History of occupation classifications used in Australia
Revisions to occupation classifications occur to identify emerging occupations, aggregate declining occupations, and change details of existing occupations. The table below shows the history of occupation classifications used in Australia.
| Classification | Year of publication | Summary of revision |
|---|---|---|
| CCLO | 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981 | Classification and Classified List of Occupations (CCLO). Adapted from and closely adhering to the principles embodied in the International Standard Classification of Occupations issued by the International Labour Office, Geneva, 1958 and as revised in 1968. |
| ASCO First Edition | 1986 | Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) First Edition was developed jointly by the ABS and the then Department of Employment and Industrial Relations. ASCO First Edition was the first time skill level and skill specialisation were used as the basis for classifying occupations. As such, it was a major departure from the conceptual model underpinning the CCLO which classified occupations mainly based on the goods and services produced. Skill level criterion was based on the skill level required for entry to an occupation. |
| ASCO Second Edition | 1997 | ASCO Second Edition was developed jointly by the ABS and the then Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. ASCO Second Edition identified significant changes in the Australian labour market resulting from industry and award restructuring, technological change and competency-based approaches to career entry and progression. It is based on the same criteria as ASCO First Edition. |
| ANZSCO First Edition | 2006 | Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) First Edition was established jointly by the ABS, Stats NZ and the then Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. It is based on the concepts of skill level and skill specialisation. Skill level criterion was based on the skill level required to competently perform the tasks required of the occupation. |
| ANZSCO First Edition, Revision 1 | 2009 | Minor update to the ANZSCO structure at the occupation level and definitional changes for some occupations. |
| ANZSCO Version 1.2 | 2013 | Minor update to the ANZSCO structure including the identification of emerging occupations and aggregation of declining occupations. Updates were made to the descriptions of some occupations including amended principal titles, alternative titles and specialisations for selected occupations. A small set of changes were made for unit groups. |
| ANZSCO Version 1.3 | 2019 | Revisions were made to the skill level, registration and licensing requirements for some occupations, and the example occupations for selected not elsewhere classified categories. |
| ANZSCO 2021 Australian Update | 2021 | Revisions were made from a review of selected occupations identified as emerging and/or related to agriculture, forestry and fisheries, cyber security, and naval ship building. |
| ANZSCO 2022 Australian Update | 2022 | Revisions were made from a review of selected occupations identified as emerging and/or construction-related trades occupations. |
| OSCA 2024 v1.0 | 2024 | Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) 2024 Version 1.0. A new classification reflecting the Australian labour market resulting from a comprehensive review of ANZSCO and the introduction of a tailored occupational statistical classification for Australia. |