Search for "skilled occupation list 2026," and you will find dozens of tables, many of them out of date or missing the legal context. The better starting point is the law itself. For the points-tested visas, whether your job is eligible depends on a legislative instrument, and which list applies depends on which visa you are targeting. This guide explains how the skilled occupation list for the 189, 190 and 491 visas works, how to read an entry, and what to do once you have found your occupation.
Your eligible occupations are not decided by a website table or a recruiter's spreadsheet. They are specified in the Migration (LIN 19/051: Specification of Occupations and Relevant Assessing Authorities) Instrument 2019, made under the Migration Regulations 1994. At the time of writing, the instrument on legislation.gov.au is marked "In force" and "Latest version", and the compilation is dated 28/03/2026.
Home Affairs points applicants to this instrument for the current list of eligible skilled occupations. Its skilled occupation list page also explains that the 2013 version of ANZSCO is used for skilled visa subclasses other than the 186 and 482.
Because the instrument is amended from time to time, a list you downloaded last year, or a screenshot shared in a social media group, may no longer match the law. Checking the live compilation before you commit to a skills assessment can save you months and a significant amount of money.
If you are a 482 applicant, a different list applies. Our post on the Core Skills Occupation List covers that one.
The instrument contains three lists: the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and the Regional Occupation List (ROL). Section 7 of the compilation dated 28/03/2026 states that a list mentioned in column 2 of an item "is an applicable list for the class of persons". In practice, that means:
Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent): MLTSSL only.
Subclass 491 (not state or territory nominated): MLTSSL only.
Subclass 190 (state or territory nominated): MLTSSL and STSOL.
Subclass 491 (state or territory nominated): MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL.
Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate): MLTSSL, although Home Affairs notes the visa has different streams, and the Post-Vocational Education Work stream has its own skills assessment requirements.
This is why the same occupation can be eligible for one visa and not another. A hairdresser, for example, appears on the STSOL in the instrument, so it is not available for a 189. A dairy cattle farmer appears on the ROL, which applies only to state or territory nominated 491 applications. Always check the list for the specific visa you are planning around.
Each entry in the instrument gives an occupation title and an ANZSCO code. The instrument states that the code column "is included for information only", so the occupation title is what counts. Matching the title and the tasks you actually perform matters more than finding a code that merely looks close.
Section 10AA then names the relevant assessing authority for each occupation. Examples from the compilation dated 28/03/2026 include:
Accountant (general), 221111, assessed by CPAA, CAANZ or IPA.
Architect, 232111, assessed by AACA.
Electrical engineer, 233311, assessed by Engineers Australia.
Registered nurse (medical), 254418, assessed by ANMAC.
These are examples only. Do not rely on a summary, including this one, to confirm your own occupation. Read the live instrument on the day you plan to act, because the lists can be amended.
Brisbane and the wider Queensland economy draw skilled applicants across engineering, accounting, nursing, trades and technology. The pattern we see is that these applicants share a common first hurdle: choosing the occupation that honestly matches their qualifications and work history, then confirming that it is on the right list for their intended visa.
In the examples above, an electrical engineer is assessed by Engineers Australia, a registered nurse by ANMAC, and an accountant by one of the accounting bodies named in the instrument. Other occupations, including trades, have their own assessing authorities, so check the entry for yours. The point is that your occupation drives your assessing authority, and your assessing authority drives your timeline, so it pays to sort this out early.
If you are also gathering evidence for lodgement, our skilled visa document checklist sets out what to prepare.
Three errors come up repeatedly. The first is choosing an occupation because it is on a list, rather than because it genuinely matches your qualifications and recent work history. An assessing authority will test your claim against its own criteria, so an occupation that fits poorly is unlikely to help you.
The second is assuming a single list applies to every skilled visa. As the section 7 mapping shows, a 189 draws only on the MLTSSL, while a state-nominated 491 draws on three lists. The third is treating the ANZSCO code as the deciding factor. The instrument itself says the code column is for information only, so read the occupation title and its tasks carefully.
Finding your occupation on the list is the first step, not the last. A typical path looks like this:
Confirm your occupation and which list applies to your target visa.
Obtain a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority.
Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect for the 189, 190 or 491.
For a 190 or 491 state or territory nomination, meet that state's own requirements as well.
Home Affairs states on its EOI page that you must submit an EOI before you can be invited to apply for the 189, 190 or 491. It also says:
"Even if you meet the minimum points threshold, there is no guarantee you will receive an invitation to apply for a skilled visa." (Department of Home Affairs, last updated 07/10/2026)
If you are invited, you have 60 days from the date of the invitation to lodge your application online. We have not quoted invitation round dates or cut-off scores here, because they are not reliably published in a form we can verify.
Migration Star is a registered migration practice in Brisbane, and our principal agent is Rohit Sharma, MARA No. 1797395. We can help you work out whether your occupation may be eligible for the visa you are considering, which assessing authority applies, and how to sequence your skills assessment, EOI and any state nomination. We cannot guarantee any visa outcome, and eligibility depends on your individual circumstances and Department requirements. You can also read about our services. Our 30-minute Migration Consultation is $165, and you can call us on 07 3519 5619 or visit us at Level 2, 8 Clunies Ross Court, Eight Mile Plains QLD 4113. Book your consultation at https://www.migrationstar.com.au/book-a-consultation
Information current as at 22/10/2026. Migration outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Visa criteria may change.
Information current as at 22/10/2026. Migration Star is a registered migration practice. Principal agent Rohit Sharma, MARA No. 1797395. Migration outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Visa criteria may change. This article is general information only and does not constitute migration advice. For advice on your specific situation, book a consultation at migrationstar.com.au.
Migration Star | MARA No. 1797395 | migrationstar.com.au | 07 3519 5619