Summary of major changes between ANZSCO v1.3/2021/2022 and OSCA 2024 v1.0

This section summarises the main changes between ANZSCO and OSCA. The detailed occupation level changes between the two classifications can be found in the correspondence tables available from Data downloads.

ANZSCO Sub-major Group 13 Specialist Managers has been split into three sub-major groups:

• Sub-major Group 11 Business Administration and Promotion, and ICT Managers
• Sub-major Group 13 Construction, Production and Distribution Managers, and
• Sub-major Group 14 Education, Health, Welfare and Other Specialist Managers.

ANZSCO Sub-major Group 14 Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers has been split into two sub-major groups:

• Sub-major Group 16 Hospitality and Retail Managers, and
• Sub-major Group 17 Office Administration and Service Managers.

These changes are designed to improve the statistical balance of the classification and increase the granularity of occupation data published at the two-digit level.

ANZSCO Unit Groups 5121 Office Managers and 5122 Practice Managers have also been included in OSCA Major Group 1 as their skill specialisation better aligns to management.

OSCA Major Group 2 has been clarified to only include occupations at Skill Level 1. Occupations in ANZSCO Major Group 2 Professionals which are not at Skill Level 1 have been included in OSCA Major Groups 3 Technicians and Trades Workers, 4 Community and Personal Service Workers, 5 Clerical and Administrative Workers or 6 Sales Workers.

Similarly, ANZSCO occupations at Skill Level 1 in other major groups (excluding ANZSCO Major Group 1) which are not management occupations (classified to Major Group 1) have been included in OSCA Major Group 2. These occupations have come from ANZSCO Major Groups 3 Technicians and Trades Workers and 4 Community and Personal Service Workers.

ANZSCO Sub-major Groups 21 Arts and Media Professionals and 27 Legal, Social and Welfare Professionals have been reorganised into two sub-major groups:

• Sub-major Group 23 Cultural and Social Professionals, and
• Sub-major Group 28 Legal Professionals.

ANZSCO Sub-major Group 22 Business, Human Resource and Marketing Professionals has been split into two sub-major groups:

• Sub-major Group 21 Accounting and Finance Professionals, and
• Sub-major Group 22 Business Professionals.

Allied health professionals have been recognised with the addition of three minor groups:

• Minor Group 261 Allied Health Counselling, Psychology, Social Work and Creative Therapy Professionals
• Minor Group 262 Allied Health Physical and Sensory Therapy Professionals, and
• Minor Group 263 Allied Health Science Professionals.

ANZSCO Sub-major Group 32 Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers has been split into two sub-major groups:

• Sub-major Group 33 Engineering Trades Workers, and
• Sub-major Group 35 Automotive Technicians and Trades Workers.

ANZSCO Sub-major Group 33 Construction Trades Workers has been split into two sub-major groups:

• Sub-major Group 36 Building Completion and Related Trades Workers, and
• Sub-major Group 37 Building Structural Trades Workers.

All occupations in ANZSCO Unit Group 2312 Marine Transport Professionals are included in OSCA Major Group 3 as Unit Group 3134 Marine Transport Masters, Officers and Technicians.

Several occupations from ANZSCO Major Groups 4, 7 and 8 have been included in OSCA Major Group 3. These are occupations at Skill Level 2 or 3 with a technical skill specialisation.

Several occupations from ANZSCO Major Group 3 have been included in OSCA Major Groups 2 Professionals or 4 Community and Personal Service Workers. These are occupations at Skill Level 1, or at Skill Level 3 or 4 with personal services skill specialisation.

ANZSCO Sub-major Groups 41 Health and Welfare Support Workers and 42 Carers and Aides have been reorganised into four sub-major groups:

• Sub-major Group 41 Community and Welfare Support Workers
• Sub-major Group 42 Aged Care and Disability Services and Support Workers
• Sub-major Group 43 Early Childhood Educators, Child Carers and Education Assistants, and
• Sub-major Group 44 Health Support Workers and Assistants.

Several occupations from ANZSCO Major Groups 3 and 5 have been included in OSCA Major Group 4. These are occupations at Skill Level 3 or 4 with community, personal or protective services skill specialisation.

Several occupations from ANZSCO Major Group 4 have been included in OSCA Major Groups 1 Managers or 3 Technicians and Trades Workers. These are occupations at Skill Level 2 with a management or technical skill specialisation.

ANZSCO Sub-major Groups 55 Numerical Clerks and 59 Other Clerical and Administrative Workers have been reorganised into four sub-major groups:

• Sub-major Group 53 Financial Services and Insurance Workers and Brokers
• Sub-major Group 54 Accounting and Related Clerks
• Sub-major Group 57 Supply Chain Support Workers, and
• Sub-major Group 59 Other Clerical and Administrative Workers.

OSCA Minor Group 591 Inspectors and Regulatory Officers has been created from ANZSCO Unit Group 5995 Inspectors and Regulatory Officers and part of ANZSCO Unit Group 5619 Other Clerical and Office Support Workers.

Several occupations from ANZSCO Major Group 5 have been included in OSCA Major Groups 1 Managers or 7 Machinery Operators and Drivers. These are occupations at Skill Level 2 with a management skill specialisation, or Skill Level 4 with vehicle operation skill specialisation.

Several occupations from ANZSCO Major Group 6 have been included in OSCA Major Groups 1 Managers, 4 Community and Personal Service Workers or 8 Labourers. These are occupations at Skill Level 2 with a management skill specialisation, or Skill Level 4 or 5 with a personal services skill specialisation.

The scope of OSCA Major Group 7 has expanded to include Skill Level 3 occupations, in addition to the existing Skill Level 4 occupations.

Several occupations from ANZSCO Major Groups 5 and 8 have been included in OSCA Major Group 7. These are occupations at Skill Level 4 or 5 with a vehicle or plant operation skill specialisation.

Conversely, several occupations from ANZSCO Major Group 7 have been included in OSCA Major Group 3 Technicians and Trades Workers. These are occupations at Skill Level 3 with a technical skill specialisation.

Several occupations from ANZSCO Major Group 6 have been included in OSCA Major Group 8 Labourers. These are occupations at Skill Level 5 with protective services skill specialisation.

Conversely, several occupations from ANZSCO Major Group 8 have been included in OSCA Major Group 3 Technicians and Trades Workers, 4 Community and Personal Service Workers, or 7 Machinery Operators and Drivers. These are occupations at Skill Level 3 with a technical skill specialisation, Skill Level 4 or 5 with personal services skill specialisation, or Skill Level 4 with plant operation skill specialisation.

In OSCA 2024 v1.0, greater emphasis has been placed on the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander occupations.

Additional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander occupations have been separately identified in OSCA 2024 v1.0. These include 232335 Heritage Consultant (specialisation Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Surveyor), 244331 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land and Sea Ranger, and 461632 Tour Guide (specialisation Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tour Guide). The ANZSCO Occupation 411511 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker has been split into two distinct Occupations: 441931 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner and 441932 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker.

OSCA 2024 v1.0 has made significant strides in addressing the underrepresentation of female-dominated occupations. These occupations were frequently grouped within broad categories, leading to a lack of detailed insight and recognition.

The female-dominated ANZSCO Sub-major Group 42 Carers and Aides accounted for 5.3% of all employed persons in the 2021 Census of Population and Housing. The sub-major group has been replaced in OSCA by Sub-major Groups 42 Aged Care and Disability Services and Support Workers, and 43 Early Childhood Educators, Child Carers and Education Assistants. This has improved visibility of these workforces.

Of the 5.3% counted in ANZSCO Sub-major Group 42, 35% (or 1.9% of the total Australian workforce) were counted in ANZSCO Occupation 423111 Aged or Disabled Carer. The diversity, specialisation and leadership of jobs within this occupation is not visible. OSCA 2024 v1.0 replaces this ANZSCO occupation with five OSCA occupations: 421132 Aged Care Team Leader, 421231 Community Aged Care Support Worker, 421331 Residential Aged Care Worker, 422231 Disability Support Worker and 422232 Disability Team Leader.

The following table indicates the number of categories at each level for the respective classifications.