Core Skills Occupation List Australia 2026: Which Jobs Are in Demand for Filipino Migrants?

Before you submit a skills assessment, you need to confirm your occupation is on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). If it is not, you cannot apply for a Subclass 189, 190, or 491 skilled visa through the General Skilled Migration program — regardless of your qualifications or experience.

The CSOL replaced the old Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) from 2023 onward. Unlike those annual lists, the CSOL is designed as a living document, updated by Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) based on real-time labor market data. This means occupations can be added or removed with less predictability than before.

Here is where the occupations most relevant to Filipino skilled migrants sit in 2026 — and what you need to know before nominating your ANZSCO code.

Healthcare Occupations: Still a Priority

Nursing remains one of the strongest occupations on the CSOL, supported by Australia's aging population crisis and ongoing workforce shortages across all sectors.

Registered Nurse (ANZSCO 254499 and specialty codes): All registered nurse codes — general (254499), ICU/Critical Care (254418), Emergency (254415), Perioperative (254422), and others — remain on the CSOL for all three skilled visa subclasses (189, 190, 491). For Filipino BSN graduates, this is the primary pathway.

State-specific lists may add or restrict occupations at the state level. A nurse occupation may be on the CSOL nationally but not on a specific state's occupation list for 190 or 491 nomination. Always verify against the state list for your target state, not just the federal CSOL.

Aged Care and Disability Support Workers: With the recent Fair Work Commission wage increase in aged care, these roles have also seen increased recognition. ANMAC assesses Aged Care Workers under a Certificate III pathway. These are not the high-points occupations (nursing earns more points-friendly assessment outcomes), but they are viable pathways for those who cannot yet meet the BSN standards for RN registration.

Allied Health: Physiotherapists (252511), Occupational Therapists (252411), Medical Laboratory Scientists (234611), and various other allied health codes remain on the CSOL. Filipino professionals in these roles — graduates of Philippine PT, OT, or medical technology programs — should check whether AHPRA or their specific assessing body (AUDASA for audiologists, Speech Pathology Australia for speech pathologists) accepts Philippine qualifications.

Midwives: ANMAC also assesses midwives. Filipino BSN graduates who pursued a separate midwifery qualification are assessed differently from nurses-only.

Information and Communication Technology

ICT occupations experienced some stabilization in demand due to AI productivity gains, but most core software engineering and data roles remain on the CSOL.

Software and Applications Programmer (ANZSCO 261312): On the CSOL. This is the most common code for Filipino developers working in web, mobile, and enterprise applications.

Software Engineer (ANZSCO 261313): On the CSOL. Often chosen by Filipino professionals with a BS Computer Science or BS Information Technology degree and a clear software development focus.

ICT Business Analyst (ANZSCO 261111): On the CSOL, but ACS applies more rigorous duty alignment for this code. Applicants whose daily work blends business analysis with non-ICT functions may receive a "not closely related" outcome.

Developer Programmer (ANZSCO 261312): On the CSOL. Functionally similar to Software Engineer — the distinction matters for ACS assessment if your duties span both roles.

ICT Manager (ANZSCO 135111): Also on the CSOL, but at the Manager level ACS requires evidence of strategic decision-making, budget responsibility, and policy oversight. Filipino "Team Leads" who are performing hands-on technical work should nominate the technical code (261313) rather than the manager code — the manager code requires manager-level evidence that most technical leads cannot demonstrate.

Cybersecurity and Data Roles: Information Security Analysts (262112), Data Scientists (271311), and related roles are on the CSOL and experiencing strong demand. Filipino professionals in these specializations are well-positioned if their ACS assessment confirms the occupation match.

Engineering Occupations

The 2023 full signatory status of the Philippine Technological Council (PTC) in the Washington Accord has simplified the pathway for Filipino engineering graduates from PTC-accredited programs.

Civil Engineer (233211), Mechanical Engineer (233512), Electrical Engineer (233311): All on the CSOL. PTC-accredited graduates can apply through the Washington Accord pathway at Engineers Australia, bypassing the Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) requirement.

Electronics Engineer (233411): On the CSOL. Philippine ECE (Electronics and Communications Engineering) graduates frequently nominate this code, but the Washington Accord pathway applies only if the specific Philippine institution is PTC-accredited. Non-accredited graduates go through the CDR pathway.

Note on Engineers Australia fees: From July 1, 2026, Engineers Australia raised its standard assessment fee from $650 to $700 AUD.

Accounting and Finance

Accountant (General) (221111), Management Accountant (221112): Both on the CSOL. Filipino CPA holders who are members of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) have a streamlined pathway to CPA Australia membership assessment. PICPA members with 10+ years of experience can access a senior assessment track focused on managerial decision-making.

Financial Analyst (132211): On the CSOL, assessed by various bodies including VETASSESS and FIAL.

Teaching Occupations

Primary School Teacher (241213), Secondary School Teacher (241411): Both on the CSOL and remain priority occupations in many states, particularly in regional areas. Filipino teachers with Philippine LET (Licensure Examination for Teachers) certification face a separate accreditation process through AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership) rather than VETASSESS.

Occupations NOT on the CSOL

Several occupations common among Filipino professionals in the Philippines do not appear on the federal CSOL for skilled migration, or are only available under the 482 employer-sponsored pathway:

• Call center agents and BPO workers (administrative roles without a professional ICT qualification)
• Customer service roles without a qualifying skills assessment
• Domestic workers (not within the General Skilled Migration program)
• Seamen and maritime workers (separate visa categories apply)

For BPO workers who have transitioned into IT roles — a common Filipino professional trajectory — the ACS RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) pathway is the route to assessment if they lack a formal IT degree.

How to Use the CSOL

The full CSOL is published on the Jobs and Skills Australia website and the Department of Home Affairs website. You search by ANZSCO code or occupation title.

Key checks:

1. Is your occupation on the CSOL at all?
2. Which visa subclasses is it available for? (Some occupations are 190/491 only, not 189)
3. Is it on your target state's occupation list for state nomination?
4. Which assessing body handles your occupation?

The ANZSCO code you nominate in your EOI must match the code on your skills assessment outcome letter. If they do not match, the Department of Home Affairs will not process the invitation.

Choose your ANZSCO code before applying for your skills assessment. Changing it afterward requires a new assessment application and fee.

The Philippines to Australia Skilled Migration Guide includes an occupation selection guide for the most common Filipino professional profiles — IT, nursing, engineering, and accounting — including which ANZSCO code is most appropriate and what duty evidence each assessing body requires.

See more Australia guides →