Overview of Skills Assessments for Information and Communication Technology Professionals

A positive or suitable skills assessment is the mandatory first important for every person intending to apply for a General Skilled Migration (GSM) permanent visa under the SkillSelect program.

For ICT or computing professionals, a skills assessment application should be lodged with the Australian Computer Society (ACS), as they are the skills assessing authority for all ICT occupations for migration purposes.


ACS skills assessments

The ACS categorises applicants into four broad categories:

  • Applicants with at least a bachelor's degree in information technology (IT), where the degree is equivalent to at least an Australian bachelor's degree.
  • Applicants with at least a bachelor's degree with a minor in IT, or a diploma with a major in IT where the diploma is equivalent to at least an Australian diploma.
  • Eligible recent computing graduates of Australian universities.
  • Applicants with tertiary qualifications in disciplines other than IT, or those with no recognised tertiary qualifications.

Applicants are generally expected to have sufficient relevant professional work experience in order to their skills assessment for permanent migration to be successful.


How many years of IT work experience do I need?

If you have a bachelor's degree or higher with a major in IT:

  • you will need at least 2 years of professional IT work experience within the last 10 years if your degree major is relevant to your nominated occupation.
  • you will need at least 4 years of professional IT work experience if your degree major is not relevant to your nominated occupation.

If you have a bachelor's degree with a minor in IT:

  • and your degree is relevant to your nominated occupation, you will need at least 5 years of professional IT work experience within the last 10 years.
  • and your degree is not relevant to your nominated occupation, you will need at least 6 years of professional IT work experience.

If you have a diploma with a major in IT:

  • and your diploma is relevant to your nominated occupation, you will need at least 5 years of professional IT work experience within the last 10 years.
  • and your diploma is not relevant to your nominated occupation, you will need at least 6 years of professional IT work experience.

Applicants who possess a degree or diploma in any discipline other than IT will need 6 years of professional IT work experience.

For applicants who do not have any recognised tertiary qualifications, 8 years of professional IT work experience is required.

It is crucial that IT work experience must be at a professional level and closely related to the desired nominated occupation.


What is RPL?

RPL stands for Recognition of Prior Learning, and is the pathway for a skills assessment from the ACS for applicants who:

  • have a degree or diploma in a non-IT discipline; or
  • do not have a degree or diploma in any discipline; or
  • have an incomplete or unrecognised tertiary qualification.

The RPL is not an exam per se. It consists of a lengthy form where applicants need to demonstrate their prior knowledge of what is called the Core Body of Knowledge (CBOK) expected of all IT professionals in Australia.

ACS assessments are complex and in our experience, applicants benefit immensely with proper and competent advice. Arlington Legal has a long, very successful and possibly unrivalled record of assisting clients with their ACS skills assessment applications, including RPLs, since 2004. Our clients have often expressed to us their immeasurable relief when they receive news of their positive ACS skills assessment.


Initial Assessment Service

If you would like to get an initial assessment on your eligibility for an ACS skills assessment, please use our Initial Assessment service:


ICT Occupation Codes

A list of ICT occupation codes can be viewed here.