ANZSCO Skill Level Classifications

It is important to know the ANZSCO skill level classifications for skilled migration to Australia. The abbreviation for ANZSCO is the Australia and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations. It is a framework that collects, disseminates, and evaluates occupational data from various government agencies. 

It is used in all immigration, residency, and nationality procedures by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). The ANZSCO is used as a benchmark within professional immigrant visas to assess applicants’ ability to perform certain professions in Australia based on their competencies and professional experience.

ANZSCO is a competencies-based organized methodology that categorizes all professions and careers in the Australian and New Zealand employment markets.

The demand for ANZSCO engineers in Australia is high, so many people are considering moving there to pursue engineering careers. Candidates wishing to migrate to Australia in search of a stable job opportunity must know which occupational category they fall under. 

For skilled migration in Australia, various professions have been divided into categories. As part of the migration process, applicants must select the appropriate ANZSCO code for their qualifications.

ANZSCO Architecture Overview

ANZSCO’s structure consists of five hierarchical levels.

• Major Group
• Sub-major Group
• Minor Group
• Unit Group
• Occupation

At the most detailed level of explanation, the categories are called ‘occupations.’ As a result of joining these, ‘unit groupings’ are formed, which are further divided into ‘minor groups’ At the highest level, minor groups are combined to form ‘sub-major groups,’ which are then combined to form ‘major groups.’

Conceptual Model of ANZSCO

ANZSCO is a skill-based classification used in the Australian and New Zealand labor markets to classify all occupations and jobs.

To accomplish this, ANZSCO identifies a set of occupations that encompasses all jobs in the Australian and New Zealand labor markets, defines these occupations based on their characteristics, and groups them into successively broader categories based on their similarity for statistical and other types of analysis. Jobs are the individual objects classified in ANZSCO.

ANZSCO classifies occupations into progressively larger groups based on their similarities in terms of skill level and skill specialization.

The ANZSCO conceptual model employs a combination of skill level and skill specialization as criteria for designing major groups that are meaningful and useful for the majority of purposes. Each of the eight major groups is composed of sub-major groups based on skill level and skill specialization. Statistical and administrative applications were also considered in the design of the major groups.

At the second classification level, the sub-major group level, the skill level criterion is applied as rigorously as possible, along with a finer application of skill specialization than at the major group level. Each sub-major group is composed of several minor groups.

Minor groups are distinguished primarily by a finer application of skill specialization than at the sub-major group level. Unit groups within minor groups are determined based on skill specialization and, where applicable, skill level.

Almost all unit groups are at the same skill level, and only ten unit groups contain occupations with more than one skill level. Only two of these unit groups have jobs at more than one skill level. Data stored at the unit group level can thus be aggregated by skill level with high validity.

The distinction between occupations within unit groups amounts to differences in the tasks performed in occupations, and every occupation has the same skill level.

As a result, data at the major group level will only provide a broad indication of skill level. For many analytical purposes, data at the sub-major group level will offer a satisfactory representation of skill level, and unit group data will accurately indicate skill level. As a result, unit groups can be aggregated by skill level to show occupations classified by skill level.

The following paragraphs summarize the differences between the various levels of ANZSCO.

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Major Groups

The major groups are

• the most general level of ANZSCO
• Formed by combining skill level and skill specialization to create groups that are meaningful and useful for the majority of (statistical and administrative) purposes

Sub-Major Groups

Sub-major groups are:

• Subgroups of the major groups
• distinguished from other sub-major groups within the same major group by skill level and broad application of skill specialization

Minor Groups

Minor groups are: 

• Divisions of sub-major groups
• distinguished from other minority groups in the same sub-major group primarily by a narrower application of skill specialization

Unit Groups

The unit groups are:

• Subdivisions of minor groups
• characterized by a more precise application of skill specialization than other unit groups in the same minority group.

Occupation

• ANZSCO’s most detailed level
• divisions within unit groups
• differentiated from other occupations in the same unit group by clear skill specialization
• sets of jobs involving the completion of a common set of tasks

ANZSCO Skill Level Classifications

The ANZSCO determines skill level based on the size and variety of projects completed in a given profession. The greater the type and complexity of a set of jobs, the higher a professional’s skill level. The following factors are considered when determining skill level. The following factors are considered when determining skill level.

• The official qualification and expertise required to complete the set of duties necessary for that career satisfactorily.
• The quantity of background knowledge required in a specific occupation is necessary to perform the duties demanded by that occupation.
• The existence of prior professional experience in a related field.
• The quantity of on-the-job training required to perform the slew of responsibilities that the job entails properly.

ANZSCO categorizes occupations into five skill levels. All concerned authorities were consulted when determining the skill level of each occupation in ANZSCO to ensure that the information was as accurate and meaningful as possible. The following definitions are used to determine the boundaries between skill levels.

Skill Level 1

Occupation at Skill Level 1 requires a skill equivalent to a bachelor’s degree or higher. For formal qualifications, at least five years of relevant experience may be substituted. In some cases, relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be necessary in addition to formal education.

Skill Level 2

Skill Level 2 occupations have a level of skill comparable to one of the following:

• NZ Register Diploma
• AQF Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma, or Diploma.

It is possible to substitute at least three years of relevant experience for the above-mentioned formal qualifications. Formal qualifications may occasionally be required, as well as relevant experience and/or on-the-job training.

Skill Level 3

Skill Level 3 occupations have expertise equivalent to one of the following:

• NZ Register Level 4 qualification.
• AQF Certificate IV.
• AQF Certificate III with at least 2 years of on-the-job experience is required.

At least three years of relevant experience can be substituted for the academic qualifications listed above. In addition to formal certification, some positions require on-the-job training and experience.

Skill Level 4

Skill Level 4 occupations have a level of skill comparable to one of the following:

• NZ Register level 2 or 3 qualification or
• AQF Certificate II or III

It is possible to substitute at least one year of relevant experience for the above-mentioned formal qualifications. Additionally, relevant experience may be required in some cases.

Skill Level 5

Skill Level 5 occupations have a level of skill comparable to one of the following:

• NZ Register Level 1 qualification
• AQF Certificate I or II
• Mandatory secondary education

Some occupations require on-the-job training in addition to or instead of formal qualifications.

In some cases, no formal education or on-the-job training is required.

ANZSCO Skill Levels 1, 2, or 3

You must have the following if you work in a profession requiring ANZSCO skill levels 1, 2, or 3.

• a relevant recognized qualification at or above the ANZSCO standard
• In any skill level 1 occupation, ANZSCO’s qualification can substitute for five years of real-world experience, even though it doesn’t specify it.
• A job offer matches your qualifications on the Long Term Skill Shortage List.

A job opportunity in New Zealand that requires occupational registration.

ANZSCO Skill Levels 4 or 5

If your profession requires ANZSCO skill levels 4 or 5, or if no ANZSCO definition exists, you must meet the following requirements:

• A level-3 authorization identified in the qualifications exempt from the inspection category or a level-4 degree from the New Zealand Qualifications Framework
• a minimum of three years of relevant experience
• You received an employment opportunity from the Long Term Skills Gap List and met the requirements.
• A job offer in New Zealand requires occupational certification and a valid temporary license.  

Why do we Suggest Professional Help?

If you have the appropriate ANZSCO code comparable to your chosen occupation, you will be eligible for a fair migration skill assessment from the relevant supervising authority. CDRWritershub provides all report-writing services, including CDR reports, ACS RPL reports, and KA02 reports. You can also rely on us for various review services, such as career episode report writing and CPD, as per the rules of Engineers Australia.