Mechanical Engineer, ANZSCO 233512: code, lists, and assessment

Mechanical Engineer (233512) is ANZSCO code 233512, skill level 1. Mechanical Engineers plan, design, organise, and oversee the assembly, erection, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of mechanical and process plant and installations. Registration or licensing may be required.

Who assesses it

The assessing authority for Mechanical Engineer depends on your visa pathway and circumstances. The occupation page carries the current authority details, sourced from ABS and Home Affairs. Check there before you submit any skills assessment application.

Which lists it sits on

Mechanical Engineer (233512) appears on two Australian skilled occupation lists, as published by the Department of Home Affairs:

• Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL): opens pathways including the subclass 189 and 190 skilled visas, among others.
• Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL): relevant to the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and related pathways.

Both lists are at the Home Affairs Skill Occupation List page. Being on a list opens a pathway. It is not itself a guarantee of any visa grant or assessment outcome.

2025 shortage rating: The 2025 Occupation Shortage List (released October 2025) is the current Jobs and Skills Australia read on shortage. The rating for Mechanical Engineer is on the occupation page. A shortage rating and list membership are separate things. An occupation can be in shortage and on the MLTSSL, or in shortage and off every list, or on a list and not in shortage. Read both sources independently.

New Zealand: Mechanical Engineer (233512) sits on Tier 1 of the NZ Green List (effective 26 March 2025). Tier 1 is the Straight to Residence pathway. The NZ Green List operates separately from Australian occupation lists. Check the Immigration New Zealand page for current eligibility criteria, as the list can be updated.

Near-miss codes

Mechanical Engineer sits within the Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers group (2335). Two common near-misses:

• 233511 covers Industrial Engineers, who focus on optimising production systems, processes, and layouts rather than mechanical plant design and installation.
• 233513 covers Production or Plant Engineers, who are concerned with the day-to-day operation and improvement of production processes rather than broader mechanical plant design.

If your work sits mainly in one of those areas, check the specific code. The ABS description is the deciding text.

Find your code

Browse all ANZSCO 2022 occupations to confirm the right code for your work. A mismatch between your claimed code and what an assessing authority reads in your CV can delay or affect an outcome. If you are unsure which code fits, the CV matcher can match your CV to the closest codes and show its reasoning. For advice on which visa applies to your situation, speak with a registered migration agent.