2026 Occupation Shortage List (OSL) released: Hospitality skills remain in high demand

Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) has released its 2026 Occupation Shortage List (OSL), and there’s important news for Australia’s hospitality industry. The release confirms that chefs, cooks, senior chefs and pastrycooks are all experiencing national skills shortages.

For hospitality businesses that have struggled to find skilled workers, this is recognition of the workforce challenges facing the industry. It also reinforces the need for continued investment in training, attracting new talent and building stronger career pathways.

 

Why does this matter for hospitality?

Being recognised as a national shortage occupation helps put these critical roles on the government’s radar, informing decisions about workforce planning, training priorities and skilled migration.
The OSL is an important source of evidence used to inform initiatives such as the Skills in Demand (SID) visa and Australian Apprenticeships Priority List (AAPL). These initiatives can help employers access skilled workers and support more Australians to train for careers in high-demand occupations, subject to their respective eligibility requirements.
For an industry facing ongoing recruitment challenges, this recognition strengthens the case for targeted action to attract, train and retain the skilled workers hospitality businesses need.

What do the broader 2026 results tell us?

The 2026 OSL highlights that 27% of assessed occupations (279 out of 1,021) are currently in shortage nationwide. This is an improvement from the 2025 OSL, where 29% of the assessed occupations were reported to be in shortage nationally. The findings reflect a steadily easing labour market but reaffirm that securing and retaining skilled talent remains a critical challenge for Australian businesses, one that Jobs and Skills Councils like SaCSA continue to actively address.  

What is the Occupation Shortage List? 

The OSL, which evaluates over 1,000 occupations across Skill Levels 1 to 4, guides policies to address workforce supply and demand imbalances. This includes identifying occupations eligible for the Skills in Demand (SID) visa and for the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List (AAPL), providing key occupations with additional support to help alleviate workforce gaps.  

SaCSA’s role in contributing to the 2026 Occupation Shortage List 

The 2026 OSL reflects the latest workforce trends and incorporates insights from a wide range of industry stakeholders. SaCSA’s contributions, backed by comprehensive industry analysis and stakeholder feedback, helped ensure that critical occupations across our sectors were accurately represented. This collaborative approach has strengthened understanding of workforce needs, helping to address skills gaps and inform targeted workforce planning initiatives.   

While the 2026 OSL captures many critical roles across the arts, personal services, retail, tourism, and hospitality sectors (See Table 1), several occupations remain unlisted despite evidence of skills shortages. SaCSA remains committed to advocating for these roles to be recognised in future OSL updates. We will continue working with industry partners to gather evidence and highlight their vital contribution to Australia’s workforce and economy. Through ongoing engagement with JSA and other key stakeholders, SaCSA will strive to ensure that these occupations receive appropriate support through targeted policies, training and migration initiatives, and workforce planning measures. 

Why being on the list matters: The benefits for industry   

Occupations included on the OSL receive focused government attention, helping to direct training, funding and migration support where it’s most needed. For example:  

• The Skills in Demand (SID) visa enables employers to recruit skilled overseas workers more efficiently.  

• The Australian Apprenticeships Priority List (AAPL) prioritises occupations for government-funded apprenticeship and traineeship support, making it easier for job seekers to train in high-demand areas.  

For industries represented on the OSL, this means having a government-backed framework for addressing shortages, attracting skilled workers, and tailoring training to equip the next generation of workers in roles that are in high demand.  

Summary of 2026 OSL Results   

Table 1 outlines the 20 occupations identified as being in any kind of shortage from 2024 to 2026 that fall within SaCSA’s scope. There are 3 new national shortage occupations this year, being production manager (audio, screen or live performance), production coordinator (audio, screen or live performance) and technical director. Shortages of chefs, senior chefs and pastrycooks elevated from Regional Shortage to National Shortage. Audio engineer is the only occupation that was downgraded from National Shortage in 2025 to No Shortage in 2026. 

The ongoing shortage for chefs and cooks in particular is a major priority for SaCSA and solutions are currently being worked on via the Culinary Careers: Exploring the Drivers of Chef and Cook Shortages project. 

Table 1: Occupations in Shortage Across 2024 to 2026 

Occupation	Sector	2024 OSL Rating	2025 OSL Rating	2026 OSL Rating
Audio engineer	Arts	National Shortage	National Shortage	No Shortage
Film and video editor	Arts	No Shortage	National Shortage	National Shortage
Lighting technician	Arts	National Shortage	National Shortage	National Shortage
Production coordinator (audio, screen or live performance)	Arts	No Shortage	No Shortage	National Shortage
Production manager (screen or live performance)	Arts	No Shortage	No Shortage	National Shortage
Technical director	Arts	No Shortage	No Shortage	National Shortage
Barber	Personal services	National Shortage	National Shortage	National Shortage
Beauty therapist	Personal services	National Shortage	National Shortage	National Shortage
Dermal therapist	Personal services	National Shortage	National Shortage	National Shortage
Hairdresser	Personal services	National Shortage	National Shortage	National Shortage
Community pharmacist	Retail	National Shortage	National Shortage	National Shortage
Community pharmacy technician	Retail	National Shortage	Regional Shortage	Regional Shortage
Sales and marketing manager	Retail	National Shortage	No Shortage	No Shortage
Tour guide	Tourism	National Shortage	National Shortage	National Shortage
Travel consultant	Tourism	National Shortage	National Shortage	National Shortage
Chef	Hospitality	National Shortage	Regional Shortage	National Shortage
Cook	Hospitality	National Shortage	National Shortage	National Shortage
Hotel or motel manager	Hospitality	National Shortage	No Shortage	No Shortage
Pastrycook	Hospitality	National Shortage	Regional Shortage	National Shortage
Senior chef	Hospitality	National Shortage	Regional Shortage	National Shortage

SaCSA’s role in addressing skills challenges   

While the 2026 OSL provides a national benchmark, SaCSA remains focused on practical, ongoing initiatives to address workforce needs and existing national and regional shortages across our sectors. Looking ahead to 2027, SaCSA will continue to deepen its understanding of labour market trends and workforce development priorities by:  

• Enhancing workforce analysis to inform government and industry about workforce planning, training priorities and skilled migration needs

• Developing tailored training solutions across SaCSA’s sectors to meet industry-specific requirements   

• Fostering cross-sector collaboration through Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) to maximise resources and drive collective solutions.   

As outlined in SaCSA’s Workforce Plan Updates 2025, we are leading projects to explore the drivers contributing to ongoing occupation shortages across our sectors, both nationally and regionally. By combining data-driven analysis with insights from industry, government and unions, our projects are shaping real solutions that strengthen Australia’s workforce.  

By continuing to work closely with JSA and industry stakeholders, SaCSA aims to ensure that shortages in these priority areas are addressed in meaningful ways, supporting long-term workforce sustainability, opportunities and growth.   

Learn more about SaCSA’s current initiatives via our projects page.   

Opportunities for industry   

For businesses and professionals within the arts, personal services, retail, tourism, and hospitality sectors, the 2026 OSL serves as both a signal of workforce need and a pathway for future development. Industry leaders and employers are encouraged to leverage these insights, engage with training opportunities, and collaborate with SaCSA and other industry stakeholders to help tackle these challenges.   

Contact JSA  

To view the complete 2026 OSL and supporting information, visit: Occupation Shortage List | Jobs and Skills Australia.   

For questions about the OSL results, methodology, or related workforce data, contact Jobs and Skills Australia at OccupationShortageList@jobsandskills.gov.au. 

Stakeholder engagement | Jobs and Skills Australia