surveyors	1000
2331	Chemical and Materials Engineers	1000
2332	Civil Engineering Professionals	2174
2333	Electrical Engineers	1254
2334	Electronics Engineers	1000
2335	Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers	1539
2339	Other Engineering Professionals	1000
2341	Agricultural and Forestry Scientists	1000
2346	Medical Laboratory Scientists	1602
2347	Veterinarians	1000
2349	Other Natural and Physical Science Professionals	1000
2411	Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teachers	1822
2414	Secondary School Teachers	8032
2415	Special Education Teachers	1126
2512	Medical Imaging Professionals	1000
2514	Optometrists and Orthoptists	1000
2519	Orthotist or Prosthetist	1000
2521	Chiropractors and Osteopaths	1000
2524	Occupational Therapists	1000
2525	P​​hysiotherapists	1345
2526	Podiatrists	1000
2527	Speech Professionals and Audiologists	1000
2531	General Practitioners and Resident Medical officers	3495
2532	Anaesthetists	1000
2533	Internal Medicine Specialists	1000
2534	Psychiatrists	1000
2535	Surgeons	1000
2539	Other Medical Practitioners	1315
2541	Midwives	1017
2544	Registered Nurses	16346
2611	ICT Business and Systems Analysts	1482
2613	Software and Applications Programmers	5662
2631	Computer Network Professionals	1426
2633	Telecommunications Engineering Professionals	1000
2711	Barristers	1000
2713	Solicitors	5154
2723	Psychologists	1532
2725	Social Workers	1783
3122	Civil Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians	1000
3123	Electrical Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians	1000
3132	Telecommunications Technical Specialists	1000
3211	Automotive Electricians	1000
3212	Motor Mechanics	5597
3222	Sheetmetal Trades Workers	1000
3223	Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers	4466
3232	Metal Fitters and Machinists	6677
3233	Precision Metal Trades Workers	1000
​3241	​Panelbeaters	​1000
3311	Bricklayers and Stonemasons	1751
3312	Carpenters and Joiners	7718
3322	Painting Trades Workers	2871
3331	Glaziers	1000
3332	Plasterers	2149
3334	Wall and Floor Tilers	1475
3341	Plumbers	5169
3411	Electricians	9345
3421	Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics	1701
3422	Electrical Distribution Trades Workers	1000
3423	Electronics Trades Workers	1993
3513	Chefs	2854
3941	Cabinetmakers	1568
3991	​Boat Builders and Shipwrights	​1000

There are a number of major differences when you compare these figures with those of last year (2015-2016 year) results:

Occupation ceilings for the 2015-16 programme year

Occupation ID	Description	Ceiling Value	Results to date
1331	Construction Managers	5640	110
1332	Engineering Managers	1014	29
1335​	Production Managers	3582	9
1341	Child Care Centre Managers	1000	18
1342	Health and Welfare Services Managers	1410	47
2211	Accountants	2525​	2525
2212	Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers	1000	1000
2241	Actuaries, Mathematicians and Statisticians	1000	89
2245	Land Economists and Valuers	1000	42
2312	Marine Transport Professionals	1000	56
2321	Architects and Landscape Architects	1650	314
2322	Cartographers and Surveyors	1000	67
2331	Chemical and Materials Engineers	1000	589
2332	Civil Engineering Professionals	2970	1333
2333	Electrical Engineers	1230	680
2334	Electronics Engineers	1000	977
2335	Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers	1788	1788
2336	Mining Engineers	1000	249
2339	Other Engineering Professionals	1000	1000
2341	Agricultural and Forestry Scientists	1000	162
2346	Medical Laboratory Scientists	1362	162
2347	Veterinarians	1000	90
2349	Other Natural and Physical Science Professionals	1000	37
2411	Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teachers	1980	212
2414	Secondary School Teachers	8352	570
2415	Special Education Teachers	1158	27
2512	Medical Imaging Professionals	1092	113
2513	Occupational and Environmental Health Professionals	1578	94
2514	Optometrists and Orthoptists	1000	35
2521	Chiropractors and Osteopaths	1000	33
2524	Occupational Therapists	1000	102
2525	P​​hysiotherapists	1104	151
2526	Podiatrists	1000	34
2527	Speech Professionals and Audiologists	1000	66
2531	General Practitioners and Resident Medical officers	3558	387
2532	Anaesthetists	1000	44
2533	Internal Medicine Specialists	1000	50
2534	Psychiatrists	1000	33
2535	Surgeons	1000	24
2539	Other Medical Practitioners	1000	696
2541	Midwives	1000	45
2544	Registered Nurses	13872	3133
2611	ICT Business and Systems Analysts	1536	1536
2613	Software and Applications Programmers	5364​	5364
2631	Computer Network Professionals	1986	1986
2633	Telecommunications Engineering Professionals	1000	756
2711	Barristers	1000	4
2713	Solicitors	3252	284
2723	Psychologists	1212	98
2725	Social Workers	2166	209
3122	Civil Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians	1000	82
3123	Electrical Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians	1000	37
3132	Telecommunications Technical Specialists	1000	26
3211	Automotive Electricians	1000	10
3212	Motor Mechanics	6108	166
3222	Sheetmetal Trades Workers	1000	8
3223	Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers	4416	55
3232	Metal Fitters and Machinists	8070	83
3233	Precision Metal Trades Workers	1000	2
​3241	​Panelbeaters	​1134	3
3311	Bricklayers and Stonemasons	1656	50
3312	Carpenters and Joiners	7290	172
3322	Painting Trades Workers	2802	37
3331	Glaziers	1000	1
3332	Plasterers	1866	14
3334	Wall and Floor Tilers	1284	4
3341	Plumbers	5130	92
3411	Electricians	8772	182
3421	Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics	1038	27
3422	Electrical Distribution Trades Workers	1000	10
3423	Electronics Trades Workers	2076	50
3513	Chefs	2475	149
3941	Cabinetmakers	1530	2
3991	​Boat Builders and Shipwrights	​1000	4
4112	Dental Hygienists, Technicians and Therapists	1000	59