Australian Computer Society (ACS) Skills Assessment for Skilled Migration
Australian Computer Society (ACS) is a skills assessment body authorized by the Australian Government to assess Skills assessment applications of IT/ICT professionals.
ACS has expertise in assessing the qualifications and work experience of the ICT Professionals who intend to migrate to Australia to work in the ICT sector. ACS assesses multiple ICT professional occupations for the skills assessment purpose.
What is ACS Skills Assessment?
In simple terms, ACS skills assessment means that the Australian Computer Society will assess and validate that your qualification, work experience, and duties that you want to claim as an IT professional for immigration purposes are according to the standards set by the Australian Government for the related nominated occupations on the relevant Skilled Occupation List.
The application’s outcome will indicate whether or not your credentials match the criteria set for the ICT professionals.
Why ACS Skills assessment is required?
- It is a requirement that must be fulfilled before applying for a Skilled Visa.
- It validates that you are a genuine ICT professional with the required skills.
- Your ACS approval letter will accompany your Visa application to the Department of home affairs.
- It may give you additional points based on the number of years of work experience in ICT.
Brilliant MIgration club highly recommends claiming maximum points against your post qualification work experience.
Is ACS Skills Assessment Process Complicated?
Believe it or not, it is complicated for most of the applicants because ACS assesses the applications based on specific criteria that we feel are not disclosed openly. This eventually filters out the best applicants out of the thousands of applicants from all around the world.
How does Brilliant Migration Club process ACS applications?
Brilliant Migration Club has helped hundreds of applicants to get their positive skills assessment. Following are our strengths related to ACS.
- We provide end-to-end solutions related to your migration goals, from selecting the right ICT profession for skills assessment to identifying the right areas where the demand and chances of approvals are high.
- Unlike other Migration consultancies, one of the directors of Brilliant Migration Club has twenty-five years of IT Experience that helps achieve a positive outcome for our clients.
- Brilliant Migration Club has its own in-house software developers working on our own projects, and we understand the IT-related requirements very well. We don’t need to consult outsiders to understand your profession and the ACS requirements.
Types of ACS Skills Assessment Applications
ACS processes four types of applications. In most cases, applicants requiring to migrate to Australia require the “SKILLS Assessment” Application process.
Skills Based Application
If you have an overseas ICT qualification and ICT work experience but do not have any professional year certificate (from an Australian Provider). In that case, you can get your qualification and work experience assessed with the “Skills Based Application” type.
Temporary graduate 485
You can go for a “Temporary Graduate 485” skills assessment if you have an Australian ICT qualification with no work experience.
Post-Australian Study
The “post-Australian study” (Psw) is a type of skills assessment application in which Australian qualification and work experience, or professional year program is required.
Recognition of Prior Learning
If you do not have ICT-relevant qualifications but have work experience in the ICT sector, you can assess your skills through the RPL skills assessment application. An ACS project report form is required for this type of skills assessment.
Eligibility Criteria for ACS Skills Assessment Applicants:
The ACS skills assessment process includes assessing your qualifications, employment, and work experience against the suitability of ANZSCO requirements of your nominated occupation.
Qualification assessment includes assessing the level of your qualification comparability with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and assessment regarding the relevance of your courses against the nominated occupation.
Employment assessment may include your onshore or offshore employment to evaluate the relevance of your work experience against the ANZSCO requirements of the nominated occupation.
The following table describes the minimum qualification and work experience requirements according to ICT relevance by ACS.
Minimum required qualification for AQF level |
Required ICT Course Content |
Qualification Relevance to ANZSCO |
Required Relevant Work Experience |
Application Type |
Australian bachelor’s degree or higher |
ICT Major |
Closely related to the nominated occupation |
Not Required |
Temporary Graduate – 485 |
Australian bachelor’s degree or higher |
ICT Major |
Closely related to the nominated occupation |
1-year relevant ICT work experience required after the completion of Australian qualification or ACS Professional Year Program |
Post Australian Study Skills Assessment |
Non-Australian bachelor’s 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 |
Non-Australian bachelor’s 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 |
Non-Australian bachelor’s 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 |
Non-Australian bachelor’s degree or higher |
ICT Minor |
Not closely related to the nominated occupation |
6 years relevant ICT work experience completed anytime in past work history |
Skills |
Diploma, Advanced Diploma or 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 or 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 higher |
Not Required |
Not Required |
6 years relevant ICT work experience completed anytime in past work history plus a successful RPL application |
RPL |
N/A |
Not Required |
Not Required |
8 years relevant ICT work experience completed anytime in past work history plus a successful RPL application |
RPL |
Steps Required for ACS Skills Assessment Application:
Step-1: Match your occupation
The first step is to check whether your ICT occupation is included in one of the “Skills Occupation lists” for the relevant Visa type that you want to apply for.
Brilliant Migration Club can help you assess your relevant occupation listed on the ICT professional occupations list and meet the complex criteria of the nominated occupation according to ACS requirements and guidelines.
Step-2 Check your Required documents list
You are required to submit the following documents for your skill assessment application. All the documents must be high-quality colored scans of original documents.
Step-3 Identity/Personal documents:
- Passport bio-page scan.
- CV/Resume.
- Change of Name evidence (If applicable).
- Priority Request application evidence (if applicable).
Step-4 Qualification documents
- Degree/Award certificate.
- Title of the qualification.
- Name of University or Institution.
- Date the qualification was completed.
- Academic Transcripts.
- Title of the qualification.
- Name of University or Institution.
- Date the qualification was completed.
- Subject names and grades or marks achieved.
Step-5 Employment documents required for ACS Skills Assessment
- Employer reference letter.
- Start and Finish Dates of Employment.
- Details of Duties Performed.
- The number of hours worked per week.
- Employment Type – Full time or Part-time.
- Country of employment.
- Must be on employer’s letterhead and signed by the authorized signatory along with his name, job title, and contact information.
- Payment Evidence – e.g., Payslips, Bank Statements, Taxation Records, insurance, or superannuation records, etc.
Documents required in case of Self-Employment
If you are running your own business as an individual or in partnership, you need to submit the following documents,
- Self-written Statutory Declaration.
- Start and Finish Dates of Self-Employment.
- Occupation of Self-Employment.
- Nature and duties you performed at work.
- Number of staff employed and their occupations (if applicable).
- Business registration certificates.
- Accountant statement on the letterhead.
- Client’s references.
- Payment evidence from the clients.
- Evidence working with the clients.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Form in case of NO ICT Qualification:
If you are applying through RPL application type, you must be careful about,
- The latest version of the RPL form must be used (refer to our website)
- The knowledge and project sections must comply with our guidelines
Note: If any of the documents are not in the English language, you need to submit the original document along with its translation into English from accredited translators.
Priority Processing – ACS Skills Assessment Applications
The priority processing request option is only for the applicants having a visa deadline of less than 12 weeks. You must submit evidence of your visa deadline along with your ACS skill assessment application.
Application Processing Time – ACS Skills Assessment Applications
Assessment Type |
Approx. processing time |
Skills Assessments |
10 – 12 Weeks |
Priority Processing |
10 Business Days |
Cost or Fee Structure – ACS Skill Assessment
Assessment Type |
Assessment Method |
Fee (Inclusive GST) AUD |
Temporary graduate 485 |
Online Application |
475 |
Post-Australian study |
Online Application |
500 |
Skills |
Online Application |
500 |
Recognition of Prior Learning |
Online Application |
550 |
Review application |
Online Application |
395 |
Appeal application |
Online Application |
395 |
Note: The above-given fee is only the ACS fee for skill assessment application.