Australia’s labour market has changed significantly since the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) was first introduced in 2006. New technologies, changing industry practices and emerging occupations have created roles that were difficult to describe accurately under the older framework.
To address this, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) 2024, Version 1.0 on 6 December 2024. OSCA replaced ANZSCO as the standard occupation classification for use in Australia.
OSCA is designed to provide a more accurate picture of the contemporary Australian workforce. It is used to organise and report occupation-related information and can support labour-market analysis, workforce planning, education and training policy, and the development of skilled migration and workforce strategies.
However, skilled workers should understand an important distinction: OSCA replacing ANZSCO as Australia’s statistical occupation classification does not mean ANZSCO has disappeared from every government program.
What changed under OSCA?
OSCA was developed following a comprehensive review of ANZSCO by the ABS. The new classification contains substantial changes intended to better reflect the jobs Australians perform today.
According to the ABS, more than 300 new occupations were added while almost 250 occupations were retired. OSCA also introduced a revised hierarchical structure, greater occupational detail and main-task descriptions for all occupations.
This can make it easier to distinguish between jobs that were previously grouped together under broader ANZSCO categories.
For example, Jobs and Skills Australia has highlighted emerging and more clearly defined occupations such as Data Scientist, Cyber Security Analyst, Rideshare Driver and Content Creator (Social Media). It has also noted that some occupations previously grouped together under ANZSCO have been separated into more specific categories.
For workers, this means an OSCA occupation may describe their actual duties more accurately than the occupation title or code they previously used under ANZSCO.
Does OSCA now apply to skilled visas?
Not automatically.
As at November 2026, the Department of Home Affairs still uses ANZSCO classifications for current skilled visa occupation lists.
Home Affairs states that ANZSCO 2022 is used for the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) and the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), including occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List.
For other skilled visa subclasses covered by the combined skilled occupation list, Home Affairs continues to use ANZSCO 2013.
This means a worker should not assume that an OSCA code can simply replace the ANZSCO code required for a visa application, nomination or skills assessment.
Where migration is involved, applicants should check the specific occupation list, legislative instrument and assessing authority requirements that apply to the relevant visa subclass at the time of application.
Why can the two classifications create confusion?
An occupation may have a different title, grouping or level of detail under OSCA compared with ANZSCO.
Some roles have been split into more specialised occupations, while others have been reorganised or renamed. As a result, a worker may find that the OSCA occupation that best reflects their current duties does not have a one-to-one equivalent in the ANZSCO version still used for a particular migration program.
The ABS provides correspondence tables to help users compare OSCA and ANZSCO classifications. These can be useful for understanding how an occupation has changed, but they should not be treated as migration eligibility rules.
For visa purposes, the occupation code required by Home Affairs and the relevant skills assessing authority remains the key reference.
**What does OSCA mean for labour-market information?**
OSCA is already becoming increasingly important for Australian workforce information.
Jobs and Skills Australia has begun transitioning its occupation profiles to OSCA. In August 2026, it launched new OSCA-based occupation profiles to provide more contemporary information about Australia’s workforce.
The 2026 Occupation Shortage List is also available using OSCA 2024 classifications, allowing users to view shortage information under the updated occupation framework.
Jobs and Skills Australia has stated that ANZSCO-based occupation profile data will no longer be updated, although historical ANZSCO information remains available.
For skilled workers researching Australian employment opportunities, this means OSCA is becoming the more useful framework for understanding current occupation descriptions, labour-market trends, workforce shortages and the way roles are evolving.
What does OSCA mean for RPL candidates?
Recognition of Prior Learning is separate from occupation classification.
RPL is an assessment process conducted by a Registered Training Organisation against the requirements of a nationally recognised training product, such as a qualification or units of competency.
An OSCA occupation code does not determine whether a person qualifies for RPL.
For example, a worker may identify an OSCA occupation that closely matches their job title and duties, but an RTO must still assess whether their skills, knowledge and evidence meet the requirements of the relevant qualification.
Evidence may include employment references, position descriptions, payslips, contracts, work samples, portfolios, photographs, videos, licences, training records or other documents, depending on the qualification and assessment requirements.
The assessor must make the final competency decision. Years of experience or an occupation title alone do not guarantee an RPL outcome.
How can OSCA still help someone considering RPL?
Although OSCA does not determine RPL eligibility, it can help a worker describe their occupation and responsibilities more accurately.
A detailed OSCA occupation profile may help someone identify the type of work they perform, the main tasks associated with the role and how their occupation has evolved.
This can be useful when comparing a person’s workplace experience with possible VET qualifications.
However, the final qualification choice should be based on the actual units of competency, qualification packaging rules and the candidate’s evidence, not simply on an OSCA title.
A similar principle applies to migration. Matching an occupation description is only one part of the process. Skills assessments, visa rules, qualifications, work experience, salary requirements, licensing and other criteria may also apply.
What should skilled workers do now?
Workers navigating RPL, employment or migration should use the classification that is relevant to the decision they are trying to make.
For labour-market research and current Australian occupation information, OSCA is now the main national classification and is increasingly used by the ABS and Jobs and Skills Australia.
For skilled migration, check the current Department of Home Affairs occupation list and the ANZSCO version specified for the relevant visa subclass.
For a migration skills assessment, check the requirements of the nominated assessing authority.
For RPL, identify the nationally recognised qualification that best aligns with your actual skills and experience, then confirm the evidence and assessment requirements with the responsible RTO.
For licensed or regulated occupations, also check the requirements of the relevant state or territory licensing authority. A qualification, RPL outcome, occupation classification or migration skills assessment does not automatically grant an occupational licence.
OSCA will continue to evolve
OSCA is not intended to remain static.
The ABS is already preparing OSCA 2027, with the next official update scheduled for March 2027. The ABS has indicated that this update will focus on the six-digit occupation level and may include new and emerging occupations, retired occupations, changes to skill levels, and updates to occupation titles, tasks, specialisations and licensing or registration information.
This ongoing maintenance is intended to keep Australia’s occupation classification more closely aligned with changes in the labour market.
Skilled workers should therefore avoid relying indefinitely on an occupation code or description saved from an older source. Always check the current classification and, more importantly, the rules of the specific program or authority you are dealing with.
Conclusion
OSCA is a major update to the way Australia classifies and understands occupations. It provides a more contemporary framework for labour-market data, workforce planning and occupation research, with hundreds of occupations added, retired or restructured to better reflect modern work.
For skilled workers, however, OSCA should not be confused with an automatic change to visa, skills assessment, licensing or RPL requirements. As at November 2026, Home Affairs continues to use specified ANZSCO versions for skilled migration occupation lists, while RPL remains an evidence-based assessment against the requirements of the relevant training product.
Before making decisions based on an occupation code, check which classification and rules apply to your specific purpose and confirm your individual eligibility.
Do you have substantial work experience and want to know whether your existing skills may align with an Australian qualification through RPL? Contact Right Pathway for a free RPL eligibility assessment. We can review your experience and supporting evidence to help identify whether RPL may be suitable. Eligibility and final outcomes depend on the relevant qualification requirements and assessment by the responsible RTO.