ANZSCO 263311 or OSCA 272331?
The Australian Bureau of Statistics released OSCA in December 2024 to replace ANZSCO for statistics. The migration system has not switched yet. The Department of Home Affairs still lists skilled occupations by ANZSCO code: the 2013 version for points-tested visas such as the 189, 190 and 491, and the 2022 version for the 482 and 186 employer-sponsored visas.
For your skills assessment and visa application, use ANZSCO 263311. OSCA groups all telecommunications engineers under 272331. ANZSCO splits them into Telecommunications Engineer 263311 and Telecommunications Network Engineer 263312, so choose the one that matches your work.
Visa Options for Telecommunications Engineers
Telecommunications Engineer (263311) is on the MLTSSL but not on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), subject to each visa’s own requirements:
Telecommunications Network Engineer (263312) is on the CSOL, so check which of the two ANZSCO occupations matches your work before you lodge.
Lists change, so check the Home Affairs skilled occupation list before you lodge.
Engineers Australia Skills Assessment
If your telecommunications or electronics engineering degree is not accredited in Australia or covered by the Washington Accord, Engineers Australia assesses you through a Competency Demonstration Report (CDR):
- Three career episodes, each about your own engineering work, with numbered paragraphs
- A summary statement mapping all 16 elements of competency to paragraphs in your episodes
- A CPD statement listing your continuing professional development
The CDR assessment fee is AU$1,034 including GST. Standard applications wait around 15 weeks to be assigned to an assessor; fast track (an extra AU$396) assigns your application within 20 business days.
The English scores above are the minimum in each component for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025. Cambridge C1 Advanced, LanguageCert Academic, Michigan English Test and CELPIP General are also accepted. You are usually exempt with a UK, US, Canadian, New Zealand or Irish passport, or after two years of study in Australia.
What a Strong Telecommunications Engineer CDR Shows
Assessors want to see your own engineering judgement, not your team’s work or your job description. Strong telecommunications career episodes include:
- Design you did yourself: RF planning, link budgets, network or transmission design, with your tools (for example Atoll, Pathloss or MATLAB)
- The standards you applied, named specifically (for example 3GPP, ITU-T or IEEE 802 standards)
- A real problem you solved, such as coverage, interference or capacity, and how you checked your solution
- Project work: testing, optimisation, commissioning and coordination with vendors and operators
Common reasons telecommunications CDRs fail: writing “we” instead of “I”, network monitoring or installation with no engineering analysis, copying a job description, and summary statements that point to the wrong paragraphs.
Which Telecommunications Code Fits You?
Choose the occupation that matches what you actually do most of the time; your career episodes must support it. Both telecommunications occupations are assessed by Engineers Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ANZSCO code for a telecommunications engineer?
263311. In the newer OSCA classification it is 272331, but visa applications still use the ANZSCO code.
Is telecommunications engineer on Australia’s skilled occupation list?
Yes. Telecommunications Engineer (263311) is on the MLTSSL, but not on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) used for the 482 and 186 visas. Always check the current Home Affairs list before you apply.
Who assesses telecommunications engineers for Australian migration?
Engineers Australia.
Do telecommunications engineers need a CDR?
Yes, if your degree is not accredited in Australia or recognised under the Washington Accord. The CDR has three career episodes, a summary statement and a CPD statement.
What is OSCA 272331?
The code for Telecommunications Engineer in the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, released by the ABS in December 2024. It replaced ANZSCO for statistics; migration still uses ANZSCO.
How much does the assessment cost and how long does it take?
AU$1,034 including GST. Standard applications wait around 15 weeks for an assessor; fast track (an extra AU$396) within 20 business days.
Last updated October 2026. Sources: LIN 19/051 (MLTSSL); Home Affairs CSOL; Home Affairs skilled occupation list; ABS OSCA 2024; ABS ANZSCO 2022; Engineers Australia on OSCA; EA MSA guide, Jan 2026; EA fees.
