Australia's Skilled Occupation Lists, explained simply — all 504 jobs, one page.
Australia only accepts skilled visa applicants whose job is on an approved list. There are three lists, and together they make up the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). This page explains what each list means in plain language, and lets you search all 504 occupations to see exactly which visa they open up.
What is the Skilled Occupation List, in one paragraph?
The Skilled Occupation List (SOL) is the full set of jobs Australia accepts for skilled migration. It is not one list — it is three lists put together: the MLTSSL, the STSOL and the ROL. Each list unlocks different visas. If your job is on the MLTSSL, you have the most options. If it's only on the ROL, your only path is a regional visa. Knowing which list your job sits on is the first real step in any skilled visa plan.
How the 504 occupations break down
A simple, visual snapshot before you dive into the full table below.
Occupations per list
Share of the SOL
Top assessing authorities across all lists
The body that checks your qualifications and experience before you can use an occupation. Calculated live from the table data below.
SOL, MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL — what each one actually means
No jargon. Each list has one job: telling the Department which occupations count for which visa.
Skilled Occupation List
The umbrella term for all 504 occupations Australia accepts for skilled migration. It's not a separate legal list — it's simply the MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL added together.
Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List
212 occupations judged to be in demand for years to come. These open the most doors — Subclass 189, 190 and 491 are all available.
Short-term Skilled Occupation List
215 occupations in shorter-term demand. Usable for Subclass 190 and 491 — but not the independent Subclass 189.
Regional Occupation List
77 occupations only available through regional state nomination or eligible family sponsorship, for the Subclass 491 visa.
Occupation list vs. visa subclass
This is the table that actually matters: which list unlocks which visa.
| Occupation List | Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) | Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) | Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLTSSL | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| STSOL | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| ROL | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✓ Yes (nomination or family sponsorship only) |
MLTSSL and STSOL occupations may also be relevant to other visas, such as the Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) and Subclass 407 (Training) visas, depending on the specific criteria in force at the time. This table focuses on the three main skilled migration pathways.
Occupation explorer
Pick a list, then search by job title or ANZSCO code. Click any column heading to sort.
| Occupation ↕ | ANZSCO Code ↕ | Assessing Authority ↕ | List ↕ |
|---|
Occupation names, ANZSCO codes and assessing authorities are transcribed directly from Legislative Instrument LIN 19/051 (Compilation No. 1, F2019C00855). Always verify current inclusion on the Federal Register of Legislation before relying on this for a visa application.
Which laws actually create these lists?
In plain terms
These lists aren't just administrative guidance — they're written into Australian law, which is why they're strict and why they change through a formal process, not on a whim.
- Migration Act 1958 (Cth) — the parent Act that gives the Australian Government power to set visa rules.
- Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth) — sets out the detailed criteria for each visa subclass, including skilled visas, and points to the occupation lists (see regulation 1.03, subregulation 1.15I(1), and subregulation 2.26B(1)).
- Migration (LIN 19/051: Specification of Occupations and Assessing Authorities) Instrument 2019 — the instrument that actually lists every occupation, its ANZSCO code, and which body assesses it. The occupation data on this page is drawn directly from this instrument.
Exact version referenced: Compilation No. 1 of LIN 19/051, compilation date 16 November 2019, registered on the Federal Register of Legislation 22 November 2019 as F2019C00855, incorporating amendments up to F2019L01402. This compilation includes section 10A, which separately specifies TRA as the assessing authority for child care centre manager, and the Australian and New Zealand Podiatry Accreditation Council for podiatrist, for skills assessments made before 16 November 2019.
What section 7 of the instrument actually says about eligibility: the applicable list depends on the visa and nomination pathway, not just the visa subclass alone:
- Invited for Subclass 189, or invited for Subclass 491 without a state/territory nomination → MLTSSL applies.
- Applying for Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) → MLTSSL applies.
- Nominated by a state/territory and invited for Subclass 190 → both MLTSSL and STSOL apply.
- Nominated by a state/territory and invited for Subclass 491 → MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL all apply.
- These same lists extend to the spouse or de facto partner of a person in any of the classes above.
This instrument is reviewed and amended by the Department of Home Affairs from time to time to reflect Australia's changing labour market — this page reflects one specific compilation, and later amendments may have added, removed, or moved occupations since. Always check the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au) for the current, in-force version before relying on this page for a visa decision.
Assessing authority abbreviations
Every abbreviation used in the "Assessing Authority" column of the explorer above, exactly as defined in section 11 of the instrument.
Skilled Occupation List FAQs
It's the full set of occupations Australia accepts for skilled migration — 504 in total, made up of the MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL added together.
MLTSSL opens the most visas (189, 190, 491). STSOL opens fewer (190, 491 only). ROL only works through regional nomination or family sponsorship, for the 491 visa.
The Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth). The actual occupations and their assessing authorities are specified in Legislative Instrument LIN 19/051.
Yes. The Department of Home Affairs reviews and amends them periodically to match labour market needs. An occupation can move between lists, or be added or removed, so always check the current version before relying on it.
You may still have options through employer sponsorship, a different but related occupation code, or a state-specific supplementary list. Message us on WhatsApp and we'll check the full picture for you.
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