What Are the Different Skilled Occupation Lists?

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Table of Contents

• Short Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)
• Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
• Regional Occupation List (ROL)
• No Applicable List
• Key Takeaways

The Australian skilled visa framework is based on identifying eligible and suitable Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) occupations which your qualifications align with. Once you identify a suitable ANZSCO occupation, you will be able to understand which skilled visas are available to you and the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) you fall into. It is important to understand which SOL applies to you to understand the context and implications surrounding your visa options. This article will explain the different Skilled Occupation Lists within the Australian skilled visa framework to help you make informed immigration decisions. 

Short Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)

This list is an essential component of Australia’s skilled migration system and is used to identify occupations that are:

• in demand in the short term; and
• for temporary skilled migration. 

The STSOL seeks to:

• address immediate skill shortages in certain industries or regions, and
• facilitate temporary skilled migration for specific purposes, such as work visas.

If your ANZSCO occupation sits on STSOL, you are likely to have available visa options. However, this comes with certain limitations, including: 

• a likelihood of short term visa durations; and 
• less permanent residency pathways available. 

Example 

Stacey is offshore and seeking a subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa sponsorship as a Customer Service Manager ANZSCO 149212 as her qualifications and experience align with this. As this occupation is on STSOL, Stacey will be able to be sponsored for up to 2 years on a subclass 482 visa. However, The business can choose to sponsor Stacey again for another 2 years at a later stage. There are no current employer-nominated permanent residency pathways available to her that are not regional. 

Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)

This list includes occupations that are:

• in demand in the medium to long term; and
• for both temporary and permanent skilled migration. 

It is based on patterns of skill shortages that have occurred and/ or are expected to occur over a longer period. The key purposes of the MLTSSL are to:

• address ongoing skill shortages in certain industries or regions,
• facilitate permanent skilled migration for individuals who meet the criteria for skilled independent or employer-sponsored visas, and
• support temporary skilled migration for individuals applying for certain visas like the subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) visa or subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) visa.

Additionally, if your ANZSCO occupation sits on MLTSSL, you are likely to have a higher volume and variety of visa options. The common benefits of this list are:

• a likelihood of long term visa durations; and 
• multiple permanent residency pathways available. 

Example 

Dinesh is a Registered Nurse (Aged Care) ANZSCO 254412 sponsored on a subclass 482 visa with BlueCare Pty Ltd for 4 years. BlueCare is in the process of sponsoring Dinesh on a subclass 186 TRT Visa as he has been with BlueCare for over 3 years full-time whilst on his 482 visa. 

Regional Occupation List (ROL)

This list is specifically designed to encourage skilled migration to regional areas of Australia, as these areas often have specific skill shortages and economic development needs. Regional areas are areas in Australia outside of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 

If your ANZSCO occupation sits on the ROL, you may access regional skilled visas under which you can live,  study or work in regional areas only. The common benefits of this list are that:

• skilled visas are likely to have permanent residency pathways available at a later stage; and
• you may be able to accumulate additional points for any points-tested visas. 

Example 

Linh is offshore and has been a successful actor in commercials for over 10 years. She is seeking to come to Australia and work as an actor full-time with hopes of remaining here permanently. Her profile is strongly aligned with Actor ANZSCO 211111. This sits on ROL and she currently only has regional visas available to her. She will need to decide if this is worth exploring and if she is willing to live and work regionally before approaching employers or applying for independent regional skilled visas. 

No Applicable List

Several ANZSCO occupations do not fall within any of the above SOLs. This will likely be because these are not currently suffering labour shortages and are in strong demand within Australia. If your ANZSCO occupation does not sit within STSOL, MLTSSL or ROL, you may consider:

• looking into non-skilled migration options; or 
• waiting for future changes in these listings.

Example

Dustin has spent the last 5 years doing domestic cleaning in the United States and is looking to move to Australia to continue doing so in Melbourne. At present, Dustin does not have any skilled visa options as the occupation of Domestic Cleaner ANZSCO 811311 is not on any SOL. Therefore, he may look into working holiday visas that can allow temporary work/stays in Australia instead for now. 

Key Takeaways

Australia’s migration program is fundamentally grounded in skilled migration. Therefore, it is important to understand which ANZSCO occupation applies to you when considering immigrating to Australia. Your visa options will predominantly be based on which Skilled Occupation List (SOL) that your ANZSCO occupation sits within. It is helpful to understand the different lists when you are speaking to a migration professional about your visa options. 

If you need assistance with your immigration options, our experienced immigration lawyers can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents. Call us today on 1300 544 755 or visit our membership page.