OSCA 851231: Kitchenhand (General)
Assists kitchen and service staff in preparing and serving food. This record sits in Food Preparation Assistants. Related ANZSIC industry links are included for faster classification cross-checking. Skill level 5 is attached to this occupation record.
Should you use OSCA or ANZSCO?
OSCA 2024 is the current Australian occupation classification for storing, organising and reporting occupation information. Use this OSCA record for current Australian statistical and analytical classification work.
Some migration and administrative programs still specify ANZSCO 2022. Check the exact system named by the agency or form rather than replacing the code automatically.
Official ANZSCO correspondence
Role overview
Assists kitchen and service staff in preparing and serving food.
Use this page to confirm the official title, the parent unit group, the task list and the related ANZSIC industry context before using the occupation in classification, reporting or migration-adjacent workflows.
Occupation facts
- Skill level
- 5
- Major group
- 8 Labourers
- Sub-major group
- 85 Fast Food Cooks and Food Preparation Assistants
- Minor group
- 851 Fast Food Cooks and Food Preparation Assistants
- Unit group
- 8512 Food Preparation Assistants
Tasks
- Assists in the preparation of food by chopping, peeling and slicing ingredients
- Assists with simple tasks relating to the cooking, baking, plating and presentation of food
- Assists in stocking and replenishing food supplies and ingredients
- Assists in the setup and pack down of kitchen stations
- Follows the instructions of other kitchen staff
- Follows food safety and hygiene standards
- May assist in the packaging and plating of food for delivery or service in hospitals, aged care facilities and off-site events
Skill level guidance
Skill level helps place the occupation inside the ABS hierarchy. Use it as a classification cue, then check the actual task list and occupational context before making a decision for HR, visa or reporting work.
How to use this occupation page
Start with the official OSCA title and task list. Then confirm the parent unit group and compare the related occupations on this page if the job title is broad, overlapping or used differently across employers.
The ANZSIC links are there to help when the same occupation appears across several industries and you need the business-side classification as well.
Related occupations
Industry context
Alternative titles
No alternative titles are currently attached.
Compare before choosing
Compare OSCA 851231 with related occupations
Compare roles in the same OSCA unit group by their official definition, skill level, tasks and recognised alternative titles.
| Comparison point | Current code851231 Kitchenhand (General) | 851232 Dishwasher | 851233 Pastrycook's Assistant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official role definition | Assists kitchen and service staff in preparing and serving food. | Cleans dishes, cutlery and kitchen equipment after use. | Assists a Pastrycook by performing routine tasks in the kitchen, such as preparing ingredients, and cleaning and storing equipment. |
| Skill level | Skill Level 5 | Skill Level 5 | Skill Level 5 |
| Key tasks |
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| Alternative titles | Not stated |
| Not stated |
Comparison uses occupation definitions, skill levels, tasks and title variants from the ABS OSCA data files.
Compliance risk score
4 of 4 factors passing
In this section
Frequently asked questions
What does OSCA 851231 do?
Kitchenhand (General) is the current ABS occupation record used to describe a specific occupation. It sits in the OSCA hierarchy and carries skill-level context plus related titles and tasks.
How should I read the skill level?
The skill level tells you the educational or training depth that the ABS associates with the occupation. It is a classification signal, not a salary band or a qualification checklist on its own.
Why is industry context shown on an occupation page?
Industry context helps when the title is common or ambiguous. It shows where the occupation is typically employed so you can compare it with the right ANZSIC family.
Source and trust
- Official source
- ABS OSCA 2024 release and correspondence tables
- Last reviewed
- 2026-04-17
This site is an independent reference resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the ABS, ATO or any Australian Government agency.
Please verify critical classification decisions with the official authority before using them for tax, payroll, licensing, immigration or compliance work.