Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List Australia: What Replaced MLTSSL in 2026

If you have been researching the Australian 189 visa and come across the phrase "Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List" (MLTSSL), that terminology is now outdated. Australia replaced the MLTSSL — along with the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and the Regional Occupation List (ROL) — with a consolidated framework built around the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) in late 2024 and 2025.

Understanding what changed and which list your occupation sits on matters because it determines which visa subclasses you can apply for and which assessment authority handles your case.

What the MLTSSL Was

The MLTSSL was a list of occupations deemed to have medium to long term strategic value for Australia's economy. Being on the MLTSSL gave an occupation access to the Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) visa — the pathway to permanent residency without state nomination. Occupations on the STSOL only were restricted to employer-sponsored visas (subclass 482) and could not be used for the 189.

For Indian IT professionals, Software Engineer (261313), Systems Analyst (261114), and ICT Business Analyst (261111) were all on the MLTSSL. This gave the Indian IT cohort broad access to the 189 visa throughout the 2010s and early 2020s.

What Replaced It: The Core Skills Occupation List

The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), which came into full effect in 2024–2025, serves as the single consolidated reference for skilled migration. If your occupation is on the CSOL, it is eligible for employer-sponsored (subclass 482), state-nominated (subclass 190), regional (subclass 491), and in many cases skilled independent (subclass 189) visa pathways.

The key structural change: the CSOL itself does not determine 189 eligibility by itself. That is now controlled by the four-tier invitation system. An occupation on the CSOL can be eligible for 189 in principle, but whether Indian professionals receive 189 invitations at a useful cut-off score depends on which tier the occupation sits in.

How the Current List Affects Indian IT Professionals

Software Engineer, Analyst Programmer, ICT Business Analyst, Systems Analyst — all remain on the CSOL and remain eligible for the 189. But they sit in Tier 4 (oversupplied/standard), meaning invitation cut-offs run at 95 to 105 points. The occupations are theoretically available for 189, but practically the cut-offs place them out of reach for most Indian applicants without a perfect points profile.

Civil Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Structural Engineer — on the CSOL, sit in Tier 3 (core skills). Invitation cut-offs are 85 to 90 points — meaningfully more accessible for qualified Indian engineers.

Secondary School Teachers, Early Childhood Educators — on the CSOL, Tier 2. Cut-offs of 75 to 85 points. For qualified Indian teachers with the right credentials, the 189 remains a realistic direct pathway.

Medical Specialists (Surgeons, Cardiologists, Anaesthetists) — Tier 1. Cut-offs of 65 to 75 points, sometimes at the minimum eligible score.

Occupations Removed or Restricted

The transition from MLTSSL to CSOL also resulted in some occupations being removed from eligibility for independent skilled migration or being reclassified. Key changes relevant to Indian applicants:

• Some ICT management roles that were previously accessible via the 189 have been reclassified as employer-sponsored only, requiring a nominated employer for subclass 482 rather than being accessible through the points-tested independent pathway.
• General accounting roles (221111) remain on the CSOL but are Tier 4 — same competitive dynamic as ICT.
• Nursing (enrolled and registered) remains Tier 1, making it one of the most accessible 189 pathways for Indian healthcare professionals with the right qualifications and ANMAC assessment.

The ACS Occupation List: What Indian IT Professionals Can Use

All ICT occupations for the 189 visa are assessed by ACS. The occupations most commonly used by Indian IT professionals that remain accessible:

Computer Network Engineer, Database Administrator, and ICT Security Specialist sit in Tier 3 — they are assessed by ACS but face lower cut-offs than the mainstream ICT codes. For Indian professionals who can genuinely sustain the duties for these occupations, the Tier 3 classification provides a meaningfully better invitation prospect.

ICT Security Specialist (263212) in particular is an area of genuine shortage in Australia. Indian cybersecurity professionals with cloud security, SOC analyst, or penetration testing backgrounds have a realistic pathway to the 189 through this code.

Checking Whether Your Occupation Is on the Current List

The Department of Home Affairs publishes the current CSOL on its website. The CSOL is structured by ANZSCO code and includes eligibility information for each visa subclass. Before lodging your skills assessment, verify:

1. Your intended ANZSCO code is on the CSOL
2. The CSOL entry confirms the code is eligible for the 189 visa (not just the 190 or 482)
3. Your assessment authority (ACS, Engineers Australia, VETASSESS, etc.) is listed as the assessing body for that code

The CSOL is updated periodically. Occupations can be added or removed in response to labour market surveys. An occupation that was on the list when you began planning may not be on the list by the time you are ready to submit your skills assessment — always verify against the current published version.

The full ANZSCO code selection guide for Indian IT professionals, including the worksheet for matching your actual duties to the right code, is in the India to Australia Skilled 189 Guide.

See more Australia guides →