The Australian Computer Society (ACS) is the assessing authority for ICT and software occupations. Here's how the pathways, experience deduction, fees and evidence work — and where applicants trip up.
ACS verifies that your qualifications and ICT work experience match your nominated ANZSCO occupation. A positive ACS result is required before you can claim that occupation in a points-tested skilled visa such as the 189, 190 or 491.
Two things drive the outcome: whether your qualification is assessed as an ICT major closely related to your occupation, and how many years of relevant employment you hold. Together they determine your pathway, your fee, and — crucially — the date from which your experience starts counting for points.
Official information: see the ACS Migration Skills Assessment pages and the ACS occupations and ANZSCO codes list.
Book a consultation for an honest check of your occupation, the best pathway and how much of your experience will actually count.
You choose a pathway based on your qualification and experience. The fee is paid when you start the application.
| Pathway | Best for | Key requirements | Fee (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualification Only | Australian VET graduates | Australian diploma or associate degree | $625 |
| Post Australian Study | Recent Australian graduates | Australian bachelor's+ and ≥1 year experience or an ACS Professional Year | $1,136 |
| General Skills | Most overseas applicants | Overseas/Australian qualification and ≥2 years experience | $1,498 |
| Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) | No relevant ICT qualification | RPL form with 2 project reports and ≥6 years experience | $625 |
Appeals: Level 1 AUD $516, Level 2 AUD $620. Fees are set by ACS and reviewed periodically — confirm current amounts on the ACS fees page before applying.
ACS doesn't just confirm your occupation — it sets the date your skilled experience is recognised from. Before that "skill met" date, your employment generally does not count towards migration points.
ACS deducts a number of years of work experience depending on how your qualification is assessed:
This is why two people with identical résumés can end up with very different points scores. We model your likely deduction before you apply, so there are no surprises.
Say you have 8 years of software development experience and ACS deducts 4 years as the requirement. Only the 4 years after your skill-met date count for points — which can be the difference between 5 and 10 points for experience.
Plan around it and you can time your EOI for when you cross the next points threshold.
Estimate your points →A selection of the ANZSCO occupations ACS assesses. Search the full list to confirm yours.
| ANZSCO | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 261313 | Software Engineer |
| 261312 | Developer Programmer |
| 261311 | Analyst Programmer |
| 261111 | ICT Business Analyst |
| 261112 | Systems Analyst |
| 263111 | Computer Network and Systems Engineer |
| 262111 | Database Administrator |
| 262112 | ICT Security Specialist |
| 261211 | Multimedia Specialist |
| 135111 | Chief Information Officer (ICT management) |
Find your exact code and confirm ACS is the authority using our ANZSCO occupation search.
Strong, consistent evidence is what gets a clean ACS outcome. We confirm exactly what applies to you.
ACS reference-letter and document requirements are specific. Reusing a generic HR letter is the single most common cause of delay — we draft letters to ACS criteria.
ACS is the authority for ICT and software occupations, including Software Engineer (261313), Developer Programmer (261312), Analyst Programmer (261311), ICT Business Analyst (261111), Systems Analyst (261112), Computer Network and Systems Engineer (263111), Database Administrator (262111), ICT Security Specialist (262112) and ICT management roles, among others.
It depends on the pathway: Qualification Only AUD $625, Post Australian Study AUD $1,136, General Skills AUD $1,498, and RPL AUD $625. A Level 1 appeal is AUD $516 and a Level 2 appeal AUD $620. Fees are set by ACS and can change.
ACS deducts a number of years from your skilled employment before it's considered to be at the appropriate level. The amount depends on whether your qualification is assessed as an ICT major and how closely it relates to your occupation. Employment after that "skill met" date is what counts towards your points.
ACS indicates outcomes can be issued in as little as around 15 days, but timing depends on the quality and completeness of your documents and whether more information is requested.
Yes — the RPL pathway is for applicants without a relevant ICT qualification. It requires professional currency evidence, an RPL form with two project reports, and generally at least six years of relevant ICT employment.
The general rules are above. These next calls decide your outcome — and they need your documents to answer. Guess wrong and it can cost months and fees:
Last reviewed: June 2026 — authority rules and fees change; we confirm the current position for your case.
A developer with 8 years' experience assumed all of it counted. ACS treated the degree as not closely related and deducted 4 years — halving the experience points claimed. Modelled in advance, the EOI could have been timed differently.
Illustrative only; outcomes depend on your individual circumstances.
Book a confidential consultation with a registered migration agent. We'll confirm your occupation, choose the right pathway, and map exactly how much of your experience counts for points.