The Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO)

A guide to looking up the occupation code and skill level for a job under the ANZSCO classification or New Zealand’s National Occupation List (NOL).

Finding a job’s skill level

Workers may check the occupation code and skill level for their job on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) system orNew Zealand’s National Occupation List (NOL).

What occupational skill levels are

Jobs with similar duties and responsibilities are grouped into “occupations”. Each occupation has a job description. The description may also list specific tasks, the level of responsibility and the focus of the job. Occupations are classified by skill level.

Immigration New Zealand uses the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) system for mostAccredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)applications and all Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa (SMC) applications as well as temporary visa applications. ANZSCO is gradually being replaced by the National Occupation List (NOL).

Skill levels are classified from 1 to 5, where 1 is the most highly skilled level and 5 the less skilled level.

Skill levels are based on the range and complexity of the tasks required for each occupation. In general, a worker will need more education, work experience or training to perform a broader range of tasks or more complex tasks.

Occupational skill levels do not measure an individual’s skill level. They represent the skill level usually needed to perform the tasks of that occupation competently.

ANZSCO skill levels

Each occupation has an ANZSCO code. This code has 6 digits, and is listed before the occupation’s name in ANZSCO.

A job must be matched to a single ANZSCO occupation. Workers use the occupation that best fits their role. It need not be exactly the same.

Example:

A builder will be assessed at ANZSCO skill level 3 where they have at least 3 years of work experience. This is because the occupation requires at least 3 years of relevant work experience or an NZQF level 4 qualification. Even where the worker has more than 3 years of work experience, this occupation can only be assessed at skill level 3. It cannot be assessed at skill level 1 or 2.

ANZSCO for the AEWV, SMC and all temporary visa types

ANZSCO skill levels are used for the following visa types:

• most AEWV and job check applications
• all SMC applications
• all other temporary visa applications.

Note:

Some NOL occupations are recognised for the AEWV. See the “NOL skill levels” section on this page for further information.

Filing a job check application

For those filing a job check application, make sure the ANZSCO code used is correct by checking:

• the relevant tasks
• the occupation’s responsibilities, and
• the qualifications or work experience needed.

Immigration New Zealand will not allow additional time to advertise the role or to work with Work and Income where a job check is filed for an ANZSCO level 1, 2 or 3 role that is assessed as ANZSCO level 4 or 5.

How to find a job’s ANZSCO level:

Use the Aria tool on the Statistics New Zealand website to find the ANZSCO level for a job.

Follow these steps to find the ANZSCO code for the job and check the occupation’s definition and tasks.

1. Go to the Aria tool.
2. Select the search icon (the magnifying glass icon on the right of the page).
3. Search on the job title of the role. The job title need not match or be the same as the occupation. The level shown beside the job title is not the ANZSCO occupation level. Move on to step 4 to find the occupation and ANZSCO level.
4. From the list, select the occupation name using the small magnifying glass beside the job that appears to fit best. A pop-up box will open.
5. Check the occupation’s definition and confirm whether it is the same as the job. Where it matches, the ANZSCO level will be below the definition. Where it is not clear from the definition, continue to step 6 to find the occupation’s tasks.

Users may also find the ANZSCO code for the occupation here. The ANZSCO code is the 6-digit number before the occupation name at the top of the pop-up box. For example, 361311 is the ANZSCO code for Veterinary Nurse.

6. Close the pop-up window. Reopen the search results by hovering over the magnifying glass icon where using a computer, or by selecting that icon where using a mobile device.
7. Select the small eye icon beside the occupation name.

This will show the occupation within its broader occupation group.

8. Select the broader occupation listed one level above the job. This group will have a 4-digit code beside its name.
9. A pop-up box will appear with the definition of the occupation group.
10. Scroll down in the box to find the group definition, the indicative skill level (the minimum requirement), the tasks included, and any exclusions (where applicable).
11. Check the occupation group’s tasks. Where the tasks include or are similar to the job, use the occupation and the occupation’s ANZSCO code found at step 5. The tasks listed under the occupation group are the tasks for all the occupations in that group. Not all the tasks are relevant to the particular occupation.

Where the tasks are not similar, search for a different job title and work through steps 4 to 11 again.

Example:

Callum is a dog trainer. He searches in the Aria tool and finds the ANZSCO occupation “Dog Handler and Trainer”.

To confirm this is the best fit for his job, Callum:

• checks the definition to make sure it is similar to his job.
• opens the occupation group “Animal Attendants and Trainers” and checks whether he meets the minimum requirements.
• compares the tasks listed under “Tasks include” with his job description.
• disregards the tasks for other jobs in the occupation group, as he knows that not all of those tasks are relevant to his occupation.

Because his job is similar to the definition and the tasks, he uses the ANZSCO occupation “Dog Handler and Trainer”.

ANZSCO occupations recognised at a higher skill level

Some ANZSCO occupations may be recognised at a higher skill level. Immigration New Zealand’s “ANZSCO occupations recognised at a higher skill level” page has further information on this, and on the visa types to which it applies.

NOL skill levels

NOL stands for the National Occupation List (NOL). This list is replacing ANZSCO, and some NOL occupations may be used for Accredited Employer Work Visa applications.

These are new occupations that are not recognised in the ANZSCO list.

For the list of occupations and how to check the NOL list, see the page “National Occupation List occupations used for the AEWV”. For further information on the change to the NOL, see the article “ANZSCO is being replaced”.

Look up ANZSCO on the government website athere.