Nurse Practitioner (ANZSCO 254411): code, lists, and assessor

Nurse Practitioner is ANZSCO code 254411. It sits at skill level 1, the highest level in the ANZSCO framework. The job covers advanced and extended nursing care: ordering diagnostic tests, making health assessments, and prescribing patient care, medicines, and therapies, where authorised. This is distinct from a general registered nurse role. The key marker is the extended, legally authorised scope of practice, including prescribing.

Who assesses it

The assessing authority is AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency), through the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Assessment is tied to NMBA registration as a nurse practitioner, not just a registered nurse. That is a different register and a separate application process. Assessment criteria, registration standards, and current fees are on the Nurse Practitioner occupation page, which links directly to AHPRA. If you trained outside Australia, AHPRA assesses your overseas qualifications as part of registration. Check the NMBA for the current pathway before applying.

Which lists it is on

Nurse Practitioner (254411) appears on two Australian skilled occupation lists as of 2025-06-23:

• Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL): opens pathways including subclass 189, 190, and 491 visas. See the AU Skill Occupation List for the current position.
• Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL): relevant to the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and some state nomination streams. Same source page.

Being on a list and having a shortage rating are two different things. The 2024 Occupation Shortage List rates Nurse Practitioner as S (shortage) at the national level. That rating reflects current labour market conditions. It is a separate read from list membership and it can change. List status sets which visa pathways are open; the shortage rating is one signal of labour market demand. Check both, from the primary sources, before relying on either.

Near-miss codes to check

Two codes sit close to 254411 in the Registered Nurses group (2544):

• Registered Nurse (Aged Care) (254412): an aged-care registered nurse role. Nurse Practitioners hold an extended scope of practice and prescribing authority that Registered Nurses do not.
• Registered Nurse (Mental Health) (254422): a registered nurse working specifically in mental health settings, without the extended prescribing scope of a Nurse Practitioner.

If your role includes advanced assessment and prescribing authority, 254411 is the closer match. If it does not, check 254412 or 254422.

Find your code

Browse all ANZSCO codes at anzscofinder.com/en/anzsco/2022/. If you are unsure which code fits your work history, the CV matcher shows the closest codes with its working,

For advice on which visa pathway fits your situation, speak with a registered migration agent. We show codes and facts; we do not tell you what to apply for.