The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today published the new Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA), the first major update to Australia’s occupation classification in 20 years.

Australian Statistician Dr David Gruen said, “Having an occupation classification that reflects the modern labour market supports efficient, accurate and informed decision-making by governments, industry and businesses.”

“Key benefits are the inclusion of new and emerging occupations, better coverage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander occupations and the removal of gendered language like ‘man’ and ‘woman’ from occupation titles and descriptions.”

In 2022, the Australian government announced $23.7 million funding over four years for the ABS to comprehensively review the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) and put in place a maintenance program from 2025.

The formal consultation period for the review took over 200 days, involved over 2,000 groups and received 800 submissions from interested parties across Commonwealth and State Government agencies, and private industry.

Dr Gruen said “The update to the classification has been a huge, coordinated effort across many teams over the past two years. While today marks a key milestone, there is more to do. 

“The ABS is committed to regular updates of OSCA and we are developing a plan for ongoing feedback.”

The new classification is available on the ABS website and will be reflected in official labour market statistics from September 2026, and in 2026 Census data outputs. 

For more information: 

About OSCA | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au)

Occupation Classification for Australia (OSCA), 2024, version 1.0