ANZSCO 351311 · CSOL · MLTSSL
Chef: ANZSCO 351311
Official Home Affairs skilled occupation list · checked 21 October 2026
Chef (ANZSCO 351311) is on the CSOL (Core Skills Occupation List) and MLTSSL (Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List). It can be used for the 189, 190, 491, 485, 494, 482, 186 and 407 visas, and the skills assessment is done by TRA. Checked against the Home Affairs list on 21 October 2026.
Occupation lists
CSOL, MLTSSL
Core Skills Occupation List; Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List
Permanent visa options
189, 190, 186
Visas that give permanent residence
Assessing authority
TRA
Trades Recognition Australia
Skill level
Level 2
Associate degree, advanced diploma or diploma, or at least 3 years of relevant experience
The job
What a chef does
Plans and organises the preparation and cooking of food in a dining or catering establishment.
Specialisations
- Chef de Partie
- Commis Chef
- Demi Chef
- Second Chef
- Sous Chef
Unit group 3513
Tasks of Chefs
- Planning menus, estimating food and labour costs, and ordering food supplies
- Monitoring quality of dishes at all stages of preparation and presentation
- Discussing food preparation issues with Managers, Dietitians and kitchen and waiting staff
- Demonstrating techniques and advising on cooking procedures
- Preparing and cooking food
- Explaining and enforcing hygiene regulations
- May select and train staff
- May freeze and preserve foods
Qualifications and experience
Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.
At least three years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualifications listed above. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.
- AQF Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or Diploma (ANZSCO Skill Level 2)
Assessing authorities check your duties against these tasks, so your experience must match them, not only the job title.
Visa options
Which visas ANZSCO 351311 can be used for
From the Department of Home Affairs combined list of eligible skilled occupations. Every visa also has its own points, age, English, experience and skills assessment rules.
| Visa | Eligible | ANZSCO version | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 189 Skilled Independent | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | |
| 190 Skilled Nominated (state) | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | Needs a state or territory nomination |
| 407 Training visa | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | |
| 485 Temporary Graduate | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | Post-Vocational Education Work stream |
| 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | |
| 491 State Skilled Work Regional, state nominated | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | Needs a state or territory nomination |
| 491 Family Skilled Work Regional, family sponsored | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | Needs an eligible relative in a regional area |
| 482 Skills in Demand, Core Skills stream | Yes | ANZSCO 2022 | Caveats apply |
| 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, Direct Entry | Yes | ANZSCO 2022 | Caveats apply |
Caveats
Caveats that limit employer sponsorship
A caveat rules out certain positions even though the occupation is on the list. Your employer's nomination is refused if the position falls within one.
Skills in Demand (subclass 482), Core Skills stream
- Low skilled tasks: Excludes any position involved in mass production in a factory setting
- Low skilled tasks: Excludes any position in a limited service restaurant. A limited service restaurant includes, but is not limited to: a fast food or takeaway food service; a fast casual restaurant; a drinking establishment that offers only a limited food service; a limited service cafe, including a coffee shop or mall cafe; a limited service pizza restaurant.
Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), Direct Entry
- Low skilled tasks: Excludes any position involved in mass production in a factory setting
- Low skilled tasks: Excludes any position in a limited service restaurant. A limited service restaurant includes, but is not limited to: a fast food or takeaway food service; a fast casual restaurant; a drinking establishment that offers only a limited food service; a limited service cafe, including a coffee shop or mall cafe; a limited service pizza restaurant.
Skills assessment
Skills assessment for ANZSCO 351311
Most skilled visas need a positive skills assessment from the authority below before you can lodge. It must be for the same occupation you nominate.
Trades Recognition Australia (TRA)
We prepare your TRA assessment with you and check that your duties match ANZSCO 351311 before you apply.
States and territories
State and territory nomination
Chef is on a list that allows state nomination for the 190 (permanent) and for the 491 (regional, provisional). Each state then decides which occupations it will nominate, and on what conditions.
State lists, points cut-offs and residence or job offer rules change during the program year, and some states close streams once their places are used. Ask us which states are nominating chef now.
Questions
ANZSCO 351311: common questions
What is the ANZSCO code for chef?
What does a chef do?
Which skilled occupation list is Chef on?
Can I get a 189 visa as a chef?
Is Chef eligible for state nomination (190 or 491)?
Can an employer sponsor a chef?
Who assesses chef skills for Australian migration?
Talk to us
Is ANZSCO 351311 your occupation? Ask us about your options.
Tell us your duties, qualifications, experience and English scores. We will confirm the right occupation and the visas that fit.
Source: Department of Home Affairs, checked 21 October 2026. Descriptions: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ANZSCO 2022 (CC BY 4.0). General information only, not immigration advice.
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