Skills Assessment for IT and Computing Professionals

The Australian computer and technology sector is rapidly growing giving migrants more and more opportunity to migrate to Australia. You will also be able to apply for permanent residence when eligible.

Australian visa pathways for IT professionals

There are a number of visa pathways for visa applicants if your occupation is on the medium and long-term strategic skills list which include the:

  • Skilled Work Regional Visa Subclass 491
  • Skilled Nominated Visa subclass 190
  • Skilled Independent Visa subclass 189.

Where your occupation is on the short-term skilled occupation list Australia encourages skilled migration, you can apply for a skilled visa subclass 189 or 190 from the Department of Home Affairs. You can also apply through the employer sponsored pathway due to the high demand for qualified IT professionals.

IT professions on the skilled occupations list

To apply for a visa you must have experience closely related to the nominated occupation on the current skilled occupation list. Depending on whether your occupation is on the medium and long-term strategic skills list or short-term skilled occupation listwill determine what options you have for visa applications.

As part of you visa application you will have your skills assessed by the Australian Computer Society (ACS). The following are the types of occupations in high demand assessable by the ACS.

Item Number Occupation ANZECO Code
1 IC T Project Manager 135112
2 ICT Manager 135199
3 ICT Trainer 223211
4 Web Developer 261212
5 Software Tester 261314
6 Database Administrator 262111
7 Systems Administrator 262113
8 Network Administrator 263112
9 Network Analyst 263113
10 ICT Quality Assurance Engineer 263211
11 ICT Support Engineer 26212
12 ICT Systems Test Engineer 263213
13 ICT Support And Test Engineers(nec) 263299
14 Web Administrator 313113
15 Multimedia Specialist 261211
16 Chief Information Officer 135111
17 Software Engineer 261313
18 Software Tester 261314
19 Analyst Programmer 261311
20 System Analyst 261112

Australian Computer Society skills assessment pathways for IT professionals

As part of your visa application, you need to pass a skills assessment from the ACS. There are four application types for skills assessment requirements for IT professionals which will also assess the relevant work experience completed based on the information you provide. You will need to make a skills assessment application for one of the following:

Temporary graduate. The temporary graduate pathway is suitable if you have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher in Australia.

Post Australian study. For post Australian study eligibility, you must have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher in Australia and you need a skills assessment to migrate to Australia. You will also need relevant IT employment history with years of relevant work or to have completed an ACS Professional Year Program.

Skills assessment. ACS will conduct a skills assessment to assess your tertiary IT qualifications and employment.

Recognition of prior learning. Recognition of prior learning may be suitable where you have insufficient or no IT qualifications but have work experience only.

The following is a summary of the criteria requirements for an ACS IT skills assessment.

Required Level of AQF Required ICT Content Required Qualification Closely Related to ANZSCO Required Relevant Work Experience Application Type
Australian Bachelor Degree or higher ICT Major Closely related to the nominated occupation

 

No work experience required Temporary Graduate – 485
Australian Bachelor Degree or higher ICT Major

 

Closely related to the nominated occupation1 year relevant ICT work experience completed after the completion date of the relevant Australian qualification or completion of an ACS Professional Year Program Post Australian Study Skills Assessment
Bachelor Degree or higher ICT Major Closely related to the nominated occupation 2 years relevant ICT work experience completed in the last 10 years OR 4 years relevant ICT work experience completed anytime in past work history Skills
Bachelor Degree or higher ICT Major NOT closely related to the nominated occupation 4 years relevant ICT work experience completed anytime in past work history Skills
Bachelor Degree or higher ICT Minor Closely related to the nominated occupation 5 years relevant ICT work experience completed in the last 10 years OR 6 years relevant ICT work experience completed anytime in past work history Skills
Bachelor Degree or higher ICT Minor NOT closely related to the nominated occupation Require 6 years relevant ICT work experience completed anytime in past work history

 

Skills
ICT Diploma or higher
Advanced Diploma Associate Degree
ICT Major Closely related to the nominated occupation 5 years relevant ICT work experience completed in the last 10 years OR 6 years relevant ICT work experience completed anytime in past work history

 

Skills
Diploma Advanced Diploma Associate Degree ICT Major NOT closely related to the nominated occupation 6 years relevant ICT work experience completed anytime in past work history Skills
Non-ICT Diploma or highern/an/a 6 years relevant ICT work experience completed anytime in past work history plus a successful RPL application RPL applications
n/an/an/a 8 years relevant ICT work experience completed anytime in past work history plus a successful RPL application RPL

How we can help

With so many visa choices available when applying to work in Australia as an IT profession, the process is complex and can be confusing to navigate. The specialists at Direct Migration Experts can help you every step of the way. We are registered migration experts and can assess your situation to help you make the right choices and decisions. We can also assist with the documents you need and in making your EOI, visa application and skills assessment.

There is no time like the present!

Contact Direct Migration Experts today – our experts are ready to assist you with all your migration enquiries on 1300 015 592 or complete the form in the button link below.