PR Pathway for IT and Engineering Graduates in Australia (2026): Visas, Occupations and Points

IT and engineering graduates sit in an unusually strong position in Australia’s skilled migration system. Most core occupations in both fields appear on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) as well as the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), which means they’re eligible for the points-tested visas, state nomination, and employer sponsorship all at once – a wider spread of options than most other professions get. This guide walks through the practical sequence: confirming your occupation code, getting skills assessed, using the 485 as a bridge, understanding where IT and engineering degrees pick up extra points, and comparing the visa options once you’re eligible.

If you haven’t already, it’s worth reading our overview of PR pathways for international students first, along with our guides to skills assessment and the skilled occupation list, state nomination visas (190 and 491), and employer-sponsored visas (482, 186 and 494), since this article builds directly on all three.

TL;DR

• IT and engineering occupations dominate both the CSOL and MLTSSL, so most graduates in these fields can realistically pursue the points-tested 189, state nomination (190/491), and employer sponsorship (482/186) at the same time.
• Software Engineer (261313) and Developer Programmer (261312) are assessed by the Australian Computer Society (ACS); Civil Engineer (233211) and most other engineering occupations are assessed by Engineers Australia – always confirm your exact ANZSCO code and assessing authority before applying.
• The points test awards up to 10 points for a Specialist Education Qualification in an eligible STEM, ICT or engineering field, and 5 points for completing an approved Professional Year – ACS and Engineers Australia are both recognised Professional Year providers.
• The Temporary Graduate visa (485) Post-Higher-Education-Work stream usually runs 2 to 3 years depending on your qualification level and costs from AUD5,750 – it’s the most common first step after finishing an eligible degree, buying time to sit a skills assessment and build points.
• Employer sponsorship via the 482 needs the Core Skills Income Threshold (AUD79,423 from 1 July 2026) for most roles, or the higher Specialist Skills Income Threshold (AUD146,576) for senior roles in ANZSCO Major Groups 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 – the Specialist Skills stream skips the occupation-list requirement entirely.

Step 1: Confirm your occupation and ANZSCO code

Every skilled visa pathway starts with the same question: what is your exact ANZSCO occupation code, and which list is it on? Home Affairs uses the 2022 version of ANZSCO (which includes the CSOL) for the 482 and 186 visas, and the 2013 version (covering the MLTSSL, STSOL and ROL) for the points-tested and state-nominated visas. For most IT and engineering roles, the code and title are the same across both versions, but it’s worth checking your specific occupation on the Home Affairs skilled occupation list tool rather than assuming.

A few of the most common IT and engineering occupations, checked directly against the Home Affairs tool for this guide:

This is a small sample, not the full list – ICT occupations alone cover network engineers, systems analysts, cyber security specialists and database administrators, and engineering covers mechanical, electrical, electronics, chemical, industrial and structural specialisations, among others. If your title doesn’t match cleanly, search by the closest duties-based description in the Home Affairs tool rather than picking whichever title sounds closest. For the full mechanics of how the occupation lists and assessing authorities work, see our skills assessment and skilled occupation list guide.

Step 2: Get your skills assessed

Home Affairs doesn’t assess your qualifications itself – it delegates that to a specific authority for each occupation, and will only accept an assessment from the authority listed against your exact ANZSCO code.

For ICT occupations, ACS runs a General Skills assessment that checks whether your degree included enough core and major ICT content against its curriculum requirements, alongside your relevant work experience. A General Skills assessment currently costs AUD1,498. If your degree was a general IT diploma without enough core computing content, ACS may still find it suitable at a lower relevant-experience threshold, or request more detail.

For engineering occupations, Engineers Australia splits applicants into two pathways. If your degree is from a program accredited under the Washington, Sydney or Dublin Accords, you get a faster, cheaper qualification-only assessment, from around AUD555.50. If it isn’t Accord-accredited, you need to submit a Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) – a detailed written submission mapping your specific projects and experience against Engineers Australia’s published competency standards – at a higher fee of around AUD1,034. The occupation and assessing authority are the same either way; only the process, cost and evidence burden differ.

Step 3: The Temporary Graduate visa (485) as your first step

Most IT and engineering graduates don’t go straight from a student visa to a permanent skilled visa – the 485 Post-Higher-Education-Work stream is the usual bridge. It gives you the legal right to work full-time in Australia while you sit a skills assessment, build points, and look for either an invitation under the points test or an employer willing to sponsor you.

Checked directly on Home Affairs for this guide, the Post-Higher-Education-Work stream currently grants a stay of usually between 2 and 3 years, depending on your qualification, and costs from AUD5,750. This isn’t tied to a specific occupation list – it’s based on completing an eligible Australian qualification, not on what you plan to work in. See our introduction to the 485 visa for the full eligibility rules and how the streams differ.

Step 4: Where IT and engineering graduates pick up extra points

The points-tested visas (189, 190, 491) all use the same official points table, and it’s worth knowing where STEM, ICT and engineering qualifications specifically earn more than a typical degree in another field. Checked directly on the Home Affairs Skilled Independent (189) points table page for this guide:

• Specialist Education Qualification – up to 10 points. A Masters (by research) or Doctorate from an Australian institution in a specified STEM, ICT or engineering field earns this. Home Affairs publishes the specific eligible fields directly on the points table page – it’s worth checking your exact qualification against that list rather than assuming a STEM-adjacent degree automatically counts.
• Professional Year – 5 points. Completing an approved Professional Year program in Australia within the relevant period before applying adds 5 points. The Australian Computer Society and Engineers Australia are both recognised Professional Year providers for ICT and engineering occupations respectively, alongside CPA Australia and CAANZ for accounting.
• State or territory nomination – 5 points (subclass 190) or 15 points (subclass 491). Covered in detail in our state nomination visas guide – the 491’s 15-point boost is the largest single points item available and is why many IT and engineering graduates specifically target regional nomination when they’re short on points.

Age, English language proficiency, skilled employment experience (onshore and offshore) and partner skills also contribute to the total score, and the minimum to be eligible for an invitation is 65 points, though the actual score needed to receive an invitation in any given round is often higher and varies by occupation. Because the exact age and English point bands are reviewed periodically, check the current Home Affairs points table directly rather than relying on a fixed number from any third-party source, including this one.

Step 5: Compare your visa options

Once your occupation is confirmed, your skills assessment is done, and you have a realistic points estimate (or an employer willing to sponsor you), IT and engineering graduates typically have more options open at once than most other fields:

Because most core IT and engineering occupations sit on both the MLTSSL and the CSOL, the practical choice usually comes down to timing and certainty rather than eligibility. The 189 needs no nomination or sponsor but depends on your points score clearing the current invitation round – which can take longer for popular occupations like Software Engineer. State nomination through the 190 or 491 can bring an earlier invitation in exchange for a location commitment. Employer sponsorship through the 482 or 186 moves fastest if you already have a job offer, since it bypasses the points-test queue entirely – the trade-off is depending on an employer’s willingness to sponsor and, for the 482 Core Skills stream, meeting the Core Skills Income Threshold on your actual salary.

Building experience while you sort out your visa

Skilled employment points and a stronger resume both come from the same place – real, relevant work experience. If you’re still job hunting on a 485 or bridging visa, our guides to getting your first professional IT job in Australia and building a strong resume for IT and tech roles cover the practical side of that search. If you’re still choosing or finishing a degree, our guides to the Bachelor of IT, Bachelor of Engineering majors, Masters in IT and Computer Science and data science career outcomes cover how each path lines up with these visa options, and our guide to engineering jobs and salaries in Australia covers what the CSIT and SSIT actually look like against real market pay by discipline.

Where to get real help

Occupation lists, income thresholds and points rules are all reviewed and changed regularly – the Core Skills Income Threshold and Specialist Skills Income Threshold have both increased every year since December 2024. Before you make decisions based on a specific occupation, qualification or visa stream, check the current position directly on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au, and consider getting advice from a MARA-registered migration agent who can assess your specific circumstances. This article is general information only, not a substitute for that advice, and nothing here should be read as a promise or guarantee of any visa outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions