If I have already found an employer in Australia who can sponsor my work permit and visa to Australia, do I still need to be in the critical occupation list and be invited by the government?
You should be looking at the Australian Skilled occupation list, which splits into different lists depending on the visa subclass you are or have applied for. In other words, yes, you need to be on the corresponding list for the employment you are looking forward to.
Yes, but it is not called a critical occupation list .A lot depends on the visa sort.
To enter Australia during the current Covid-19 restrictions as a foreigner you will need to meet one of the exemption requirements. This includes visa holders who have critical skills that are considered necessary to maintain the supply of essential goods and services. These fields include medical technology, critical infrastructure, telecommunications, engineering and mining, supply chain logistics, agriculture, primary industry, food production, maritime industry, religious or theology. In addition, the following fields will be considered where no Australian worker is available - financial technology, large scale manufacturing, film, media and television production and emerging technology. If you do not qualify in these areas, and don't meet any other exemption requirements, then you will not be able to travel to Australia during this time. If your employer is willing to nominate you for a permanent visa (eg. subclass 186 and can be applied for directly if you have an occupation on the MTSSL) instead of a temporary visa (eg. subclass 482) then you will be able to enter once the permanent visa has been granted as permanent visa holders are permitted to enter Australia. In practice most employers sponsor for a temporary visa only.
At the moment, with Covid-19 travel restrictions in place, travel exemptions are only being granted to those people who have offers of employment in a critical sector. The list of these occupations is expanding and now includes: providing critical or specialist medical services, including air ambulance, medical evacuations and delivering critical medical supplies; with critical skills required to maintain the supply of essential goods and services, such as in medical technology, critical infrastructure, telecommunications, engineering and mining, supply chain logistics, aged care, agriculture, primary industry, food production, and the maritime industry; delivering services in sectors critical to Australia’s economic recovery, such as financial technology, large scale manufacturing, film, media and television production and emerging technology, where no Australian worker is available; providing critical skills in religious or theology fields. You need also be sponsored by your employer to work in Australia in an occupation on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List.
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