Occupation and industrial classifications in Australia and New Zealand
FSO Occupations and Industries
FSO is responsible for 85 occupations and 12 industries as allocated to it by Jobs and Skills Australia. To view a list of these occupations and industries please click below.
Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA)
Maintenance of occupations for finance, technology, and business
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), from 2025 onwards, will have moved into a maintenance cycle for OSCA. To meet the requirements needed to update an OSCA occupation or to register a new occupation in OSCA, in collaboration with the ABS, FSO is providing two electronic forms.
The ABS Occupation Standard shows how the ABS collects occupation statistics and provides a basis for the standard collection and dissemination of occupation data and for coding jobs for OSCA. We encourage the use of this occupation standard when seeking to have an occupation classified as such under OSCA.
Add a new FTB Occupation to OSCA or Update an Existing FTB Occupation in OSCA (which includes being able to split an existing occupation) please use the appropriate forms below:
Add a new FTB Occupation to OSCA
Update an Existing FTB Occupation in OSCA
Please contact Ronald Jackson, FSO Policy and Government Lead at hello@futureskillsorganisation.com.au with any questions related to OSCA or for providing any views or feedback especially in regard to occupations in your industry.
Definition for OSCA – Occupations
An occupation is a group of jobs requiring the performance of highly similar sets of tasks (similarly defined in terms of skill level and skill specialisation).
A job is a set of tasks designed to be performed by a person for an employer in return for pay or profit (including jobs undertaken via self-employment or undertaken for payment in kind).
Skill is the requirement for competent performance of a set of tasks.
Definition for OSCA - Skill Levels
OSCA occupations are assigned one of five skill levels – Skill Level One is the highest. The ABS measures skills using the following dimensions:
Level or amount of formal education and training required for competent performance of an occupation’s tasks, measured according to qualifications in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Amount of previous experience in a related occupation, that is, relevant work experience measured in months or years.
Amount of on-the-job training needed after starting a job, measured in months or years, that may be undertaken simultaneously as formal education and training.
Personal attributes, such as creativity, interest, physical fitness, and sporting ability.
Note: Skill level is an attribute of occupations, not individuals. The skill level of an occupation is based on the requirements for competent performance of the set of tasks of the occupation, irrespective of the skills of the person undertaking the tasks.
OSCA – An Explanation
OSCA v1.0 was launched by the ABS on 6 December 2024. OSCA replaced the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). OSCA categorises occupations to enhance understanding of the labour market by framing the collection of occupational data that supports hiring, training, and workforce planning. It is organised in a hierarchy that ranges from broad to specific occupation categories, with each occupation assigned a unique code for easy reference.
Under each of the eight major groups is a hierarchy of Sub-major Group, Minor Group, the four-digit Unit Group, and the six-digit Occupation Level. The ABS requires the Australian labour market to have 300 unique identifications to be considered for a OSCA occupation. There are about 1160 occupations classified in OSCA.
Why OSCA is important
Like ANZSCO in the past, OSCA plays a vital role for Australian governments, industry, training providers, and employers. Some important applications in Australia include:
Policy development to create programs addressing Australian workforce skill shortages
Developing Vocational Education and Training initiatives such as the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List
Informing skilled immigration for formulating occupation lists for Australia’s visa programs
Underpinning ABS labour force statistics
Performing impact assessments for Australian workplace health and safety
National Occupation List (NOL)
New Zealand (NZ) released its new occupation classification on 20 November 2024, the National Occupation List (NOL) at its replacement of ANZSCO. The NOL is not hierarchical but is a flat structure. It currently lists 1292 occupations (19 November 2024) with a Skill Level linked to one of five levels of NZ qualifications and a definition of tasks for the occupation. NZ’s Tahatū, currently being developed by NZ’s Tertiary Education Commission, will eventually link to the NOL.
Australian New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC)
ANZSIC is used for the compilation and analysis of industry statistics in Australia and NZ to improve the comparability of industry statistics, including between the two countries and with the rest of the world. It is jointly managed by the ABS and Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa. The latest release is 26 June 2013, due to minor revisions.
The ANZSIC highest levels are called Divisions. Most of FSO related industries sectors are in Division J - Information Media and Telecommunications; Division K - Financial and Insurance Services; Division M - Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; and Division N - Administrative and Support Services. Under the 19 Divisions, there are 86 Subdivisions, 214 Groups and 506 Industry Classes.
Full list of ANZSIC Divisions
Division A - Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
Division B - Mining
Division C - Manufacturing
Division D - Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
Division E - Construction
Division F - Wholesale Trade
Division G - Retail Trade
Division H - Accommodation and Food Services
Division I - Transport, Postal and Warehousing
Division J - Information Media and Telecommunications
Division K - Financial and Insurance Services
Division L - Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
Division M - Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Division N - Administrative and Support Services
Division O - Public Administration and Safety
Division P - Education and Training
Division Q - Health Care and Social Assistance
Division R - Arts and Recreation Services
Division S - Other Services
Why is ANZSIC important
ANZSIC supports a wide range of data needs especially for the management of the economy and for policy development. ANZSIC is widely used by government agencies, industry organisations, and researchers for various administrative, regulatory, taxation, and research purposes. For instance, it is used to define an industry for assessing levels of productivity, innovation, and meeting of environmental criteria.
International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC)
ISIC was adopted by the United Nations in 1948. It is used as the international standard for guiding work on national industrial classifications, such as ANZSIC.
Australia and NZ have endeavoured to align ANZSIC with ISIC, as far as possible in taking account of different organisations within, or the structure of, Australian or NZ industries, or the lack of significance of some internationally recognised economic activities in the two economies.
Australia and NZ participate in international ISIC meetings regarding the forthcoming ISIC Rev. 5 version. We expect to hear more about ISIC over the coming year, and how it relates to the compilation and analysis of industry statistics in the two countries going forward.
OSCA and ANZSIC – Questions or Feedback
If you have any questions or feedback related to occupation and industry classifications, please contact FSO Policy and Government Lead Ronald Jackson at hello@futureskillsorganisation.com.au. We would like at any time to hear your thoughts on classifications for your occupations or your industry.