Comparing Healthcare Occupations for Australian Migration

Healthcare occupations and ANZSCO codes for Australian migration

Australia faces shortages across most healthcare occupations, but each occupation has its own assessing authority and its own pathway to professional registration. The table below compares six healthcare occupations that are most often considered for skilled migration — each ANZSCO code and skill level is verified against the ABS classification (ANZSCO 2021).

Comparison table

Occupation	ANZSCO code	Skill level	Assessing authority
Registered Nurse (RN)	254499Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	1Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	ANMACVerified 11/06/2026 · Source: ANMAC
Enrolled Nurse	411411Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	2Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	ANMACVerified 11/06/2026 · Source: ANMAC
Pharmacist	251511Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	1Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	APC
Physiotherapist	252511Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	1Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	APA
Dentist	252312Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	1Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	ADCVerified 11/06/2026 · Source: Official page
General Practitioner	253111Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	1Verified 11/06/2026 · Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)	AMC

How skill levels differ

Most of the healthcare occupations listed here sit at Skill Level 1 (a degree-level qualification), but the Enrolled Nurse sits at Skill Level 2 — reflecting a narrower scope of practice than a Registered Nurse. This is an important distinction: within the same nursing field, an RN and an EN carry different ANZSCO codes, different earnings and different pathways.

One thing in common: you must register to practise

Unlike many other fields, most healthcare occupations involve two separate steps: (1) a skills assessment for visa purposes, and (2) professional registration (usually through AHPRA) to be allowed to work in Australia. A positive skills assessment does not, on its own, mean you are licensed to practise — and this is why many healthcare applications take longer than expected. Read the detailed article for each occupation below to understand the specific registration process.