What Are the Australian Skilled Occupation Lists?
Australian skilled occupation lists are official lists of jobs identified as being in demand within the country’s labour market. Managed by the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) and informed by data from Jobs and Skills Australia, these lists address skill shortages to support economic growth.
Occupations are defined using Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) codes and often require formal skills assessments from a designated authority. Eligibility for migration often depends on whether your occupation appears on the relevant list, you meet the required ANZSCO skill level and any visa-specific criteria or caveats.
The lists are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changing economic and labour market conditions. Occupations can be added, removed or reclassified, and new specialisations may be created to reflect modern job roles, particularly in health, construction, engineering, information technology (IT), and emerging technologies.
Australia uses several occupation lists for skilled migration; each connected to different visa pathways.
Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) is a broad list of occupations eligible for key employer-sponsored visas. It uses the current Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupation (ANZSCO) framework and is a primary reference for:
- Skills in Demand (SID) visa (subclass 482) – Core Skills Stream
- Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa (subclass 186) – Direct Entry Pathway.
As of 2026, the CSOL covers hundreds of occupations across industries facing genuine workforce gaps, such as information technology (IT), healthcare, and construction.
CSOL may include caveats that restrict the use of certain occupations for small businesses, particular locations, or low-skilled duties and a skills assessment from the relevant authority is required, eg. VETASSESS or Engineers Australia for Aeronautical Engineer (ANZSCO 233911) or Agricultural Technician (ANZSCO 311112)
Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
The Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) includes occupations considered critical for Australia’s long-term economic and demographic priorities. It supports many points-tested and permanent skilled visa options, including the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) Points Tested stream, Skilled Nomination visa (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).
MLTSSL has strong alignment with permanent residency pathways (subject to meeting all criteria and receiving an invitation), involves an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect and a competitive points score. Eg. Actuary (ANZSCO 224111), Agricultural Consultant (ANZSCO 234111)
Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)
The Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) targets occupations needed to address immediate or short-term skills shortages, particularly for the Training visa (subclass 407) and some state-nominated Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visas where the state or territory has listed the occupation. The STSOL supports temporary migration and, in some circumstances, leads to permanent residency when additional criteria such as state nomination or employer sponsorship are met.
STSOL has less emphasis on long-term permanent residency (PR) compared to the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), frequently used for roles in hospitality, services, administration, and other high-demand sectors. Eg, Accommodation and Hospitality Managers (ANZSCO 141999), Advertising Manager (ANZSCO 131111)
Regional Occupation List (ROL)
The Regional Occupation List (ROL) supports migration to designated regional areas of Australia (outside major cities, aligning with the push for balanced population growth), supporting several regional skilled visa options, including Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494).
ROL occupations are typically essential to regional and rural economies, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, aviation, healthcare, trades, and community services.
ROL encourages applicants to live and work in designated regional areas across states and territories, such as Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, regional parts of New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. It may offer additional points or concessions for regional nomination or sponsorship. Eg. Beef Cattle Farmer (ANZSCO 121312), Aeroplane Pilot (ANZSCO 231111)
State and Territory Specific Occupation Lists
Each Australian state and territory publishes its own skilled occupation list to address local shortages. For most state-nominated visas (e.g., subclass 190 and subclass 491), your occupation must appear on both a relevant national list and the specific state/territory list.
As of 2026, common priority areas across the states and territories include health, education, construction, engineering, information technology (IT), social services and the clean energy sector, though the exact occupations and criteria differ, with variations by region and are subject to frequent change.
In Queensland for example, Onshore and Offshore Skilled Occupation Lists focus on growth industries and regional development, while in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) the ACT Critical Skills List (Updated October 2025) guides nominations under ACT 190 and 491 programs, and in New South Wales and Victoria, priority lists that often emphasise healthcare, social services, and early childhood education.
Occupation Shortage List (OSL)
The Occupation Shortage List (OSL), maintained by Jobs and Skills Australia, is an analytical tool that reports current labour shortages at the six-digit ANZSCO level. While it is not directly used as a visa eligibility list, it does report changes to the migration occupation lists, helping the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) adjust skilled migration settings to better match real-world labour demand.
Occupations are assessed and categorised for each state and territory as Shortage (S) or No shortage (NS)
Using Occupation Lists to Plan Your Australian Skilled Visa
To make the most of Australia’s skilled migration program, you should identify the ANZSCO code that best matches your qualifications and work experience, check which skilled occupation list/s your occupation appears on and confirm whether a positive skills assessment is required and which assessing authority applies. Match your occupation to suitable visa subclasses and check the latest eligibility criteria on the Department of Home Affairs website, and keep track of updates, as lists, visa settings, and quotas can change with little notice.
By aligning your skills with the right occupation list and visa subclass, you can significantly improve your chances of securing an Australian skilled visa.
Get Help From A Registered Migration Agent
True Blue Migration offers a free initial visa assessment to help you understand eligibility under the latest Australian migration legislation and policy. Contact our registered, experienced migration agents for tailored advice, assistance with skills assessments, and end-to-end visa application support.
Email info@trubluemigration.com
Phone 03 9038 9070