If you've looked into New Zealand immigration for work, you've almost certainly run into the acronym ANZSCO. It is the classification Immigration New Zealand (INZ) uses to decide which occupation a role falls under, and at what skill level. Your ANZSCO code quietly drives pay thresholds, eligibility for specific visas, and whether an occupation shows up on shortlists. Here is what it means.
ANZSCO stands for the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations. It is jointly developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Stats NZ, and gives every occupation a 6-digit code, a description, a list of typical tasks, and an assigned skill level. INZ uses it to classify jobs across most work-based immigration decisions.
The 6-digit code sits inside a hierarchy that narrows from broad to specific: major group, sub-major group, minor group, unit group, and finally the occupation. In practice you only need your own 6-digit code. The hierarchy is background context.
Every ANZSCO occupation is assigned exactly one skill level, from 1 to 5. The level summarises the typical education or training needed to enter the role.
| Skill level | Typical entry requirement |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bachelor's degree or higher, or equivalent experience |
| 2 | Associate degree, advanced diploma, or diploma |
| 3 | Certificate IV, or certificate III with at least 2 years of on-the-job training |
| 4 | Certificate II or III |
| 5 | Certificate I or compulsory secondary education |
Skill Levels 1 to 3 are broadly treated as skilled for New Zealand immigration purposes. Skill Levels 4 and 5 face different pay thresholds and stay limits.
Don't pick your code from the job title. ANZSCO matches on the tasks and duties actually performed, and two people with the same title can sit under different codes depending on the work they do.
Start with the official search tools: the Stats NZ ANZSCO page for New Zealand, and the ABS ANZSCO page for the cross-border reference. Read the lead statement and list of tasks for any code before you rely on it.
ANZSCO shows up across most of the work-based routes.
The ABS is rolling out a successor classification called OSCA (Occupation Standard Classification for Australia) from 2024, covered on the ABS OSCA page. For New Zealand immigration, ANZSCO continues to be what INZ relies on. Treat the Stats NZ ANZSCO page as the source of truth until INZ says otherwise.
Ready to see how your occupation maps into New Zealand's work routes? Start with our assessment and we'll line up the relevant pathways for you.
