Written by Gaurav Duggal · Registered Migration Agent · MARN 1805710 · Last updated October 2026
Before an employer can sponsor a skilled worker, one question comes first: is the role on the right occupation list? The Core Skills Occupation List, known as the CSOL, decides whether many roles can be sponsored under the Skills in Demand visa and the Employer Nomination Scheme. This guide explains how the lists work, how to check your own occupation and the traps that catch employers out. It is general information current as at October 2026, based on the Department of Home Affairs website. It does not guarantee any outcome, and complex cases need personal advice from a registered migration agent.
What is the Core Skills Occupation List?
Home Affairs publishes one combined list of eligible skilled occupations. For each occupation it shows the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) code, which describes the skill level and the qualifications or experience needed, any caveats that exclude the use of the occupation in certain circumstances, which list the occupation is on, and the assessing authority for skills assessments.
The lists that appear in the combined list are the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and the Regional Occupation List (ROL). At the time of writing, the searchable tool on the Home Affairs website returned 691 items for an unfiltered search.
Which visas use the occupation lists?
Home Affairs says individuals with qualifications to work or train in an eligible skilled occupation may apply for the following visas if they meet all other requirements:
- Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
- Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187), Temporary Residence Transition stream
- Skilled Independent (subclass 189), points-tested stream
- Skilled Nominated (subclass 190)
- Training visa (subclass 407)
- Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), Core Skills stream
- Temporary Graduate (subclass 485)
- Skilled Regional (subclass 489 and 491)
- Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494)
For employers, the most relevant are the 482 Core Skills stream, the 186 Direct Entry stream and the 494 regional visa. Our guides to the 482 visa and 494 visa employer requirements show how each stream works.
Why does the ANZSCO version matter?
Home Affairs uses two versions of ANZSCO. It uses the 2022 version for the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) and Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visas, including the occupations on the CSOL. It uses the 2013 version for all other skilled visa subclasses, including the occupations on the MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL.
This matters because a worker who previously held another skilled visa may find their occupation has been reclassified or split into several specialisations in the newer version. Home Affairs says in that case you must select the occupation code that aligns with the tasks and responsibilities of the position. Picking a code because it appears on the list, rather than because it matches the job, is a common cause of problems at the nomination stage.
How do you check whether a role is on the list?
- Identify the actual duties of the position and the ANZSCO 2022 occupation that best matches them.
- Search the combined list on the Home Affairs website for that occupation or code.
- Check which visas the listing applies to. Some occupations are listed for several visas, while others appear only for a regional visa.
- Check the list column to see whether it is on the CSOL, MLTSSL, STSOL or ROL.
- Read any caveats, which Home Affairs says apply to the 186 Direct Entry stream and Skills in Demand visas.
- Check the assessing authority and whether a skills assessment is required.
As examples from the live list, Accountant (General) is shown for the 482 Core Skills stream and the 186 Direct Entry pathway among other visas, while Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker is shown only for the 494 employer sponsored stream under the ROL. The same occupation can therefore be available for one visa and not another. Always confirm the current entry yourself, because lists change.
What about the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream?
Home Affairs states that the Temporary Residence Transition streams in the subclass 186 and 187 programs do not have an occupation list. Eligibility is based on the occupation from the worker’s most recently held temporary skilled visa. Our comparison of the 186 Temporary Residence Transition and Direct Entry streams explains the difference.
What if an occupation is removed from the list?
Home Affairs states that pending nomination and visa applications will not be adversely impacted by a later removal of an occupation. If you already hold a skilled visa, you will not be affected by removed occupations unless your circumstances change and your employer needs to make a new nomination. You may be affected if you change your occupation or employer and your occupation is no longer on the combined list. That is worth remembering when a sponsored worker is considering a move.
What should employers do next?
Check the occupation before you advertise, because labour market testing, salary and nomination all depend on it. Our guides on labour market testing and the minimum salary to sponsor a 482 worker cover the next steps. Estimate costs with the sponsor cost calculator, download the Employer Sponsorship Readiness Checklist, and start with our complete guide to sponsoring an employee.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Core Skills Occupation List?
The CSOL is one of the lists on Home Affairs’ combined skilled occupation list. Home Affairs states that the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) Core Skills stream and the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Direct Entry stream use occupations on the CSOL.
Which version of ANZSCO is used for the 482 and 186 visas?
Home Affairs states that it uses the 2022 version of ANZSCO for the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) and Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visas, including the occupations on the CSOL, and the 2013 version for all other skilled visa subclasses.
Does the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream have an occupation list?
No. Home Affairs states that the Temporary Residence Transition streams in the subclass 186 and 187 programs do not have an occupation list. Occupation eligibility is based on the occupation from your most recently held temporary skilled visa.
What is the Regional Occupation List?
The Regional Occupation List (ROL) is one of the lists on the combined skilled occupation list. Some occupations appear only for the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) visa, so check which visa each listing applies to.
What happens if my occupation is later removed from the list?
Home Affairs states that pending nomination and visa applications will not be adversely impacted by the later removal of an occupation. If you already hold a skilled visa you are not affected unless your circumstances change and your employer needs to make a new nomination, for example if you change your occupation or employer and the occupation is no longer on the combined list.
Where is the official list?
Home Affairs publishes a searchable combined list of eligible skilled occupations on its website, and states that the current list of eligible occupations for each visa program is set out in its legislative instrument.
This article is general information only and is not migration advice. Complex cases need personal advice from a registered migration agent.
Not sure whether your role can be sponsored?
Book a consultation with Immigrad and we will check your occupation against the current lists.