Three questions stall most overseas ICT professionals before they lodge a skills assessment with the Australian Computer Society: do I qualify under the right pathway, what exactly must I submit, and what happens to the file once it leaves my hands. This reference answers all three against verified 2026 fees and processing data, and it sets the three assessment pathways side by side in a single table the ACS portal itself never publishes.
One practical point before the detail: ACS does not accept additional documents after lodgement. An incomplete file is assessed on what was submitted, not returned with a polite request for more.
Why ACS Controls Entry to Australian IT Migration
The Australian Computer Society is the designated assessing authority for ICT occupations under the General Skilled Migration program. Before lodging an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect for subclass 189, 190, or 491, your nominated ICT occupation requires a positive ACS result. Without that outcome, no valid EOI can be submitted for that occupation.
ACS evaluates two things together: whether your qualification meets the ICT standard for your nominated occupation, and whether your employment history sits at the professional level that occupation demands. Both are benchmarked against the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) [2]. Think of the assessment less as a diploma check and more as a translation: it converts your degree and your years on the job into a single occupation code and a single date the Department of Home Affairs will later score for points.
Which ICT Occupations ACS Assesses and Who Must Apply
ACS assesses 43 ICT occupations across IT, data science, and cyber security [10]. The codes most overseas applicants nominate include:
- 261111 ICT Business Analyst
- 261112 Systems Analyst
- 261313 Software Engineer
- 263111 Computer Network and Systems Engineer
- 262111 Database Administrator
- 262112 ICT Security Specialist
- 261212 Web Developer
- 224115 Data Scientist
ANZSCO codes ACS covers
Your nominated code is chosen on duties, not job title. A "Software Engineer" whose day job is requirements workshops and stakeholder mapping may sit closer to 261111 ICT Business Analyst, and ACS reads the duties in your reference letters before it reads the title on them. Up to three ANZSCO codes may be nominated in one submission at a single fixed fee [2], which gives cross-functional applicants more EOI options without paying twice.
When a skills assessment is mandatory versus exempt
For any points-tested visa claiming an ICT occupation, the assessment is mandatory. There is no overseas-experience exemption and no shortcut for senior titles. Whether a given occupation also sits on the relevant skilled occupation list is a separate visa-side question for the Department of Home Affairs, not something ACS decides.
Three ACS Assessment Pathways and What Each One Requires
Overseas applicants fall into one of three lanes. The lane is determined by your highest qualification, not by years of experience. An applicant with twelve years of hands-on work and a marketing degree still cannot use the ICT Major pathway.
ICT Major: for computing degree holders
A qualification counts as an ICT Major when at least 33% of a bachelor degree is computing content, or at least 50% for a diploma [9]. After meeting that threshold, the most important variable is whether your qualification is closely related to your nominated occupation. Closely related means at least 65% of your degree's ICT content aligns with that occupation [9]. If classified as closely related, you need 2 years of skilled experience completed in the last 10 years, or 4 years completed at any point. If not closely related, the floor rises to 4 years total [4]. That single classification moves your experience requirement by two full years, and it is the variable most General Skills applicants misjudge before they pay.
ICT Minor: for a non-ICT degree with computing content
A bachelor degree carrying roughly 22% computing content qualifies as an ICT Minor. The trade-off is steeper experience: 5 years in the last 10 (or 6 years at any time) when closely related, and 6 years total when not [4]. A non-ICT degree never upgrades to Major regardless of years worked. Additional experience buys experience credit, not a higher qualification class.
RPL: when you have no formal ICT degree
Recognition of Prior Learning covers applicants without an assessable ICT qualification. The RPL pathway does not assess any tertiary qualification [5]. The experience floor splits by what you do hold: 6 years of relevant work with a non-ICT diploma or higher, and 8 years with no tertiary qualification [9].
RPL also requires an evidence artifact the degree pathways do not ask for. You write two project reports, one drawn from a project completed in the last 2 years and one from within the last 4 years [5], supported by knowledge essays mapped to the ACS Core Body of Knowledge. Each project report must also include a workplace descriptor of at least 150 words per employment role, describing the organisation, your team, and the context in which the project was delivered. The reports must be first-person, original work that clears Turnitin, with no AI-generated content. Vendor certifications can supplement an RPL claim, but only for the DevOps and Cyber Security codes, and only as optional extra evidence [5].
One table for all three pathways
The ACS portal publishes these rules across several pages and never consolidates them. Compiled from public ACS and Department of Home Affairs data, this single-view comparison gives applicants a reference the portal does not:
| Pathway | Qualification / ICT content | Minimum ICT experience | Core evidence | Fee (AUD, from 3 Nov 2025) | Processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICT Major (General Skills) | Bachelor with 33%+ computing content (50%+ for diploma) | Closely related: 2 yrs in last 10, or 4 yrs anytime. Not closely related: 4 yrs total | Transcripts, employment references, two payment-evidence types per role | $1,498 | 4 to 6 weeks |
| ICT Minor (General Skills) | Bachelor with approx. 22% computing content | Closely related: 5 yrs in last 10, or 6 yrs anytime. Not closely related: 6 yrs total | Same as Major | $1,498 | 4 to 6 weeks |
| RPL | No ICT tertiary qualification assessed | 6 yrs (non-ICT diploma or higher); 8 yrs (no tertiary) | Two project reports with 150-word workplace descriptors per role, CBOK essays, employment evidence | $625 | 4 to 6 weeks |
Complete Document Checklist for Your ACS Application
Because nothing can be added after lodgement, treat the first submission as the only one.
Identity and passport documents
A clear colour scan of your passport biographical page is the baseline. Where your name differs across documents, include the deed poll, marriage certificate, or name-change record that connects them. An unresolved name mismatch becomes a query you cannot answer mid-assessment.
Academic transcripts and qualification certificates
Transcripts must show every unit name, the grade, and a legend explaining the grading system. Combine them into a single PDF per qualification, arranged chronologically, with all four edges of each page visible in the scan. A cropped scan that hides a page edge is a common, avoidable return reason.
Employment evidence ACS accepts and rejects
Employment must be paid and at least 20 hours a week to count. Reference letters go on company letterhead, and where you held several roles under one employer, each role needs its own block: dates in DD/MM/YYYY format, distinct duties, and the work location. ACS also requires at least two types of payment evidence per employment episode, such as payslips, tax records, bank statements, or superannuation documents [8].
What ACS rejects is just as instructive: employment contracts, job offer letters, position descriptions, unpaid internships, and volunteer work do not establish skilled employment on their own [8]. When a standard reference is genuinely unavailable, the statutory declaration route is narrow and procedural. ACS expects a three-part package: a company letter explaining why a normal reference cannot be provided, a declaration written by a supervising colleague who personally observed your daily duties (not self-written, not from a junior peer), and an authorised witness from the Australian Attorney-General's list [7]. Declarations that copy ANZSCO duty wording verbatim, or that were witnessed on a different day than they were signed, are rejected [7].
Why ACS does not require an English test
ACS does not require IELTS, PTE, or any English proficiency test as part of the skills assessment [6]. Several third-party guides list one anyway, causing applicants to chase a document ACS never asked for. English testing is a Department of Home Affairs visa requirement that applies at the visa stage, not the assessment stage.
How to Submit Your ACS Skills Assessment in 2026
Once your documents are complete, the submission mechanics are straightforward. Create and verify your account on the ACS online portal, then start a new application. Select your ANZSCO occupation (up to three codes under one fee [2]), attach your qualification and employment evidence, and confirm. Payment locks the file. From there, ACS works through identity, qualification, then employment, and may issue a Request for Additional Information if something is ambiguous, which pauses the clock until you respond. Plan for the assessment to run start to finish on the documents you submitted, because the file cannot be supplemented after lodgement.
ACS Assessment Fees and Processing Times for 2026
Many pages still circulating in search quote General Skills fees in the $500 to $675 range. Those figures are out of date. Effective 3 November 2025, the verified fees are: General Skills $1,498, RPL $625, Post Australian Study $1,136, and Temporary Graduate (485) $625; appeals run $516 at Level 1 and $620 at Level 2 [1]. The gap between the real General Skills fee and the outdated figure exceeds $900, so budget from the current number.
Priority processing carries no extra fee. It triggers automatically when you provide evidence of an Australian visa deadline falling within 12 weeks [2]. Standard processing typically takes 4 to 6 weeks for a complete application, with some outcomes issued in as few as 15 days [2]. Third-party guides quoting 8 to 12 weeks are describing their own backlogs, not the ACS service standard.
Six Reasons ACS Returns or Rejects Applications
1. Thin or discontinuous employment evidence. A reference letter with no matching payment records, or gaps that break continuity, is the most common failure. ACS requires two payment-evidence types per episode precisely because a single source is considered insufficient.
2. Occupation mismatch. Duties described in your letters point to a different code than the one you nominated. The assessor follows the duties, not the title.
3. Wrong pathway for the qualification. A non-ICT degree submitted under the ICT Major pathway, or an RPL claim from someone who actually holds an assessable ICT degree, will not be assessed on the intended basis.
4. Defective statutory declarations. Missing the company explanation letter, written by a peer rather than a supervisor, or copying ANZSCO wording verbatim [7].
5. Incomplete document sets. A missing transcript page or absent grading legend that could have been a quick fix elsewhere becomes a negative or returned result here, because nothing can be added after lodgement.
6. Unaccepted evidence presented as proof of employment. Offer letters, contracts, position descriptions, and unpaid roles do not establish skilled employment on their own [8].
Using Your ACS Outcome Letter to Claim Points in SkillSelect
Your outcome letter does more than confirm a suitable result. It assigns a Skill Level Requirement Met Date, the point from which your employment counts as skilled for SkillSelect purposes. Experience before that date earns zero points regardless of how long you actually worked. ACS sets the date by deducting years tied to your qualification class: roughly 2 years for an ICT Major closely related occupation, 4 years for a Major not closely related, and more for Minor and RPL profiles.
Consider a real example. An applicant with a Bachelor ICT Major closely related to 261313 Software Engineer and 9 years of post-graduation experience loses the 2-year deduction, leaving 7 years of skilled employment. Under the General Skilled Migration points schedule in effect at publication, 7 years sits in the mid experience band rather than the top one. The deduction is the difference between two points tiers, not a rounding error, so treat it as a tax on your timeline and plan your EOI date around it.
One forward-looking caveat: the 2026-27 Federal Budget confirmed an intent to revise the points test, with changes expected from July 2026, including more weight on younger applicants, stronger English proficiency, and high-demand occupations. If your score sits near a threshold, confirm the live figures before submitting your EOI, as the schedule may shift.
On validity, confirm which figure you are relying on. The official ACS infohub states that suitable outcomes are valid for 2 years [3]. Several third-party guides cite 3 years, a figure that appears to belong to other assessing authorities rather than ACS. Until ACS publishes otherwise, plan around the 2-year window and lodge your EOI well inside it.
FAQs
Can I apply for an ACS skills assessment if my degree is not in an ICT field?
Yes. A non-ICT degree with around 22% computing content may qualify as an ICT Minor, and a degree with little or no computing content typically routes to RPL instead [9]. The pathway changes, and so does the minimum experience required, but a non-ICT degree does not disqualify you.
How long is an ACS outcome letter valid before it expires?
The official ACS infohub states suitable outcomes are valid for 2 years from the date of issue [3]. Some third-party guides cite 3 years; that figure is not supported on the ACS page. Plan around 2 years and verify the current position before relying on it for visa timing.
What counts as closely related ICT employment for the work experience requirement?
In ACS usage, "closely related" is defined by your qualification content, not by your job duties. It means at least 65% of your degree's ICT content aligns with your nominated occupation [9]. This is a qualification mapping question, not an assessment of whether your day-to-day work resembles the occupation. Applicants sometimes assume that years of hands-on work in a field make their experience "closely related"; under ACS rules, the classification is fixed by the degree, so the duties in your reference letters affect the experience count, not the closely-related determination.
Can I reapply if my ACS skills assessment result is unsuccessful?
Yes, but a reapplication is a fresh, full-fee submission, not an appeal. Identify which evidence gap caused the result first, whether that was insufficient payment records, a code mismatch, or a defective statutory declaration, and address that specific gap before paying again.
What is the difference between the ICT Minor pathway and the RPL pathway?
ICT Minor assesses a degree that carries some computing content (around 22%) and credits it toward your claim. RPL assesses no tertiary qualification and instead relies on extended experience plus two written project reports with 150-word workplace descriptors per role [5]. Minor suits a partly relevant degree; RPL suits applicants whose case rests entirely on work history.
Does ACS assess occupations not currently on the skilled occupation list?
ACS assesses the 43 ICT occupations within its scope regardless of which visa list they appear on [10]. Whether your assessed occupation is currently usable for a given visa is a Department of Home Affairs question, decided at the visa stage, not by ACS.
Ready to move from research to action? Explore our ACS document checklist to assemble a complete first submission, and see how your assessment outcome converts into points on your SkillSelect Expression of Interest.
Sources
1. ACS Migration Skills Assessment fee schedule (effective 3 November 2025), https://www.acs.org.au/msa.html
2. ACS Migration Skills Assessment processing, priority, and multi-code rules, https://www.acs.org.au/msa.html
3. ACS InfoHub assessment process, outcome validity, https://www.acs.org.au/msa/infohub/assessment-process.html
4. ACS General Skills Assessment Pathway experience thresholds, https://www.acs.org.au/msa/assessment-pathway/general-skills.html
5. ACS Recognition of Prior Learning pathway, https://www.acs.org.au/msa/assessment-pathway/rpl.html
6. ACS information for applicants, English testing, https://www.acs.org.au/msa/information-for-applicants.html
7. ACS InfoHub statutory declarations and affidavits, https://www.acs.org.au/msa/infohub/statutory-declarations-and-affidavits.html
8. ACS InfoHub employment and experience evidence, https://www.acs.org.au/msa/infohub/experience-evidence.html
9. ICT content and relatedness thresholds, https://firstmigrationservice.com/en/news/acs-skills-assessment-rpl-vs-qualification-pathway-2026/
10. ACS ANZSCO occupation coverage (43 occupations), https://getgis.org/blog/acs-australia-skills-assessment