The International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) is an International Labour Organization (ILO) classification structure for organizing information on labour and jobs. It is part of the international family of economic and social classifications of the United Nations. The current version, known as ISCO-08, was published in 2008 and is the fourth iteration, following ISCO-58, ISCO-68 and ISCO-88.
The ILO describes the purpose of the ISCO classification as:
a tool for organizing jobs into a clearly defined set of groups according to the tasks and duties undertaken in the job. It is intended for use in statistical applications and in a variety of client oriented applications. Client oriented applications include the matching of job seekers with job vacancies, the management of short or long term migration of workers between countries and the development of vocational training programmes and guidance.
The ISCO is the basis for many national occupation classifications as well as applications in specific domains such as reporting of teaching, agricultural and healthcare workforce information. The ISCO-08 revision is expected to be the standard for labour information worldwide in the coming decade, for instance as applied to incoming data from the 2010 Global Round of National Population Censuses.
The ISCO-08 divides jobs into 10 major groups:
1-Managers2-Professionals3-Technicians and associate professionals4-Clerical support workers5-Service and sales workers6-Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers7-Craft and related trades workers8-Plant and machine operators, and assemblers9-Elementary occupations0-Armed forces occupationsEach major group is further organized into sub-major, minor and unit (not shown) groups. The basic criteria used to define the system are the skill level and specialization required to competently perform the tasks and duties of the occupations.
MANAGERS
11 Chief executives, senior officials and legislators111 Legislators and senior officials112 Managing directors and chief executives12 Administrative and commercial managers121 Business services and administration managers122 Sales, marketing and development managers13 Production and specialized services managers131 Production managers in agriculture, forestry and fisheries132 Manufacturing, mining, construction, and distribution managers133 Information and communications technology service managers134 Professional services managers14 Hospitality, retail and other services managers141 Hotel and restaurant managers142 Retail and wholesale trade managers143 Other services managersPROFESSIONALS
21 Science and engineering professionals211 Physical and earth science professionals212 Mathematicians, actuaries and statisticians213 Life science professionals214 Engineering professionals (excluding electrotechnology)215 Electrotechnology engineers216 Architects, planners, surveyors and designers22 Health professionals221 Medical doctors222 Nursing and midwifery professionals223 Traditional and complementary medicine professionals224 Paramedical practitioners225 Veterinarians226 Other health professionals227 Medical Assistant professionals23 Teaching professionals231 University and higher education teachers232 Vocational education teachers233 Secondary education teachers234 Primary school and early childhood teachers235 Other teaching professionals24 Business and administration professionals241 Finance professionals242 Administration professionals243 Sales, marketing and public relations professionals25 Information and communications technology professionals251 Software and applications developers and analysts252 Database and network professionals26 Legal, social and cultural professionals261 Legal professionals262 Librarians, archivists and curators263 Social and religious professionals264 Authors, journalists and linguists265 Creative and performing artistsTECHNICIANS AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSIONALS
31 Science and engineering associate professionals311 Physical and engineering science technicians312 Mining, manufacturing and construction supervisors313 Process control technicians314 Life science technicians and related associate professionals315 Ship and aircraft controllers and technicians32 Health associate professionals321 Medical and pharmaceutical technicians322 Nursing and midwifery associate professionals323 Traditional and complementary medicine associate professionals324 Veterinary technicians and assistants325 Other health associate professionals33 Business and administration associate professionals331 Financial and mathematical associate professionals332 Sales and purchasing agents and brokers333 Business services agents334 Administrative and specialized secretaries335 Regulatory government associate professionals34 Legal, social, cultural and related associate professionals341 Legal, social and religious associate professionals342 Sports and fitness workers343 Artistic, cultural and culinary associate professionals35 Information and communications technicians351 Information and communications technology operations and user support technicians352 Telecommunications and broadcasting techniciansCLERICAL SUPPORT WORKERS
41 General and keyboard clerks411 General office clerks412 Secretaries (general)413 Keyboard operators42 Customer services clerks421 Tellers, money collectors and related clerks422 Client information workers43 Numerical and material recording clerks431 Numerical clerks432 Material-recording and transport clerks44 Other clerical support workers441 Other clerical support workersSERVICE AND SALES WORKERS
51 Personal service workers511 Travel attendants, conductors and guides512 Cooks513 Waiters and bartenders514 Hairdressers, beauticians and related workers515 Building and housekeeping supervisors516 Other personal services workers52 Sales workers521 Street and market salespersons522 Shop salespersons523 Cashiers and ticket clerks524 Other sales workers53 Personal care workers531 Child care workers and teachers' aides532 Personal care workers in health services54 Protective services workers541 Protective services workersSKILLED AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY AND FISHERY WORKERS
61 Market-oriented skilled agricultural workers611 Market gardeners and crop growers612 Animal producers613 Mixed crop and animal producers62 Market-oriented skilled forestry, fishery and hunting workers621 Forestry and related workers622 Fishery workers, hunters and trappers63 Subsistence farmers, fishers, hunters and gatherers631 Subsistence crop farmers632 Subsistence livestock farmers633 Subsistence mixed crop and livestock farmers634 Subsistence fishers, hunters, trappers and gatherersCRAFT AND RELATED TRADES WORKERS
71 Building and related trades workers, excluding electricians711 Building frame and related trades workers712 Building finishers and related trades workers713 Painters, building structure cleaners and related trades workers72 Metal, machinery and related trades workers721 Sheet and structural metal workers, moulders and welders, and related workers722 Blacksmiths, toolmakers and related trades workers723 Machinery mechanics and repairers73 Handicraft and printing workers731 Handicraft workers732 Printing trades workers74 Electrical and electronic trades workers741 Electrical equipment installers and repairers742 Electronics and telecommunications installers and repairers75 Food processing, wood working, garment and other craft and related trades workers751 Food processing and related trades workers752 Wood treaters, cabinet-makers and related trades workers753 Garment and related trades workers754 Other craft and related workersPLANT AND MACHINE OPERATORS AND ASSEMBLERS
81 Stationary plant and machine operators811 Mining and mineral processing plant operators812 Metal processing and finishing plant operators813 Chemical and photographic products plant and machine operators814 Rubber, plastic and paper products machine operators815 Textile, fur and leather products machine operators816 Food and related products machine operators817 Wood processing and papermaking plant operators818 Other stationary plant and machine operators82 Assemblers821 Assemblers84 Drivers and mobile plant operators831 Locomotive engine drivers and related workers832 Car, van and motorcycle drivers833 Heavy truck and bus drivers834 Mobile plant operators835 Ships' deck crews and related workersELEMENTARY OCCUPATIONS
91 Cleaners and helpers911 Domestic, hotel and office cleaners and helpers912 Vehicle, window, laundry and other hand cleaning workers92 Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers921 Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers93 Labourers in mining, construction, manufacturing and transport931 Mining and construction labourers932 Manufacturing labourers933 Transport and storage labourers94 Food preparation assistants941 Food preparation assistants95 Street and related sales and service workers951 Street and related service workers952 Street vendors (excluding food)96 Refuse workers and other elementary workers961 Refuse workers962 Other elementary workersARMED FORCES OCCUPATIONS
01 Commissioned armed forces officers011 Commissioned armed forces officers02 Non-commissioned armed forces officers021 Non-commissioned armed forces officers03 Armed forces occupations, other ranks031 Armed forces occupations, other ranks