The Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) identifies occupations where Australia has a short-term skills shortage, but where the shortage does not justify the full medium-term sponsored pathway. Occupations on the STSOL are eligible for the short-term stream of the Subclass 482 TSS visa only — a visa with a maximum duration of 2 years (4 years in some sectors such as trade agreements or entertainment) and limited renewal options.

Unlike MLTSSL occupations, STSOL occupations do not have access to the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) pathway to the Subclass 186 ENS permanent visa. This is the key practical distinction between the two lists.

The STSOL is specified by the Minister in a legislative instrument made under the Migration Regulations 1994. It is maintained alongside the MLTSSL as part of Australia's skilled occupation framework. The lists were consolidated from a previous four-list system (STSOL, MLTSSL, RSMS list, CSOL) in November 2018 to simplify the skilled migration occupation framework.

The STSOL determines the maximum duration and renewal eligibility for Subclass 482 visa holders:

• Duration: Up to 2 years per grant; renewable once (to a total of 4 years) in most cases
• Location restriction: No regional area requirement (unlike 482 Labour Agreement stream for regional employers)
• Pathway to PR: No TRT pathway; holders may access PR only through other independent pathways (e.g. points-tested visas) if eligible
• Short-term stream renewal limit: After two Subclass 482 short-term stream grants for the same occupation, further renewal requires a Labour Agreement or a different occupation on the MLTSSL

Both STSOL and MLTSSL occupations are identified by their ANZSCO unit group code. An occupation may be on both lists or only one — the specific occupations eligible for each stream are set out in the relevant legislative instrument.

The STSOL tends to include occupations with cyclical or sector-specific shortages — for example, certain retail, hospitality, or administrative roles — where the government policy objective is to fill a short-term gap rather than facilitate permanent settlement. In contrast, the MLTSSL targets occupations identified as having ongoing structural shortages in the Australian economy.

Employers seeking to sponsor a worker in an STSOL occupation should be aware that long-term workforce planning through a TSS visa is constrained: the worker cannot use the 482 TRT pathway and the short-term stream cannot be renewed indefinitely. Employers with ongoing needs in STSOL occupations may explore Labour Agreement pathways, which can provide more flexibility.

Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) periodically reviews occupation list classifications. Movements between STSOL and MLTSSL are possible — an occupation may be upgraded from STSOL to MLTSSL or removed entirely if the labour market assessment changes.