If you are applying for Australia PR under IT or ICT occupations, your skills assessment will most likely be conducted by the Australian Computer Society (ACS).
Understanding the correct ACS assessment pathway is critical because it directly impacts:
- Your migration points
- The number of years counted as “skilled employment”
- Your EOI ranking under General Skilled Migration
- Your chances of receiving an invitation
Many applicants lose valuable points due to incorrect pathway selection or misunderstanding the Skill Level Requirement (SLR) deduction.
In this guide, we break down all ACS assessment pathways for 2026.
1️⃣ Temporary Graduate (TG) – 485 Pathway
This pathway applies to students who completed an Australian ICT qualification and are applying for the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa.
Requirements:
✔ Australian Bachelor’s degree or higher in ICT
✔ Qualification must be closely related to the nominated occupation
⚠ Important:
This pathway is used for post-study work visa purposes only.
It is not used for PR migration points calculation.
2️⃣ Post Australian Study Pathway
This is common for onshore graduates transitioning from student visa to PR.
Eligibility:
✔ Australian Bachelor’s, Master’s, or higher qualification
✔ Degree closely related to nominated ICT occupation
Experience Requirement:
- 1 year of relevant work experience
OR - Completion of an ACS Professional Year Program
This pathway is often used by graduates applying under skilled migration subclasses such as 189, 190, or 491.
3️⃣ Skills Pathway (General Skilled Migration – Most Common)
This is the most common pathway for offshore IT professionals applying for Australia PR.
Eligibility:
✔ ICT major qualification (Bachelor’s degree or higher)
Experience requirement depends on relevance:
- Closely related ICT degree → 2 years experience required
- Related but not closely related → 4 years experience required
These initial years are deducted as Skill Level Requirement (SLR) and cannot be claimed for migration points.
This is where many applicants miscalculate their points.
🔹 4️⃣ Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Pathway
This pathway is for professionals who:
- Do not have a formal ICT qualification
OR - Have a non-ICT degree
Experience Requirement:
✔ 6 years total relevant experience (if you hold a non-ICT degree)
OR
✔ 8 years total experience (if no tertiary qualification)
You must submit:
- Two detailed RPL project reports
- Evidence demonstrating ICT knowledge and practical application
This pathway requires strong documentation and technical justification.
5️⃣ Vendor Certification Pathway
For applicants holding recognised ICT vendor certifications (e.g., Microsoft, Cisco, AWS) without formal ICT degrees.
Experience requirements are generally higher under this pathway.
Proper evidence and certification verification are crucial for a positive outcome.
What Is Skill Level Requirement (SLR) and Why It Matters?
ACS determines when you are considered “skilled” in your occupation.
They may deduct certain years of experience before granting a positive assessment.
This directly affects:
- Your migration points claim
- Your Expression of Interest (EOI) ranking
- Your invitation competitiveness
Overclaiming points due to misunderstanding SLR can lead to visa refusal.
Why Choosing the Correct ACS Pathway Is Critical for Australia PR
Your ACS outcome letter determines:
✔ Whether your occupation is positively assessed
✔ From which date your work experience is counted
✔ Your total eligible migration points
✔ Your PR eligibility under skilled migration
A small documentation mistake can delay your PR process or reduce your score significantly.
Need Professional Guidance for ACS Skills Assessment?
At Hodophiles Xplore Visas Pvt Ltd, we assist IT professionals with:
- ACS pathway identification
- RPL report drafting guidance
- SLR calculation clarity
- Migration points evaluation
- End-to-end Australia PR process
If you are planning to apply for Australia PR under IT occupations, speak to our experts before submitting your ACS application.
