IT Professionals: Your Complete Guide to Migrating to Australia in 2025

Why Australia Wants Your Tech Skills

The Australian tech sector is booming. The government has placed numerous IT occupations on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), making them eligible for the independent subclass 189 permanent visa — no employer or state sponsorship needed.

Eligible IT Occupations (MLTSSL)

• •ICT Project Manager (ANZSCO 135112)
• •ICT Business Analyst (ANZSCO 261111)
• •Systems Analyst (ANZSCO 261112)
• •Developer Programmer (ANZSCO 261312)
• •Software Engineer (ANZSCO 261313)
• •Database Administrator (ANZSCO 262111)
• •Cybersecurity Specialist (ANZSCO 262112)
• •Network Engineer (ANZSCO 263110)
• •And many more...

Your Skills Assessor: ACS

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) assesses IT professionals for migration purposes. A positive ACS assessment is required for most IT-related skilled migration applications.

ACS Assessment Types:

• •Skills Assessment — for most IT roles
• •ICT Supplementary Skills Assessment — for more senior roles
• •Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) — if you don't have a formal IT degree

Building Your Points Score

A typical Nigerian IT professional might have:

• •Age 28 = 30 points
• •Bachelor's degree in IT = 15 points
• •Competent English (IELTS 6) = 0 points (no bonus)
• •Proficient English (IELTS 7) = 10 points
• •3 years overseas experience = 5 points
• •1 year Australian experience = 5 points
• •Total: 65 points — eligible but not competitive

Strategies to boost your score:

• •Take PTE or IELTS and get Superior English (8+) for 20 points
• •Complete an Australian Masters degree for the 15-point study bonus + 5 points Australian study
• •Gain more experience
• •Get state nomination (190) for 5 bonus points

The ACS RPL Pathway

If you don't have a formal IT degree but have strong work experience, the ACS Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) pathway may work for you. It requires a detailed skills evidence report demonstrating your ICT competence through real projects.

Afrovo has helped many self-taught and non-traditionally qualified IT professionals obtain positive ACS assessments.

Expected Timeline

• •ACS assessment: 6–12 weeks
• •EOI submission to invitation: 2–18 months (depends on score)
• •Visa application to grant: 3–12 months
• •Total realistic timeline: 18–36 months

Start Today

Book a consultation with Afrovo and get your IT points score calculated, your ACS assessment strategy developed, and your Australian migration roadmap in one hour.