Australia Skilled Occupation List 2025-2026: MLTSSL, STSOL & PR Visa Guide

The Australia Skilled Occupation List is a representation of occupations available in the Australian labour market. Over the past few years, Australia has been inviting skilled workers to suffice the shortage of labourers. With these invitations, Australia presents immigrants the privilege of obtaining Australia PR Visa and later citizenship.

The Skill Occupation List (SOL) provides a list of occupations available across states and regions of Australia. It entails the occupation in demand available through some migration visas, such as:

1. Medium & Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)

2. Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)

3. Regional Occupation List (RQL).

With the application of these skilled work visas, the Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA) issues a list of shortage occupations status in the Australian labour market, paving the way to permanent residency in Australia.

Medium & Long Term-Strategic Skills List (MTLSSL)

Medium and long-term strategic skills list, enlist all the occupations that are high in demand in the Australian labour market and will bear fruitful results. When the occupation is listed on MTLSSL, then the applicant is eligible under the work class visas such as Subclass 189, Subclass 190 and  Subclass 491- Skilled Worker Regional (Provision) visa.

This MTLSSL list includes 212 occupations. This list of occupations includes such as engineers and analyst programmers.

Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)

Short Term Skilled Occupation List is a list of occupations that have some kind of certain skill set and are eligible to suffice Australian labour needs. When the occupation is listed on the STSOL list, it makes the applicant eligible for the skilled migration visas: Subclass 190 and 491—Skilled Worker Regional (Provision) visa.

The STSOL list includes 215 occupations, which include hotel managers, photographers, and print journalists.

Regional Occupation List (RQL)

The Regional Occupation List is a list of occupations available in the regional areas of Australia that have been in demand in those regional areas. RQL specifically operates on the 491 Skilled Worker Regional (Provision) visa. It helps in reducing the shortage of labour, specifically in the regional areas.

The RQL list includes 77 occupations, which include chefs, secondary school teachers, and accountants.

Each occupation on the Skill Occupation List is directly linked with the ANZSCO code and skill assessment authority.

The ANZSCO code is a 6-digit unique number assigned to each occupation mentioned in the Skilled Occupation List to classify occupations available in the Australian employment sector. Some of the most in-demand occupations as identified as

●    Registered Nurse: 254412

●    Software Engineer: 261313

●    Civil Engineer: 233211

●    Electrician: 341111

●    Primary School Teacher: 241213

●    Accountant: 221111

For the Skilled Visa Category, the Skilled Occupation List uses the ANZSCO 2013 version for skilled visas—Subclass 189, Subclass 190, and 491—Skilled Worker Regional (Provision) visa. However, the ANZSCO 2022 version is being used for occupations mentioned on the Core Skill Occupation List (CSOL). This list includes visa programs under certain subclasses:

1.  Employer Nomination Scheme Visa Subclass 186

2.  Skills in Demand Visa Subclass 482

Equipped with an ANZSCO code, the Skill Occupation List also moves through the skill assessment done by the Skillset’s online system. Skill assessment authority is a process where the Australian Immigration determines if an applicant’s qualifications and work experience meet the standards required for their nominated occupation. Various categories of occupations included in this list are as follows:

The Skill Occupation List is a detailed outline of occupations that are presently in demand in the Australian employment sector, thus accomplishing the present labour needs.

Why Australia Skilled Occupation List Matters

The Australia Skilled Occupation List (SOL) plays a crucial role in determining whether an applicant qualifies for Australia’s skilled migration programs or not. It ensures smooth migration of applicants and its importance can be calculated on certain terms which are as follows: 

• Determines Visa Eligibility

The most important factor that makes Australia SOL List a crucial aspect is that it determines eligibility for skilled migration visa. 

Every occupation in the list is entitled to a specific visa, for example if an applicant’s occupation appears on the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), he can apply for independent and state-nominated visas such as Subclass 189, 190, or 491. On the other hand, if an applicant’s occupation is only on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), he will be eligible for state or regional sponsorship only such as Subclass 190 or 491. Therefore, it is crucial for visa pathways applicable to occupations on the Australia Skilled Occupation List.  

• Guides Skills Assessment 

Each occupation on the Skilled Occupation List has an associated skill assessing authority responsible for verifying educational qualifications and experience of the applicant. For instance, a civil engineer will have to submit all the documents to Engineers Australia (EA) while a marketing specialist will have to submit documents to VETASSESS for skill assessment. Therefore, choosing the correct assessment body is vital for a successful PR application.

How to Check Occupation for the Australia Skilled Occupation List 

If you are also a skilled professional who desires to immigrate to Australia but worried whether your occupation is eligible for an Australian skilled visa or not, then you can check by following these steps:

1. Check the Occupations on the List

The initial step in this direction is to check the selected occupation, which closely matches the educational qualifications of the applicant. 

2. Find Your ANZSCO Code and Job Description

 Each occupation on the list is defined by an ANZSCO code (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations). This code outlines the key tasks, skill levels, and qualifications required for the role. One must ensure the selected job title and work experience align with the ANZSCO description to qualify.

3. Check Skills Assessment Authority and Visa Options

The next step is to check the skill assessment authority aligned with the occupation as the list also mentions which assessment authority is designated for the selected occupation (for example, ACS for IT professionals or CPA for accounting professionals). Additionally, you can check which visa subclasses your occupation applies to Subclass 189, 190, or 491 before starting your application.

4. Stay Updated Regularly

The Skilled Occupation List is reviewed and updated periodically by the Australian government based on labor market demand. Therefore, checking for the latest updates ensures any new occupations are added or some of them are removed according to the latest market trend. 

The following tabular information explains the Australia skilled occupation list 2025.