RPL and OSCA: How to Match Your Work Experience to Australia’s Updated Occupation Framework

Australia’s Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) is the country’s current occupation classification. It provides a common framework for describing and organising occupations. It updates the former ANZSCO structure with revised occupation titles, groupings, descriptions and tasks. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provides [OSCA 2024 information and resources](https://www.abs.gov.au/about/key-priorities/about-osca/osca-2024).

For workers considering Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), OSCA can be a useful way to describe the kind of work they do. It can help you compare your role with occupation descriptions and identify relevant tasks, skills or licensing information. Jobs and Skills Australia has begun publishing [occupation profiles based on OSCA](https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/occupation-and-industry-profiles), initially using 2021 Census data, with further labour market information to be added over time.

However, OSCA and RPL serve different purposes. OSCA classifies occupations. An RPL assessment considers whether your skills and knowledge meet the requirements of a particular nationally recognised training product, such as a qualification or unit of competency. Matching an OSCA description does not automatically show that you meet those training requirements or guarantee an RPL outcome. The responsible registered training organisation (RTO) makes the assessment decision based on the evidence and assessment requirements.

Start with the duties you perform, rather than relying only on your job title. Titles can vary between employers, and people with the same title may do quite different work. Compare the tasks, responsibilities and skill level in the OSCA occupation profile with your day-to-day work. Consider what services or products you handle, the tools or systems you use, the decisions you make, the level of supervision you receive and the outcomes you are responsible for.

If your role includes duties from more than one occupation, note that clearly. OSCA and ANZSCO correspondence tables can help you understand how classifications relate, but the ABS cautions that classification changes and mappings should be read in context. A previous ANZSCO occupation may correspond to more than one OSCA occupation, or only partly align. Treat a mapping as a research starting point, then check the full occupation description and tasks.

For an RPL enquiry, identify the qualification you are considering and compare your experience with its current units of competency and assessment requirements. Use the National Training Register at [training.gov.au](https://training.gov.au/) to confirm the relevant training product details. An occupation profile may help explain your work, but the qualification’s requirements determine what an assessor needs to verify.

Gather evidence that supports the specific tasks and responsibilities you describe. Depending on the qualification and your circumstances, this could include a detailed résumé, position descriptions, employer references, training records, work samples, job records or other authentic workplace documents. Ask permission before sharing confidential workplace information and remove client or business details that are not needed. The RTO may request further evidence, ask questions or require a practical demonstration where relevant.

An occupation classification is not a visa decision or a skills assessment. Skilled visa eligibility depends on the visa pathway and current requirements, including the relevant occupation rules and assessing authority. As at November 2026, the Department of Home Affairs’ [skilled occupation list](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skill-occupation-list) continues to display occupations against ANZSCO versions for relevant visa pathways. Check the current Home Affairs information and applicable legislative instrument before relying on an occupation code. A qualification obtained through RPL does not, by itself, establish visa eligibility or replace an assessment by the designated migration skills assessing authority.

There is also a separate change for vocational education and training reporting: the National Training Register says OSCA will replace ANZSCO in AVETMISS 8.1 from 1 January 2027. This reporting change does not mean that every RPL assessment or visa pathway uses OSCA in the same way or on the same timetable.

OSCA can help you describe your occupation and compare your actual duties with Australia’s updated classification. For RPL, the key question remains whether you can demonstrate the competencies required by the specific qualification. Check the occupation information, training product and any separate licensing or migration rules that apply to your circumstances, and remember that the RTO determines the assessment outcome.