International Standard Classification of Occupations

The Government of India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to collaborate on the development of the International Reference Classification of Occupations. The initiative is expected to enhance global skill comparability and expand employment opportunities for Indian youth.

Follow-Up to G20 Commitment
This collaboration comes nearly two years after G20 leaders under India’s presidency in 2023 pledged to work towards creating regular and skills-based migration pathways. The new classification will support this vision by improving global recognition of skills and enabling smoother labour mobility.

Improving Data and Skill Recognition
The International Reference Classification aims to:

• Improve comparability of occupational data across countries.
• Facilitate mutual recognition of skills, helping Indian workers integrate more seamlessly into international labour markets.
• Provide a framework for statisticians to generate internationally comparable data on occupations.

Part of ISCO Framework
The initiative builds on the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO), which provides a global structure for describing and organizing information about jobs. ISCO allows occupational data to be produced in ways that are valuable both for research and for policy-making in employment, education, and migration.