How we map shortages to study.

Study to Migrate exists because the most common question in Australian migration is also the most poorly answered: “What should I study so I can stay?” Universities answer with course brochures. Migration agents answer with disclaimers. We answer with a structured map.

The TSS-482 → Skills in Demand transition

Australia's most-used employer-sponsored visa changed name and shape on 7 December 2024. The Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482, “TSS”) was replaced by the Skills in Demand visa — same subclass number, significantly different mechanics:

• The legacy Short-term / Medium-term visa streams were collapsed into three new streams: Specialist Skills, Core Skills and Essential Skills.
• The single occupation list backing the Core Skills stream is the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), published by Jobs and Skills Australia.
• Core Skills applicants must be paid at least the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT); Specialist Skills sits at the top of the income band; Essential Skills covers roles that previously fell under labour agreements.
• Required work experience for sponsorship dropped from 2 years to 1 year, easing the runway for international graduates.
• The points-tested permanent skilled visas (subclass 189, 190, 491) still reference the legacy MLTSSL / STSOL / ROL through the transition window, which is why we keep them as separate browseable lists on this site.

The data we draw from

Each occupation in our catalogue is anchored to its 6-digit ANZSCO 2022 code — the same identifier the Department of Home Affairs and Jobs and Skills Australia use. Lists are sourced from public government publications:

• Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) — the list that from December 2024 powers the new Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), replacing the legacy short/medium/long split for employer sponsorship.
• Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) — the long-horizon list that gates the points-tested 189 and the longest-duration permanent residency pathways.
• Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) — the short-horizon list that historically powered the legacy 482 short-term stream and remains relevant for several state nomination programs.
• Regional Occupation List (ROL) — occupations sponsored only outside major metropolitan areas, central to the 491 and 494 regional visas.

How we map study pathways

For each occupation, we identify the assessing authority — ACS for ICT, AHPRA for most regulated health roles, Engineers Australia, AITSL for teaching, TRA for trades, VETASSESS for many professional and technical occupations, and so on. The qualifications listed for each occupation are those most commonly recognised by that authority.

We don't favour any specific course provider. We focus on the qualification level (Certificate III, Bachelor, Master), the named discipline, and the typical duration. Where the path is graduate entry — for example a Master of Teaching after a non-education bachelor — we say so explicitly.

Why visa pathways matter

A qualification is only useful if it actually unlocks a visa. We surface the subclasses each occupation supports — 485 for graduate stay, 482 for employer sponsorship, 189 for points-tested independent migration, 190 for state-nominated, 491/494 for regional — so you can plan from the destination backwards.

What this site is not

This is general guidance. We are not a registered migration agent. Skills lists, points thresholds, occupation ceilings and assessing authority criteria change — sometimes mid-financial-year. Always confirm with the Department of Home Affairs (homeaffairs.gov.au) and a MARA-registered migration agent before committing to a course of study or applying for a visa.

Last reviewed for currency: May 2026. We commit to a quarterly review aligned to Department of Home Affairs and Jobs and Skills Australia publication cadence.