Employers and candidates often ask the same first question about the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa: is the job on the list? The answer sits in a legislative instrument, not on a glossy summary page, and it comes with caveats that can switch a listed occupation off for a particular position. This guide explains what the Core Skills Occupation List is, how to read an entry, how the caveats work, and how to match a real Brisbane job to the right code. It reflects the law as it stands on 19/10/2026.
The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) is set out in the [Migration (Specification of Occupations, Subclass 482 Visa) Instrument 2024], made under subregulation 2.72(9) of the Migration Regulations 1994. It was made on 6/12/2024, and the Department confirms the 482 visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa on 7 December 2024.
The legislation register shows the latest compilation is C03, dated 07/11/2025, and the instrument is shown as in force. That compilation includes the Migration Amendment (Skilled Visa Reform Technical Measures) Instrument 2025. Always check the versions page before relying on any list, because a new compilation can change what is included.
Home Affairs also points readers to the instrument itself: *"You can find a current list of eligible skilled occupations for the relevant visa program in its legislative instrument"* ([Home Affairs, Skilled occupation list](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skill-occupation-list)). That is a useful reminder that third-party lists are summaries, and the instrument is the source.
Each item in the list pairs an occupation with an ANZSCO code. Section 6 of the instrument provides that a Core Skills stream occupation applies to a nominee if the tasks the nominee will perform correspond to the tasks of that ANZSCO code, subject to the caveats in subsection (2). The job title on a position description is therefore not the test. The tasks are.
Home Affairs states that it uses the 2022 version of ANZSCO for the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186). Some examples from the instrument's table show the layout. General Practitioner is item 191, code 253111, with no applicable circumstances listed. Software Engineer is item 248, code 261313, also with none. Chef is item 386, code 351311, with applicable circumstances 3 and 4.
That last row matters. It shows that being on the list is not always the end of the question.
Section 6(2)(c) of the instrument says that where a number in the third column of an item matches an applicable circumstance for the position, the listed occupation *"does not apply to the nominee."* The circumstances themselves are set out in section 7.
Several are about the kind of workplace. Circumstance 3 is *"The position is involved in mass production in a factory setting."* Circumstance 4 is *"The position is in a limited service restaurant."* So a chef in a limited service restaurant may fall outside the occupation, even though Chef appears on the list.
Others are about the nature of the role. Circumstance 2 is *"The position is a clerical, bookkeeper or accounting clerk position."* Circumstance 5 is *"The position predominantly involves responsibility for low-skilled tasks."* Some circumstances also turn on earnings or business turnover and size, so read the current wording in section 7 for any figures rather than relying on a summary.
Start with the real duties of the position, not the title. Write down the main tasks, then compare them with the ANZSCO unit group description for the code you think applies. If the tasks only partly match, that is a signal to seek advice before a nomination is prepared. Titles such as "operations coordinator" or "business support officer" often hide tasks from several different codes.
Then check the item in the instrument. Confirm the occupation is listed, note the code, and look at the circumstances numbers in the third column. For each number, read the matching text in section 7 and ask whether it describes the position, the business or the setting.
Brisbane employers should also think about evidence. Position descriptions, organisation charts, and a clear account of daily tasks help show that the role corresponds to the code. Home Affairs notes that pending nomination and visa applications will not be adversely impacted by a later removal of an occupation from the list, but that is no reason to delay checking now.
A few errors come up repeatedly when employers and candidates check the list for themselves. Avoiding them can save time before a nomination is prepared:
Relying on a job title: The test in section 6 is whether the tasks correspond to the ANZSCO code, so a familiar title does not settle the question.
Using an out-of-date list: Check the legislation register for the latest compilation, because a summary on a website may be older than the instrument.
Ignoring the third column: If an item shows circumstance numbers, read each one in section 7 and test it against the position and the business.
Assuming the list answers everything: Listing is one part of eligibility. Other requirements for the nominee, the position and the sponsor still apply, as set out on the Department's visa pages.
Leaving evidence until late: Keep position descriptions, organisation charts, and duty statements consistent with the code you have chosen.
If you are weighing a role that sits between two codes, or a circumstance might apply, it is sensible to have a registered migration agent review the facts before anything is lodged.
Being on the list is about eligibility. It does not decide how quickly an application is processed. Home Affairs states that Ministerial Direction 121 (Temporary Skilled visas) came into effect on 19 September 2026, and its page was last updated on 07/10/2026. Under it, applications are processed in this order of priority: -
Applications in the Construction, Healthcare, Teaching, Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fishing and Resources sectors, and related national interest areas such as law enforcement and defence.
Applications in the Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa.
Applications where the applicant was in Australia when lodging.
Applications where the primary applicant was outside Australia when lodging, and not combined with another person's application at any time.
All other applications.
Source: [Home Affairs, Skilled visa processing priorities].
For a plain-language walk-through, see our post on Ministerial Direction 121 and the new 482 visa priority order.
Employers outside the major centres may also want to read about regional sponsorship through DAMA in Queensland.
Migration Star is a Brisbane-based registered migration practice, and our principal agent is Rohit Sharma, MARA No. 1797395. We can help employers and candidates test a role against the instrument, identify the right ANZSCO code, and consider whether a circumstance may apply, subject to the Department's requirements and your individual circumstances. We do not guarantee any visa outcome. You can read about our services, or call us on 07 3519 5619 at Level 2, 8 Clunies Ross Court, Eight Mile Plains QLD 4113. Book a 30-minute Migration Consultation ($165) at https://www.migrationstar.com.au/book-a-consultation.
Information current as at 19/10/2026. Migration outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Visa criteria may change.
Migration Star | MARA No. 1797395 | migrationstar.com.au | 07 3519 5619