Choosing a School and Course by the Occupation List: Optimising PR
Why tie your school and course to the occupation list?
Many international students choose a school and course based on the provider’s reputation, a course that sounds appealing, or the advice of an education agent. But to improve your PR chances, you need to work backwards — start from the occupation list and work back to the course.
The logic is simple: if the occupation you graduate into is not on the occupation list, has no skills assessment, or scores poorly in the EOI, then a fine qualification from a good school will not help your PR journey.
A five-step process for choosing a course strategically
Step 1: Identify the group of occupations you could realistically do
Start from your real capabilities: what you do now, what you have studied, and what you could study over the next three to five years. Do not choose a field just because it seems “easier for PR” if you cannot study or work in it well.
Step 2: Check the current occupation list
Visit immi.homeaffairs.gov.au and find the Skilled Occupation List. Look at the STSOL (Short-term Skilled Occupation List) and the MLTSSL (Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List). Occupations on the MLTSSL often open more PR pathways than those on the STSOL.
Note: these lists are updated periodically — always check the latest version.
Step 3: Find the ANZSCO code for your chosen occupation
Look up the ABS ANZSCO Manual to find the exact ANZSCO code for the occupation. An ANZSCO code has six digits and describes the detailed tasks of each occupation. Read the description carefully to make sure it is genuinely the occupation you want to work in, not just one with a similar name.
Step 4: Identify the skills assessing authority
From the ANZSCO code, find which authority the Department of Home Affairs has designated to assess that occupation: ACS (IT), EA (engineering), TRA (trades), VETASSESS (many professional occupations), ANMAC (nursing), AHPRA (health) and others.
Go to that authority’s website and read its specific qualification requirements: what qualification it requires, from which field, and which providers are recognised.
Step 5: Choose a provider that meets the authority’s requirements
Only now do you choose a provider — one whose course is recognised by the relevant skills assessing authority, not merely CRICOS-registered. These two criteria do not automatically go together.
A worked example:
- Goal: Software Engineer (ANZSCO 261313)
- Authority: ACS
- ACS requirement: an IT qualification from an ACS-accredited program, so look for providers with ACS-accredited programs.
- Many Australian providers state that their programs are ACS-accredited — verify this on the ACS website.
State: the factor often overlooked
Choosing which state to study in is not just about where you would like to live — it affects:
State nomination bonuses (190/491): Each state has its own list of priority occupations for nomination and its own residency requirements. Studying and working in that state before applying for nomination is a condition many states require.
Regional bonus: Studying in a regional area (not Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane) earns bonus points in the EOI. Some regional universities have strong programs in particular fields.
Living costs: Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and Darwin are considerably cheaper than Sydney and Melbourne — this affects the total cost of the whole journey.
In practice: plans need reviewing
Occupation lists change. Providers change their programs. Assessing authority requirements can also be updated. A plan you make this year may need adjusting two to three years later while you are still studying.
This is why staying up to date throughout your studies is important — not something you do once and then forget.
A single consultation with a migration agent (not just an education agent) while you are weighing up a field or provider can save years of heading in the wrong direction.