IT & Software Engineer 189 Visa: ANZSCO Codes, ACS & Points

How ACS skills assessment works for IT occupations applying for a subclass 189 visa — which ANZSCO code to nominate, what ACS deducts from your experience, the RPL pathway for non-ICT degrees, and the points it typically takes to get invited. Figures as at September 2026.

Read the full guide, with official sources →

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Chapters

  1. 0:00 Which ANZSCO code
  2. 0:14 ACS assesses 10 IT codes.
  3. 0:27 Other ANZSCO codes
  4. 0:45 4 steps in
  5. 0:56 $545 · 6 to 12 weeks
  6. 1:16 The most common ACS failure:
  7. 1:30 RPL: 2 reports,
  8. 1:44 482 vs 189:
  9. 1:57 Your EOI updates
  10. 2:08 189 invitation points
  11. 2:22 How 90+ points
  12. 2:36 Can't reach 95+ points?
  13. 2:49 Codes describe duties,
  14. 3:04 Where to read more

Transcript

Software Engineer, Developer Programmer, Analyst Programmer — for a subclass 189 visa, the ANZSCO code you nominate decides your whole pathway.

The Australian Computer Society, or ACS, assesses 10 IT occupations for skilled migration — Software Engineer, code 261313, is the most common.

Other ACS codes cover different IT work: Systems Analyst 261112, ICT Business Analyst 261111, Systems Administrator 262113, Database Administrator 262111, and Network Engineer 263212.

ACS assessment runs in 4 steps: document upload, a qualification check, a skills assessment against the code's tasks, then a decision — positive or negative.

The ACS assessment costs around $545 and typically takes 6 to 12 weeks to come back.

ACS deducts years from your work experience before it counts: 2 years off for sufficient ICT relevance, 4 years for insufficient, and up to 6 years on the RPL pathway.

ACS rejections mostly trace back to weak employer letters. They need letterhead, your exact dates and job title, hours worked, specific duties in your own words, and a signed, authorised signatory.

If your degree isn't ICT-related, the RPL pathway needs 2 Project Reports of about 2,000 words each — typically 30 to 50 hours of writing, or $2,000 to $3,500 if you outsource it.

For the employer-sponsored 482, ACS assessment is sometimes waived if the employer shows the role fits your qualifications. For the 189, ACS assessment is always required.

Your EOI can be updated as you gain experience — moving from 1 year to 3 years of Australian work experience can lift your score once you cross a new threshold.

189 invitations for IT run high: Software Engineer, Analyst Programmer and Developer Programmer typically need 90 to 100 or more points. Software Tester is often less competitive.

Building 90 or more points for IT often means: age 25 to 32 for 30 points, superior English for 20, a Masters for 20, and 5 or more years of experience after deduction for 10 to 15 more.

Most IT applicants don't reach 95 or more points alone. The 190 typically needs 5 fewer points and adds 5 for the nomination — making 80 to 85 points often competitive.

ANZSCO codes describe duties, not titles — a Tech Lead can still nominate Software Engineer if the duties match. And ACS appeals only succeed on documentation errors, not disagreement with the classification.

The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description.

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