ACS skills assessment: requirements and how to apply

Key facts

Assessment types: Four pathways: General Skills, Post Australian Study, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), and Qualification Only (for Temporary Graduate 485 Post-Vocational Education Work stream, or Professional Year enrolment).
Qualification: ACS checks AQF comparability and classifies the ICT content as Major, Minor or Insufficient. It then checks which units are closely related to the nominated occupation. Only completed qualifications are assessed. RPL does not assess tertiary qualifications.
Experience: Bachelor's or higher: 2 years in the last 10 (or 4 anytime) with a closely related IT Major; up to 6 years with an IT Minor. Diploma/associate degree, IT Major: 5 years in the last 10 (or 6 anytime). Post Australian Study: 365 days after the degree, or the Professional Year. RPL: 6 years, most recent within the last 2 years. Work: professional IT, 20+ hours a week, from age 18.
English: ACS does not require any English language tests for skills assessments.
Main documents: Proof of identity (two forms of photo ID), evidence of qualifications, and evidence of work experience (employment references plus payment evidence). RPL also needs two RPL project reports and Professional Currency evidence. Each pathway has a checklist.
Fee: As printed on 4 October 2026 (no date shown on the page): General Skills AUD 1,498; Post Australian Study AUD 1,136; RPL AUD 625; Qualification Only AUD 625; Level 1 appeal AUD 516; Level 2 appeal AUD 620.
Processing time: 4 to 6 weeks for applications that need no extra documents or information. Free priority processing is available for Australian visa deadlines less than 12 weeks away, with at least 2 weeks' notice.
Validity: Suitable outcomes are valid for 2 years.
How to apply: Apply online through the ACS Migration Skills Assessment portal. Pay the fee when choosing a pathway, upload documents and submit within 90 days. Up to three ANZSCO codes can be nominated in one application.

What ACS assesses

The Australian Computer Society Incorporated (ACS) is authorised to assess the skills and qualifications of IT, Data Science and Cyber Security professionals on behalf of the Australian Government (ACS Migration Skills Assessment). A suitable outcome confirms that qualifications and/or work experience are at a professional ICT level and closely related to the nominated ANZSCO occupation. The occupations ACS assesses are listed on its occupations and ANZSCO codes page.

Assessment pathways

General Skills: the most common pathway, for experienced professionals with tertiary qualifications (source).
Post Australian Study: an Australian bachelor's degree or higher with an IT, Data Science or Cyber Security major, plus 365 days of relevant work or the ACS Professional Year (source).
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): for experienced professionals without relevant tertiary qualifications (source).
Qualification Only: an Australian diploma or associate degree, mainly for the Temporary Graduate 485 visa, or for Professional Year enrolment (source).

Requirements

Qualification: ACS checks AQF comparability and rates ICT content as Major, Minor or Insufficient (source).
Experience (General Skills): 2 to 6 years, depending on qualification level, Major or Minor, and whether it is closely related. The "last 10 years" means the 10 years before the application date (source).
Work rules: professional IT employment of at least 20 hours a week, from age 18. Work required as part of a qualification is not counted. Paid employment evidence is required (source).
English: no English test is required by ACS (source).

How to apply

Check the occupation is on an ACS list and choose a pathway (pathways).
Gather documents using the pathway checklist.
Start an application in the ACS Migration Skills Assessment portal and pay the fee (fees).
Upload documents and submit within 90 days. All evidence must be included at submission, as it cannot be added later.
ACS emails a reference number and issues the outcome as a PDF. Progress shows in the applicant dashboard.

Common reasons for delays or unsuitable outcomes

ACS says many applications are delayed by incorrectly submitted evidence (source). Requests for further information delay an application. Document fraud, plagiarism or misrepresentation can end an application as unsuitable, with a possible ban on reapplying (policies).

Common questions

What does ACS assess?

ACS assesses whether an applicant's ICT qualifications and work experience are at a professional level and closely related to the nominated ANZSCO occupation. It covers IT, Data Science and Cyber Security occupations and does this on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs.

How long does an ACS skills assessment take?

ACS says to allow 4 to 6 weeks for applications that need no extra documents or information. Free priority processing is available for Australian visa deadlines less than 12 weeks away.

How much does an ACS skills assessment cost?

ACS lists AUD 1,498 for General Skills, AUD 1,136 for Post Australian Study, and AUD 625 each for RPL and Qualification Only. Full list on the ACS fees page.

How long is an ACS skills assessment valid?

ACS says suitable outcomes are valid for 2 years.

Does ACS need an English test?

No. ACS says it does not require any English language tests for skills assessments.

What is the difference between an ICT major and an ICT minor?

ACS classifies a qualification's ICT content as Major, Minor or Insufficient. Under General Skills, this classification, the qualification level and whether it is closely related to the occupation set the years of work experience needed. For a bachelor's degree, this ranges from 2 to 6 years.

What is the ACS RPL pathway?

Recognition of Prior Learning is for IT, Data Science or Cyber Security professionals without relevant tertiary qualifications. ACS asks for 6 years of relevant experience, with the most recent within 2 years of applying, two RPL project reports and Professional Currency evidence.

ACS skills assessment