Have Your Say: Help Shape the Future of the Transport Supply Chain Workforce
Workforce and occupational skills shortages continue to affect critical roles across the Transport Supply Chain industries, disrupting operations and impacting productivity.
Industry feedback, reflected in ISA’s 2025 Workforce Plans, has identified two key areas for action:
- Improved access to international workers
- Stronger financial support for training
Now, two important Government consultations are open, giving stakeholders the opportunity to influence how these challenges are addressed.
Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) – Jobs and Skills Australia
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) is consulting on the 2025 Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), which determines which occupations are eligible for certain skilled migration visa streams. This list helps employers fill critical roles when suitably skilled Australian workers are not available.
What’s happening?
- JSA has released a targeted list of occupations for consultation.
- Feedback is also welcome on all skill level 1 to 3 occupations within the CSOL scope.
- This is your chance to ensure key Transport Supply Chain roles are recognised.
More information and submission details are available on the JSA website.
The table below lists Transport Supply Chain occupations which are either targeted for consultation, or which are eligible for consideration.
| Targeted for consultation | Eligible for consideration | ||
| Aviation | 149931 Airport Manager | Aviation | 299132 Air Traffic Controller |
| Aviation | 299199 Air Transport Professionals nec | Maritime | 313433 Marine Surveyor |
| Maritime | 313432 Marine Pilot | Maritime | 313435 Ship's Master |
| Maritime | 313499 Marine Transport Masters, Officers and Technicians nec | Maritime | 313436 Ship's Officer |
| Rail | 243233 Rail Engineer | Rail | 172532 Railway Station Manager |
| Rail | 243332 Rail Signalling Engineer | T&L | 133131 Importer or Exporter |
| Rail | 399937 Railway Network Controller | T&L | 172533 Transport Company Manager |
| Rail | 711331 Freight Train Driver | T&L | 461531 Driving Instructor |
| Rail | 711332 Passenger Train Driver | ||
| T&L | 599932 Customs Broker | ||
| T&L | 713231 Articulated Truck Driver | ||
| T&L | 713232 Tanker Truck Driver | ||
| T&L | 721132 Warehouse Supervisor | ||
We encourage interested stakeholders to submit their feedback to JSA directly via the consultation page up until 23.59 (AEST) Friday, 26 September 2025 and/or send us your feedback to submit on your behalf.
Australian Apprenticeship Priority List consultation
The Australian Apprenticeship Priority List identifies occupations eligible for government-funded apprenticeship and traineeship incentives.
Following the Strategic Review of the Australian Apprenticeship Incentive System (January 2025), the Government is now reviewing how this list is developed to better align with Australia’s economic and social priorities.
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations is seeking your views on possible options for the new Priority List methodology. The outcomes of these consultations will help inform the development of a more robust, transparent and responsive Priority List that supports critical skills needs and delivers better outcomes for apprentices/trainees, employers and the broader economy.
Currently, most occupations within the Transport Supply Chain sectors that have an apprenticeship or traineeship pathway are not included on the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List.
This has been a consistent concern raised by industry stakeholders during our consultations. The exclusion limits access to government incentives, making it harder for businesses to invest in training and upskilling workers through these pathways.
The department has prepared a discussion paper with questions designed to guide your submission:
We encourage interested stakeholders to submit feedback by uploading a Word or PDF document via the consultation page.
Alternatively, you can send us your feedback to submit on your behalf
Submissions close at 5pm AEDT, Friday, 17 October 2025.
Why Your Feedback Matters
These consultations are a vital opportunity to:
- Influence skilled migration and training policy
- Ensure Transport Supply Chain occupations are prioritised
- Support a more sustainable and responsive workforce