Are you an IT or Data Science professional who is thinking about migrating to Australia?
Before you apply for a visa, you may need to undertake a migration skills assessment. Australian Computer Society (ACS) is here to help.
Important: Are you an agent? Please access our agent portal.
ACS is the professional association for tech professionals, championing the technologies, people and skills critical to powering Australia’s future. ACS is authorised to assess the skills and qualifications of IT and Data Science professionals on behalf of the Australian Government, underpinned by SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age).
A complimentary 12-month ACS membership is offered as part of your ACS Migration Skills Assessment. ACS members enjoy a wide range of membership benefits including exclusive events, offers, training and career development opportunities.
The ACS Migration Skills Assessment is a critical step in applying for your visa. It is a process for assessing and validating your IT qualifications and work experience to determine your eligibility for skilled migration to Australia.
ACS assesses a specific list of Data Science and IT occupations. Before you apply for the ACS Migration Skills Assessment, it’s important to make sure ACS is the right assessing authority for you.
If you are a recent graduate, look for occupations that match your qualifications.
When applying for your ACS Migration Skills Assessment, you will need to select an assessment pathway. The pathway you choose will depend on your levels of experience and IT qualifications. You will need to know your application pathway before you apply.
If you are a leader in your field, or a top-ranked professional that could foster innovation and job creation in Australia, you may be able to obtain a visa through the Global Talent Program.
Discover an exclusive pathway to a permanent visa for distinguished individuals.
You can start the process now and come back to it any time you like. All you need is proof of ID and a way to pay your application fee – Visa, Mastercard, American Express and PayPal are all accepted.
For information on the different kinds of visas available and requirements for migration to Australia, visit the website of the Department of Home Affairs.
Please note that ACS provides details on the eligibility requirements in applying for a skills assessment under the Migration Skills Assessment program but does provide specific information on migration or visa requirements.
Why is ACS Migration Skills Assessment important?If you are a skilled IT or Data Science professional or international student who wishes to migrate to Australia, you will need to have your skills and knowledge assessed through the ACS Migration Skills Assessment BEFORE you can apply for a visa.
How much time does ACS Migration Skills Assessment take?For applications that do not require any requests for additional documentation or information, please allow between 4 - 6 weeks for the skills assessment to be completed.
How do I apply for ACS Migration Skills AssessmentApplication for ACS Migration Skills Assessment can be made through the ACS Application Migration Skills Assessment portal.
How much experience is needed for ACS Migration Skills Assessment?That depends on the Application Pathway you choose to follow. Explore the different Application Pathways.
How does ACS assess IT skills?The ACS Migration Skills Assessment will review your personal identification documents and then assess if your educational qualifications and/or work experience are at a professional ICT level and closely related to the nominated occupation (ANZSCO) for migration purposes.
ACS will review your qualification(s) to determine the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) comparability. The course units of your qualification are assessed to determine whether the professional ICT content is considered an ICT professional unit or not. The outcome of the Assessment will note if your qualification is a Major, Minor or if the ICT content is Insufficient.
An ACS Assessor will review which ICT units are considered closely related to your nominated occupation. Once your qualification(s) have been assessed as outlined above, the assessor will then determine the amount of relevant work experience required to meet the suitability criteria. Your employment episode(s) are then assessed to determine if they are considered closely related and at the appropriate skill level, to your nominated occupation, underpinned by SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age).
Please Note: Due to the complex nature of the assessment process, ACS cannot advise if your qualification or work experience is suitable UNTIL AFTER a full assessment has been completed.
Can you tell me if I will be suitable before I submit my application?Due to the extensive and complex nature of an ICT skills assessment, it is not possible to offer pre-assessment advice. A formal assessment needs to be completed before any advice is provided.
Is ACS the correct assessing body for my application?If your occupation is on one of the following lists, ACS is your correct assessing authority:
If your occupation is not on one of the above lists, visit the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) List of Eligible Skilled Occupations to find your correct assessing authority.
For information regarding skilled occupations, visit Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Before you submit your ICT skills assessmentACS conduct skills assessment on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs as part of the overall visa application process. ACS determines if an applicant has the required ICT qualifications and experience needed for employment in Australia.
Check with the Department of Home Affairs if you need a skills assessment before you apply for your visa.
Once you understand your requirements and have read and understood the Skills Assessment Guidelines for Applicants, you can start your ACS Migration Skills Assessment application.
Are you reapplying for a skills assessment?If you decide to reapply and you have a previous completed assessment and/or have an existing account with the ACS, you will need to log into the applicant portal, and start a new application.
Login via the applicant portal using your email address and password.
Does ACS require an English language test for a skills assessment?No. ACS does not require any English language tests for skills assessments.
If my partner is the primary applicant, do I need my skills assessed? Can I claim points for my partner’s skills assessment?
Each applicant is assessed on an individual basis and must meet the ACS assessment criteria.
Do you have a minimum age requirement?Only professional ICT work experience undertaken from 18 years and over is applicable.
Can I have my ACS Skills Assessment application assessed as a priority?A priority request is ONLY available for Australian visa deadlines less than 12 weeks from the date of application. Applicants must allow at least 2 weeks’ notice of the deadline. If your visa is due to expire, this will be automatically checked when you submit your application, and your application will be accepted for priority processing.
Is there a fee for priority processing?No. This is a courtesy service to help applicants with visa deadlines for priority processing.
