Plumber (General), ANZSCO 334116: occupation facts for skilled migration

Plumber (General), ANZSCO 334116

Plumber (General) (334116) is a skill level 3 occupation. The job, as the ABS defines it: installs and repairs water, drainage, gas and sewerage pipes and systems, other than water-based fire protection systems. Registration or licensing is required.

Who assesses this occupation

Assessment sits with the state and territory plumbing regulators, not a single national body. Each state has its own licensing authority and its own requirements for overseas-trained plumbers. The occupation page carries the current authority detail. Check it before you start your application, because the assessor you need depends on where you plan to work.

Which visa lists it sits on

Plumber (General) 334116 appears on two Australian skilled migration lists (as of 2025-08-25):

• Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL): opens pathways to subclass 189, 190, and 491 visas, among others. Source: Home Affairs Skill Occupation List.
• Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL): relevant for the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). Same source.

Being on a list opens a pathway. It does not mean you will pass assessment or receive an invitation. Those are separate steps.

2024 shortage rating: the Jobs and Skills Australia 2024 Occupation Shortage List rates Plumber (General) as S, in shortage, nationally. That rating reflects labour market conditions at the time of the survey. It is not the same as list membership: an occupation can be on MLTSSL and also carry a shortage rating, or not. They measure different things.

New Zealand – Green List Tier 2: 334116 appears on the NZ Green List Tier 2 (as of May 2026). Check the NZ Immigration Operational Manual directly for current eligibility conditions.

Near-miss codes

The Plumbers group (3341) contains several related codes. Two are common near-misses:

• Drainer (334113): focuses on drainage and sewerage systems below ground level, not the full scope of plumbing work.
• Gasfitter (334114): specialises in gas fitting only, not water or drainage.

If your work covers water, drainage, gas, and sewerage together, 334116 is likely the closer match. If you work in only one of those areas, check the specific code.

Find your exact code

Browse the full ANZSCO list at /en/anzsco/2022/ to check related codes. If you are unsure which code fits your work history, the CV matcher shows the closest codes based on what you paste in. For advice on which code to use in a visa application, speak to a registered migration agent.