Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) have released the annual Occupation Shortage List (OSL) for 2025, providing an update of where the country continues to face workforce gaps. The OSL serves as a key resource for understanding which roles are hardest to fill across industries and locations, helping guide government policy, workforce planning, and skilled migration priorities.
The 2025 list is presented in two versions, one based on the OSCA 2024 framework and another using the ANZSCO 2022 classification. JSA has also published several companion reports, including the OSL Key Findings Report, Additional Insights Report, and Stakeholder Survey Snapshot, each offering deeper analysis of emerging trends and challenges in the Australian labour market.
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The state of skill shortages in 2025
Jobs and Skills Australia’s 2025 findings show that 29% of assessed occupations (293 out of 1,022) are currently experiencing national shortages, indicating a gradual improvement from 33% in 2024 and 36% in 2023. While this downward trend points to a recovering labour market, significant challenges remain in key industries critical to Australia’s economy.
Shortages continue to be heavily concentrated among Technicians and Trades Workers and Professionals, with ongoing demand across fields such as healthcare, education, engineering, science, and construction. Many of these roles, particularly in frontline care and skilled trades, have been persistently difficult to fill, with 139 occupations appearing on the shortage list every year since 2021.
Labour pressures are also most pronounced outside metropolitan areas. Twenty-one occupations are in shortage exclusively in regional Australia, highlighting the continued difficulty employers face in attracting and retaining qualified workers in rural and remote communities.
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Occupations no longer in shortage
While many critical skills remain in demand, JSA’s analysis shows improvement in some professions. In 2025, 29 occupations were newly added to the shortage list, reflecting a rise in demand particularly in sectors like healthcare, science, skilled trades, and machinery operation. On the other hand, 69 occupations that were in shortage in 2024 have now been removed from the list. Notably, 31 of these roles come from the Professionals major group, with many falling under business, finance, engineering, and ICT categories. Occupations that are no longer on the OSL include:
- Sales and Marketing Manager
- Project Builder
- Engineering Manager
- Hotel or Motel Manager
- Internal Auditor
- Financial Investment Adviser
- Recruitment Consultant
- Architect
- Chemical Engineer
- Materials Engineer
- Electronics Engineer
- Industrial Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Production or Plant Engineer
- Engineering Professionals nec
- Food Technologist
- Optometrist
- Nurse Educator
- Nurse Researcher
- Registered Nurses nec
- Multimedia Specialist
- Analyst Programmer
- Developer Programmer
- Software Engineer
- Penetration Tester
- Cyber Security Advice and Assessment Specialist
- Cyber Security Analyst
- Network Analyst
- ICT Quality Assurance Engineer
- Social Worker
- Animal Husbandry Technician
- Aquaculture or Fisheries Technician
- Earth Science Technician
- Architectural Draftsperson
- Electrical Engineering Draftsperson
- Electroplater
- Nurseryperson
- Senior Piggery Stockperson
- Print Finisher
- Screen Printer
- Furniture Finisher
- Picture Framer
- Optical Mechanic
- Plastics Technician
- Technicians and Trades Workers nec
- Residential Care Officer
- Family Day Care Worker
- Nursing Support Worker
- Personal Care Assistant
- Security Officer
- Contract Administrator
- Train Controller
- Aircraft Baggage Handler and Airline Ground Crew
- Tram Driver
- Meat Boner and Slicer
- Slaughterer
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These changes reflect gradual recovery in professional recruitment pipelines and a stabilising labour market for certain specialised roles, particularly within technology and corporate sectors.
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Link to skilled migration and the Core Skills Occupations List (CSOL)
Earlier this year, the Australian Government along with JSA, opened public consultation for the 2025 Core Skills Occupations List (CSOL). The CSOL determines which occupations are eligible for key employer-sponsored visas, including the Skills in Demand visa (Subclass 482) and the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186 – Direct Entry).
The consultation ran from 25 August to 26 September 2025, inviting input from employers, industry associations, unions, and governments to ensure the CSOL accurately reflects national workforce demand.
As part of this process, Absolute Immigration Group (AIG) made a formal submission to the Department of Home Affairs on behalf of our clients. Our submission was informed by a feedback survey, our extensive experience advising employers across multiple sectors, and the patterns we have observed through our client work. Based on consultation targets and industry insights, AIG advocated for key occupations that should remain or be added to the CSOL.
These recommendations reflected consistent workforce shortages identified across our employer network, particularly in sectors where skill demand remains high, but access to migration pathways has been limited.
At this stage, it remains unclear when the Department will update the CSOL to reflect JSA’s latest data, but these consultations will directly influence which roles remain eligible for employer-sponsored migration in 2026 and beyond.
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What this means for employers
The 2025 OSL confirms that while some labour shortages are easing, competition for talent remains intense in essential sectors like construction, aged care, healthcare, and regional trades. Employers in these industries must continue to plan strategically by identifying alternative recruitment pathways, streamlining sponsorship processes, and ensuring compliance with evolving visa requirements.
The findings also suggest that skilled migration will remain an essential part of addressing Australia’s workforce needs. Understanding which roles appear on the OSL and CSOL can help businesses make timely, informed decisions about workforce planning and visa sponsorship.
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How Absolute Immigration Group can help
At Absolute Immigration Group, we work with employers across Australia to translate policy changes like the OSL and CSOL updates into clear, practical action. Our team can help you:
- Identify which roles in your business align with the current OSL or CSOL.
- Assess eligibility for the Skills in Demand, Employer Nomination Scheme visas or other suitable migration pathways tailored to your business needs.
- Prepare compliant, well-documented sponsorship applications that meet Home Affairs requirements.
- Develop a long-term workforce strategy to address persistent skill shortages.
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With expert advice and end-to-end immigration support, we ensure your business remains proactive and not reactive, as Australia’s migration and workforce landscape continues to evolve.
Contact our team today at aisupport@absoluteimmigration.com to discuss how these latest updates may impact your workforce strategy.
