New OSCA occupation profiles launched - 7 August 2026

What are the new OSCA occupation profiles?

Core features of the OSCA occupation profiles

Jobs and Skills Australia describes the OSCA occupation profiles as a “single, easy-to-use way to explore Australia’s workforce”. They are built on the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA), Australia’s newest occupational classification and are designed to reflect the contemporary labour market more accurately than older systems.

Initially, the profiles draw on 2021 Census data, but Jobs and Skills Australia states that the resource will progressively incorporate additional datasets, including Labour Force Survey data, Employment Projections, median earnings and other workforce indicators. This means the same OSCA profile will become richer over time, rather than users needing to consult multiple disconnected tools.

What data is combined in each OSCA profile?

Each OSCA occupation profile combines labour market data with detailed occupation information. According to the source, profiles include insights on: - Employment - Workforce demographics - Industries - Skills - Licensing requirements - Other workforce indicators (as they are added over time) For migration agents and applicants comparing occupations for visas like Skilled Independent (subclass 189) or Skilled Nominated (subclass 190), this kind of consolidated view can reduce guesswork around demand, demographics and industry spread.

Interactive visualisations: not just another static table

Jobs and Skills Australia emphasises that interactive visualisations help bring the data to life. For users who are used to static PDFs or spreadsheets, this means patterns in employment, demographics or industry distribution may be easier to spot, compare and explain to clients or stakeholders. One screen. Multiple insights.

How OSCA differs from ANZSCO for occupations

Recognition of emerging occupations in OSCA

OSCA is described as being designed to better reflect today’s contemporary labour market. The source gives concrete examples of emerging occupations now recognised in OSCA, including: - Rideshare Driver - Data Scientist - Cyber Security Analyst - Content Creator (social media) These examples illustrate how OSCA captures roles that were previously hard to place or not explicitly named in traditional classifications.

For migration professionals, this shift could affect how certain tech, digital and platform-based roles are described when aligning with occupation lists and visa options. It may also influence how education providers design courses that map to newer occupations rather than legacy groupings.

From grouped roles to more detailed categories

OSCA also expands occupations that were previously grouped together. The article highlights one specific example: categories within the former ANZSCO occupation “Aged and Disabled Carers” have been separated into distinct occupations under OSCA. This creates a more detailed view of work performed in care roles, rather than treating them as a single block.

Such separation can change how shortages are perceived across sub-occupations, which in turn could affect how states, employers or training providers respond. Lowest since September 2025. While the article does not specify visa list impacts, a more granular classification usually supports more targeted labour market and policy responses, including in areas relevant to skilled migration and regional workforce planning.

“OSCA has been designed to better reflect today’s contemporary labour market, recognising emerging occupations such as Rideshare Driver, Data Scientist, Cyber Security Analyst and Content Creator (social media).”

Who benefits from OSCA occupation profiles?

Jobs and Skills Australia explicitly names students, job seekers, employers, researchers and policymakers as key users. For migration agents managing skilled cases, this same dataset can help explain to clients how their occupation fits within Australia’s workforce, which industries employ them and what skills or licensing are common. For visa applicants, OSCA profiles may clarify how their role is understood in Australia, especially when titles differ from overseas job descriptions.

Education providers can also use these profiles to see how their course offerings line up with OSCA occupations and where Employment Projections (once added) suggest future demand. Our analysis suggests that aligning course design with OSCA-defined skills and occupations could help demonstrate labour market relevance when engaging with industry or governments.

Practical next steps for agents, applicants and providers

How different users may work with OSCA profiles

1. 01Migration agents may wish to compare OSCA profiles with ImmiIQ’s occupation visa view to see how labour market data aligns with skilled visa options for key occupations.
2. 02Visa applicants could use OSCA profiles to understand employment patterns, industries and licensing expectations for their target occupation before lodging an Expression of Interest (EOI).
3. 03Education providers may cross-check course outcomes against OSCA occupations, then track future additions like Employment Projections via Jobs and Skills Australia’s Occupation and Industry Profiles.
4. 04Researchers and policy teams working on regional or sector strategies may integrate OSCA data with tools such as Labour Force Trending or regional dashboards linked from Jobs and Skills Australia.

As the resource will progressively incorporate Labour Force Survey data, Employment Projections, median earnings and other indicators, users may wish to revisit the OSCA profiles periodically to see what has changed. Which occupations gain new data first? The article does not specify, so checking back over time becomes part of staying current.

For those working across multiple states and territories, combining OSCA insights with ImmiIQ’s state nomination information and points calculator can create a more complete picture: classification and labour market from OSCA, visa and policy settings from ImmiIQ.

FAQ

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