Computing Professionals- Skills Assessment for IT Occupations

Information for  Information Technology Professionals regarding visas and immigration to Australia.

The skills assessment criteria for IT professionals are specific, rather complex and can be confusing, especially as it relates to the deeming dated and claiming of work experience points.

There are 2 main pathways to a successful skills assessment - the RPL pathway and the recognized academic qualification pathway

Applicants who apply for RPL and do not hold a recognised academic tertiary qualification will have deducted from their total work experience a period of relevant IT professional experience deemed necessary to have reached the level of qualification allocated. For example, if an applicant is allocated a qualification level equivalent to a 2-year diploma, they will have two years deducted from the total of their recognized work experience, and therefore eight years in total will be needed.

Applications from recent graduates (those studying a Bachelor degree, Graduate Diploma or Masters degree majoring in IT) The result letter is valid for migration purposes for 6 months from the date of course completion.

MINIMUM AUSTRALIAN ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Education

The entry requirements

  • for information technologists – is a recognised three-year Bachelor degree with a major in information technology, or its equivalent, from an Australian or equivalent university; or
  • an AQF Advanced Diploma or an AQF Diploma, or equivalent and four (4) years relevant work experience.

Registration

  • Not normally required for IT professionals.
  • Membership of the Australian Computer Society (ACS) may enhance employment prospects
  • Register with us now for specific advice regards your position

SKILL LEVEL REQUIRED FOR VISA PURPOSES

SUITABLE

Full professional members of the Australian Computer Society.  Members must be current financial members and must provide documentation to prove their claim.  ACS professional membership grades are Fellow (FACS) and Member (MACS).  Assessing officer need not look beyond membership to any formal qualifications held.

Full professional membership of the British Computer Society, Hong Kong Computer Society, New Zealand Computer Society or Singapore Computer Society no longer satisfies the criteria for migration purposes.

Minimum requirements:

  1. Applicants with an Australian Bachelor degree, or Graduate Diploma, or higher qualification, with a major in information technology (see examples below); or
  2. an overseas qualification assessed as being comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree, or Graduate Diploma, or higher qualification, with a major in information technology (see examples below).
  3. in addition to above at least 48 Months of relevant work experience

Examples of relevant field include

  • Applied Science (Computing)
  • Applied Science (Computer Science)
  • Applied Science (Information Systems)
  • Business (Data Processing) (old)
  • Business (Electronic Data Processing) (old)
  • Business (Information Systems)
  • Computer Science
  • Computer Science Engineering
  • Information
  • Information Systems
  • Information Technology
  • Management Information Systems
  • Software Engineering

(Note: Graduate qualifications should contain at least a major in information technology, and a major objective should be to educate persons to be practitioners in information technology.)

or

Associate grade of the Australian Computer Society (AACS). Such applicants must be currently financial and must provide documentation to prove their claim.  Assessing officers need not look beyond membership for any formal qualification held.

Associate grade of the British Computer Society, Hong Kong Computer Society, New Zealand Computer Society or Singapore Computer Society no longer satisfies the minimum requirements for migration purposes.

Minimum requirements:

  1. Applicants with an Australian AQF Diploma, or Australian AQF Advanced Diploma in information technology, or an Australian Bachelor degree or higher qualification with a minor (sub-major) in information technology (see examples below).
  2. an overseas qualification assessed as being comparable to an Australian AQF Diploma, or an Australian AQF Advanced Diploma in information technology, or an Australian Bachelor degree or higher qualification with a minor (sub-major) in information technology (see examples below).
    • Computing
    • Computer Science
    • Information Technology
    • Business (Information Technology)
    • Applied Science (Computer Science)
    • Computing (Microcomputing)
    • Computing (Network Systems)

applicants in are required to have at least six (6) years of relevant IT experience prior to the date of their application for PASA.

POTENTIALLY SUITABLE

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL)

An applicant who has limited or no qualifications but who has extensive and varied experience plus supporting professional development education may refer certified documentation to the ACS for evaluation by the Society.

The ACS will decide which level of qualification is appropriate and based on this advice, an assessing officer can decide the appropriate Group.

Applicants applying under the RPL group must have no less than 7 (in certain cases 8 years may be required) years work experience in the IT industry

UNSUITABLE
Applicants assessed as not meeting any of the above criteria are assessed as unsuitable for migration purposes.

DoHA requirement

The department of immigration requires that you must have been in paid employment for at least 12 of the last 18 months  (post Deeming date) before applying for migration to Australia.

To meet the skills / occupations assessment criteria:-

Bachelor Degree or Higher with an ICT Major

  • If your degree is assessed as having an ICT major which is closely related to your nominated Occupation, you will require 2 years relevant work experience completed within the past 10 years or 4 years relevant work experience completed anytime in your past work history (whichever provides the earliest skill date) to meet the suitability criteria.
  • If your degree is assessed as having an ICT major which is NOT closely related to your nominated occupation, you will require 4 years relevant work experience completed anytime in your past work history to meet the suitability criteria.

OR

Bachelor Degree or Higher with an ICT Minor

  • If your degree is assessed as having an ICT minor which is closely related to your nominated occupation, you will require 5 years relevant work experience completed in the past 10 years or 6 years relevant work experience completed anytime in your past work history (whichever provides the earliest skill date) to meet the suitability criteria.
  • If your degree is assessed as having an ICT minor which is NOT closely related to your nominated occupation, you will require 6 years relevant work experience completed anytime in your past work history to meet the suitability criteria.

OR

Diploma and Vendor Certification (e.g Microsoft MCSE or CISCO qualifications)

  • If your Diploma or Vendor Certification is assessed as having an ICT major which is closely related to your nominated occupation, you will require 5 years relevant work experience completed within the past 10 years or 6 years relevant work experience completed anytime in your past work history (whichever provides the earliest skill date) to meet the suitability criteria.
  • If your Diploma or Vendor Certification is assessed as having an ICT major which is NOT closely related to your nominated occupation, you will require 6 years relevant work experience completed anytime in your past work history to meet the suitability criteria.

OR

Non ICT Diploma or Higher

  • If your degree is assessed with insufficient ICT content, you will require 6 years relevant work experience completed anytime in your past work history, plus a suitable Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) application to meet the suitability criteria.

OR

Work Experience Only – Recognition of Prior Learning

  • If you do not hold any tertiary educational qualifications, you will require 7 years relevant work experience completed anytime in your past work history, plus a suitable Recognition of Prior

Learning (RPL) application to meet the suitability criteria.

VENDOR CERTIFICATIONS

The following vendor certifications are accepted by the ACS as comparable to graduate outcomes of an ICT major at the AQF Diploma level.

Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert

  • MCSE: Server Infrastructure
  • MCSE: Desktop Infrastructure
  • MCSE: Private Cloud
  • MCSE: Messaging
  • MCSE: Communication
  • MCSE: SharePoint
  • MCSE: Data Platform
  • MCSE: Business Intelligence

Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer

  • MCSD: Windows Store Apps
  • MCSD: Web Applications
  • MCSD: Applications Lifecycle Management
  • MCSD: SharePoint Applications

Microsoft Certified Solutions Master

  • MCSM: Data Platform
  • MCSM: SharePoint
  • MCSM: Communication
  • MCSM Messaging
  • MCSM: Directory Services
Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certification is not accepted by the ACS.
Cisco Certifications

The following list outlines Cisco Certifications accepted by the ACS. Certifications must be valid at the time of submitting the skills assessment and display the validation date.

Cisco Professional:

  • Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) - All tracks
  • Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP)
  • Cisco Certified Voice Professional (CCVP)
  • Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP)
  • Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional (CCIP)

Cisco Expert:

  • Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE) - All tracks
  • Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE)
  • Cisco Architect:
  • Cisco Certified Architect
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification is not accepted by the ACS.

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