Medium Term Skilled Shortage List Australia

If you're planning a skilled migration application to Australia, one document decides more about your pathway than almost anything else: the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). Whether you can apply for the independent Subclass 189 visa, how competitive your points score needs to be, and even which state might nominate you — it all starts with whether your occupation sits on this list.

Here's a clear, up-to-date breakdown of what the MLTSSL is, which visas it unlocks, and the occupations currently covered.

What Is the MLTSSL?

The MLTSSL is a legislated list — prescribed under Legislative Instrument LIN 19/051 — of occupations Australia has assessed as being in sustained demand over the medium to long term. It currently contains 212 occupations and is the gatekeeper list for the points-tested Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) visa. It also remains relevant to the Subclass 190 (State Nominated) and Subclass 491 (Regional) visas.

Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) conducts the labour market research behind the list, and the Department of Home Affairs maintains the operative version for migration purposes. The list is reviewed regularly, not on a fixed annual cycle — meaning occupations can be added or removed without extensive advance notice.

Important 2026 update: Since the Skills in Demand (SID) visa reforms took effect in December 2024, a separate and broader list — the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), now covering 450+ occupations — governs eligibility for employer-sponsored pathways like the Subclass 482 and Subclass 186 visas. The MLTSSL still exclusively controls independent, points-tested migration (189), while the STSOL has become largely redundant as most of its occupations were absorbed into the CSOL or delisted.

• On the MLTSSL → eligible for Subclass 189, 190, and 491
• On the CSOL only (not MLTSSL) → eligible for employer-sponsored pathways (482, 186) but not the independent 189
• On the ROL only → eligible only for regional pathways (491) with state or employer backing

MLTSSL Occupation List by Category (2026)