Cook or Chef? Why one word changes your code, your list and your shortage answer

Here is a common situation we see.

Someone trained as a cook overseas. In their home country, the kitchen staff are all called “chef.” That is the word on their contract, their reference letters, even their own CV. So they search for Chef in anzscofinder and find Chef (351311). They assume that is their code and move on.

It may not be.

Where it goes wrong

ANZSCO 2022 has two separate codes for kitchen professionals. Chef (351311) and Cook (351411) describe different roles with different skill levels, different list memberships, and different shortage ratings as at the 2025 Occupation Shortage List.

The 2025 shortage ratings tell the story clearly. Cook (351411) carries a national shortage rating of S (national shortage). Chef (351311) carries a rating of R (regional shortage only). That is the opposite of what most people expect.

The mistake is common: people map to the code with the more impressive-sounding title, not the code that describes what they actually do.

What the right mapping looks like

The fix is to describe your work, not your title.

Ask yourself: what did you actually do each shift? Did you prepare and cook food according to set menus and standard recipes in a commercial kitchen? Did someone else design the menus and you executed them? That points toward Cook (351411).

Or did you plan menus, determine how dishes should be prepared, control quality across a kitchen, and supervise other kitchen staff? That is closer to Chef (351311).

The title your employer put on your contract is a starting point, not the answer. ANZSCO cares about the duties, not the label.

Two concrete questions that help:

1. Did you design or approve the menus, or did you follow them?
2. Did you supervise other kitchen workers as a regular part of the role?

If the answer to both is no, Cook is often the better fit. If the answer to both is yes, Chef may apply. The actual task list in your employment records is better evidence than your job title.

Why the shortage answer matters

The shortage rating affects how the two codes behave in the Australian migration system. The 2025 Occupation Shortage List is a separate, annual point-in-time assessment: it tells you whether that occupation is currently in shortage nationally or only in some regions. It is not the same as list membership, which is a separate question about visa eligibility.

Getting the code wrong means you may be reading the shortage answer for the wrong occupation. One word on your job title can produce a different shortage rating, a different skills assessment pathway, and a different picture of your options.

The lesson

Describe what you did. Not what your employer called you.

Read the task descriptions on the occupation pages for Cook (351411) and Chef (351311) and match your actual daily duties against them. The code that fits your work is the correct one, whatever word was on your badge.

You can browse all hospitality codes or search the full ANZSCO 2022 occupation list. If you are unsure after reading the descriptions, the CV matcher at app.anzscofinder.com can match your CV to the closest codes and show its working. For advice on which visa pathway applies to your situation, speak with a registered migration agent.