VJ Consulting and Education has guided skilled migrants through Australia's evolving occupation lists, and this article draws on that experience to help you understand your options for 2026.
What is the skilled occupation list in Australia 2026?
Australia does not maintain a single 'skilled occupation list' — it operates three tiered lists, each controlling access to different visa subclasses, and applicants frequently confuse them at significant cost to their planning.
The Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) is the top tier. Occupations here can access the widest range of skilled visa subclasses, including the 189 independent visa, the 190 state-nominated visa, the 491 regional visa, the 186 employer nomination visa, and the 482 temporary skills visa. The MLTSSL is updated periodically by the Department of Home Affairs in response to labour market advice from Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA).
The Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) applies primarily to the 482 visa for short-term stream workers and to some 190 state nomination programs, but it does not support the 189 visa. Applicants on the STSOL have a narrower PR corridor.
The Regional Occupation List (ROL) supports the 491 and 494 regional visas specifically. It exists to direct skilled workers into regional Australia where national shortage data may not justify MLTSSL inclusion, but local demand is genuine.
As of 2026, the Department of Home Affairs has also expanded the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) under the Skills in Demand visa framework, which is replacing the legacy STSOL for 482 purposes. Applicants should verify their ANZSCO code against the current published list before lodging an Expression of Interest, as list updates can occur mid-program-year without headline announcements.
What jobs qualify for a skilled worker visa?
The answer depends on which visa you are targeting, because the occupation lists and eligibility thresholds differ across subclasses. In VJCE's experience handling skilled visa applications, one of the most common early mistakes applicants make is researching occupations without first identifying which visa subclass — and therefore which list — actually applies to their situation.
For the 189 independent visa, only MLTSSL occupations qualify — and holding an MLTSSL occupation is necessary but not sufficient. An applicant also needs a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority, a points score sufficient to receive an invitation (which has climbed sharply in competitive occupation pools), and must submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. The EOI cutoff for competitive occupations has in some rounds exceeded 85–90 pointsAs of June 2025 · homeaffairs.gov.au, which effectively filters out the majority of applicants relying on base qualifications alone.
For the 190 state-nominated visa, both MLTSSL and STSOL occupations can qualify, but each state maintains its own occupation schedule and nomination requirements. An occupation appearing on the national STSOL does not guarantee any state will nominate it in a given program year.
For the 491 regional visa, the eligible occupation list combines MLTSSL and ROL occupations. Regional pathways are strategically important for applicants with solid skills assessments but whose points totals fall below 189 thresholds — the 491 awards 15-pointAs of current · homeaffairs.gov.au for regional nomination, which meaningfully reshuffles the competitiveness calculation.
For employer-sponsored pathways (482, 186, 494), the employer's identified need and occupation list placement interact. The 186 Direct Entry stream requires an MLTSSL occupation; the Temporary Residence Transition stream requires the applicant to have held a 482 visa and worked for the nominating employer for the required period.
Before committing to a visa strategy, applicants should verify their occupation's ANZSCO code and current list placement at homeaffairs.gov.au, since list amendments are not always widely reported.
Which jobs get PR easily in Australia?
No occupation 'easily' achieves PR — but some offer structurally faster pathways because they sit on the MLTSSL, attract points-boost factors, and face lower invitation competition in SkillSelect rounds.
The occupations that historically clear the 189 and 190 pathways with the fewest structural obstacles share three characteristics: MLTSSL placement, a skills assessing authority that processes assessments within manageable timeframes, and occupation pools in SkillSelect that have not become severely oversubscribed. Using that framework, occupations with consistent 189 invitation activity in recent years include registered nurses, software engineers, ICT professionals in systems architecture and database administration, structural engineers, and certain accountants — though accountants have faced rising cutoffs due to pool saturation.
For applicants whose points totals sit in the 65-79 pointAs of current · homeaffairs.gov.au range, the 491 regional pathway followed by the 191 permanent regional visa is often the more realistic route to PR than waiting for a 189 invitation. The 491 requires two years of regional residence and work before the 191 can be lodged.
Critically, 'easiest' PR path is not the same as 'fastest to qualification' — a nurse who completes skills assessment quickly and accumulates points rapidly may achieve PR via 190 faster than an engineer in a saturated SkillSelect pool with equivalent qualifications. The calculation is occupation pool dynamics × points accumulation speed × state nomination availability, not occupation prestige alone.
Is chef out of PR list in Australia?
The short answer is: Chef (ANZSCO 351311) remains on Australian occupation lists, but the PR pathway has narrowed significantly and the route depends heavily on visa subclass and state. VJ Consulting advisers have worked with a number of hospitality professionals on this question, and the consistent finding is that while Chef remains listed, the pathway requires careful attention to skills assessment outcomes and state nomination criteria, which can vary considerably.
Chef was removed from the MLTSSL in previous review cycles, which means the 189 independent visa is not available to chefs. However, Chef has retained a presence on state-based occupation schedules and, for some states, on the 190 and 491 nomination lists. This means PR remains achievable — but it requires either a state nomination or a regional pathway, not the independent points-tested route.
In practice, the most common chef pathway to PR in 2026 runs through the 482 employer-sponsored visa held for a qualifying period, followed by an employer-nominated 186 application — but only if the employer nominates under the Temporary Residence Transition stream, which does not require an MLTSSL occupation. The direct entry stream of the 186 does require MLTSSL, which chef does not satisfy.
For chefs considering the 491 regional visa, the occupation appears on some state and territory nomination schedules targeting regional hospitality shortages, particularly in Queensland, South Australia, and regional New South Wales. Applicants should check current state invitation schedules directly, as nomination availability is quota-driven and shifts between program years. The key practical insight is that a chef with solid employer relationships is better positioned for PR via the employer-sponsored route than through the points-tested system in 2026.
Is early childhood educator on PR list?
Yes — Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher (ANZSCO 241111) is on the MLTSSL, which is the strongest possible list position for skilled migration purposes.
This placement means early childhood teachers can access the 189, 190, and 491 visa subclasses through the points-tested pathway, as well as employer-sponsored routes via the 482 and 186 visas. The MLTSSL inclusion reflects Australia's sustained shortage of qualified early childhood educators, driven by the expansion of early education funding commitments and workforce attrition.
However, applicants should distinguish between the ANZSCO unit groups carefully. 'Early Childhood Educator' as a general descriptor can refer to either the teacher role (241111, degree-qualified) or the child care worker role (421111), which sits on a different list and has different visa access. The skills assessment authority for early childhood teachers is ACECQA, and assessment outcomes depend on qualification equivalence — an overseas early childhood qualification does not automatically map to Australian standards.
For applicants with a Diploma of Early Childhood Education (but not a full teaching degree), the occupational classification shifts to Early Childhood Educator under a different ANZSCO code, and list placement and visa access differ accordingly. The distinction matters enormously for pathway planning: a degree-qualified early childhood teacher has a direct 189 pathway if their points score is competitive; a diploma-qualified educator may need to rely on state nomination or regional pathways instead.
Is plumbing in PR list in Australia?
Yes — Plumber (ANZSCO 334111) is on the MLTSSL, giving it access to the full range of skilled visa pathways including the 189 independent visa.
This is an important point that many applicants overlook: trades occupations on the MLTSSL are not second-tier options — they sit at the same level as engineering and IT roles for migration purposes. Plumber's continued MLTSSL inclusion reflects persistent skilled trades shortages across both metropolitan and regional Australia, driven by infrastructure investment and housing construction demand.
The skills assessment pathway for plumbers runs through TradeMutha (formerly Trades Recognition Australia) and requires both qualification assessment and, typically, a practical trade test. For overseas-trained plumbers, this process is rigorous — assessment outcomes can take several months and may require Australian work experience to satisfy competency benchmarks.
On the points side, plumbers who hold an ANZSCO-aligned qualification, have a positive skills assessment, and have accrued five or more years of skilled work experience can achieve competitive points totals. The 189 visa is a realistic target, though current invitation activity varies. State nomination via the 190 visa is often faster in practice, as several states actively nominate tradespeople — particularly Western Australia, South Australia, and Victoria — in response to construction pipeline demand. Plumbers considering regional Australia should also note that the 491 visa pathway offers the 15-pointAs of current · homeaffairs.gov.au supplement, which can make an otherwise marginal points score competitive.
Is Civil Engineer still in demand in Australia?
Yes — Civil Engineer (ANZSCO 233211) remains on the MLTSSL and in genuine demand, though 'in demand' must be interpreted carefully because it does not mean automatic or fast invitation. From the cases VJCE has processed, Civil Engineering applicants tend to have a structurally strong starting position, though individual outcomes depend heavily on skills assessment results, English scores, and the specific stream they are targeting.
Australia's sustained infrastructure spending — driven by federal and state commitments to road, rail, water, and energy projects — has maintained structural demand for civil engineers well beyond what domestic graduate output can satisfy. Jobs and Skills Australia's skills priority list has consistently flagged civil engineering as an area of national shortage, which supports ongoing MLTSSL placement.
However, civil engineering also attracts a high volume of skilled migration applicants globally, which means the SkillSelect pool for ANZSCO 233211 can become congested. In competitive rounds, applicants with lower points scores — particularly those relying on base qualifications without Australian study, professional year, or significant work experience multipliers — may wait considerably longer for a 189 invitation than the headline demand data suggests.
Engineers Australia is the assessing authority for civil engineers. Assessment turnaround times vary, and the competency demonstration report (CDR) pathway requires substantial documentation of engineering work. Applicants with overseas civil engineering qualifications who have not yet been assessed should factor 8-12 weeksAs of current · engineersaustralia.org.au into their planning timeline as a baseline. In practice, applicants aiming for a 189 invitation in a congested occupation pool often benefit from accumulating additional points via professional year, credentialled community language, or NAATI CCL before submitting their EOI.
Is civil engineering good for PR in Australia?
It is a strong pathway — but 'good' depends on the applicant's points profile and willingness to consider regional or state-nominated routes rather than the 189 alone.
Applying a structured evaluation: civil engineering scores well on eligibility breadth (MLTSSL placement means all major visa subclasses are accessible), moderately on processing speed (SkillSelect pool congestion affects 189 invitation timing), and well on pathway risk (genuine national shortage means list removal is unlikely in the near term). Against that framework, civil engineering is a solid foundation for a PR strategy — but the strategy must be calibrated to the applicant's specific points total.
For applicants who can reach 85–90 pointsAs of June 2025 · homeaffairs.gov.au or above, the 189 independent pathway is viable. For applicants in the 65-79 pointAs of current · homeaffairs.gov.au range, the 190 or 491 pathways are more realistic and in many cases faster to a permanent outcome. Western Australia, Queensland, and South Australia have all actively nominated civil engineers through their state migration programs in response to infrastructure project pipelines.
A practical insight worth noting: civil engineers who have completed their Australian degree or a Professional Year program through Engineers Australia receive an additional 5 bonus pointsAs of current · homeaffairs.gov.au for Australian study, which can meaningfully shift invitation probability. For applicants with overseas qualifications only, accumulating the NAATI CCL credential or additional work experience years before submitting an EOI is often more valuable than submitting early with a borderline score and waiting in a congested pool.
Next Step
Occupation list placement is the starting point of a migration strategy, not the conclusion. An applicant whose occupation appears on the MLTSSL still needs to work through skills assessment timing, points accumulation, state nomination cycles, and visa subclass selection before lodging anything. For applicants whose occupation sits at a list boundary — or who are unsure which ANZSCO code correctly describes their role — these distinctions carry real consequences. VJ Consulting's registered migration agents can assess your occupation classification, map your points profile against current SkillSelect data, and help you identify which pathway is genuinely fastest to a permanent outcome for your specific situation. Consider booking a consultation before committing to an EOI strategy.
This article is intended as general guidance only and does not constitute legal or migration advice. Visa requirements, fees, and processing times change regularly — always verify details on the relevant authority's official website before making decisions. For advice specific to your circumstances, consider consulting a MARA-registered migration agent.
References
- Department of Home Affairs — Skilled occupation lists and visa subclass eligibility: homeaffairs.gov.au
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Skills Priority List and labour market analysis: jobsandskills.gov.au
- Engineers Australia — Skills assessment for engineers migrating to Australia: engineersaustralia.org.au
- ACECQA — Skills assessment for early childhood teachers: acecqa.gov.au
- TradeMutha (Trades Recognition Australia) — Skills assessment for trade occupations: trademuthaaustralia.com.au
Related reading
For the full picture of how occupation eligibility fits your migration plan, explore the Can My Occupation Work? stage; if you're still weighing your options, Best Courses and Career Pathways for Australian PR in 2026 walks through how targeted study can strengthen your pathway to permanent residency.
