This variable describes the skill level of a person's occupation. Level one is the highest level of skill and level five is the lowest level of skill. The skill level is determined from the characteristics of the person's occupation (OCCP), rather than the skill level of the person themselves.
Employed persons aged 15 years and over
| Code | Category |
|---|---|
| 1 | Skill level one |
| 2 | Skill level two |
| 3 | Skill level three |
| 4 | Skill level four |
| 5 | Skill level five |
| 9 | Skill level not determined |
| & | Not stated |
| @ | Not applicable |
| V | Overseas visitor |
Number of categories: 9
Not applicable (@) category comprises:
See Understanding supplementary codes for more information.
This variable is created from the Occupation (OCCP) variable. An occupation is coded using the ANZSCO – Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, 2013, Version 1.3 at the 6-digit level to determine the Occupation skill level for the stated occupations. The relationship between occupation and occupation skill level is defined in the ANZSCO. Occupations that are not further defined (nfd) (e.g. 'Manager nfd') do not have a corresponding skill level in the ANZSCO. 2016 Census data was used to determine what skill levels should be assigned to occupations that were not further defined.
This variable is new for 2021.
It is possible for a highly skilled person to work in a low skilled job/occupation, and it's also possible for a low skilled person (or a person with low or no formal qualifications) to work in a high skilled job.
This variable is derived from the Occupation (OCCP) variable. The non-response rate for Occupation (OCCP) was 0.8% in 2021. This is an increase from 0.7% in 2016.
