November 6, 2026
Eight years of IT experience does not always count as eight years of skilled employment for Australian PR. In an ACS skills assessment, the Australian Computer Society (ACS) checks your degree and work history against your nominated ICT occupation.
For a software engineer in Rawalpindi or Faisalabad with a BS Computer Science, ACS usually deducts 2 years. With 8 years of experience, that means 10 points for work experience instead of 15.
How many years will ACS deduct from your profile, and what if your degree is not in computer science? This guide explains the ICT rules, the experience deduction, the RPL pathway and the documents you need to apply from Pakistan.
Key Takeaways for ACS Skills Assessment
- Assessing authority: Australian Computer Society (ACS), for IT, Data Science and Cyber Security occupations
- General Skills fee: AUD 1,498 for up to 3 ANZSCO occupations
- Processing time: About 4 to 6 weeks for complete applications
- Validity: 2 years from the outcome, with no renewals
- Experience deduction: 2 years if your ICT-major bachelor’s degree is closely related to your occupation
- Eligible employment: Paid professional IT work of at least 20 hours a week, from age 18 onward
- Pakistani qualifications: HEC attestation required for your degree certificate and full transcript
- English test: Not required for the skills assessment
What Is an ACS Skills Assessment?
An ACS skills assessment, also called the ACS migration skills assessment, is the Australian Computer Society’s review of applicants in IT, Data Science and Cyber Security occupations. It checks whether your qualifications and work experience are at a professional ICT level and closely related to your nominated ANZSCO occupation.
You need a positive result before you can be invited to apply for skilled visas such as the Subclass 189 visa, Subclass 190 or Subclass 491.
Pakistani IT professionals most often nominate these ANZSCO occupations, which Home Affairs still uses for skilled migration in 2026:
- Software Engineer (ANZSCO 261313)
- Developer Programmer (ANZSCO 261312)
- Analyst Programmer (ANZSCO 261311)
- ICT Business Analyst (ANZSCO 261111)
- Computer Network and Systems Engineer (ANZSCO 263111)
- ICT Security Specialist (ANZSCO 262112)
Your nominated occupation must match the duties in your reference letters, not simply your job title.
ACS Assessment Fee and Processing Time
The ACS assessment fee depends on your pathway. Most Pakistani applicants with an IT degree and work experience use the General Skills pathway.
Source: ACS fees and payment, verified 6 November 2026.
One fee covers up to three ANZSCO occupations, such as Software Engineer, Developer Programmer and Analyst Programmer, if your qualifications and experience support each one. ACS issues a separate outcome letter for each suitable occupation.
ACS decides Level 1 appeals within 30 days and Level 2 appeals within 60 days, and it refunds the appeal fee in full if the outcome changes. ACS is closed from 21 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, so allow up to 4 extra weeks after it reopens.
How Does the ACS Experience Deduction Work?
ACS does not count all of your experience. It uses part of your work history to confirm that you reached a skilled level, and the date you reach it is your skill level requirement met date. Only paid work after this date counts for visa points.
Source: ACS General Skills pathway, verified 6 November 2026.
ACS also applies these rules:
- Only work from age 18 onward counts
- The 10-year window counts back from the date you submit your application
- Overlapping jobs are counted only once
- Internships required by your degree are not counted
- Work under 20 hours a week is not counted
How the Deduction Affects Your Visa Points
Example: A software engineer from Rawalpindi has a BS Computer Science and 8 years of experience. ACS deducts the first 2 years, so only 6 years count as skilled employment.
- Without the deduction: 8 years would earn 15 points for overseas skilled employment
- After the deduction: 6 years earns 10 points
For Subclass 189, 190 and 491 visas, Home Affairs counts skilled employment only from the 10 years before your invitation.
How many years will ACS deduct from your experience?
Send your degree, occupation and years of experience on WhatsApp. AIRCS will estimate your skill date and visa points.
Free profile check on WhatsApp
How to Apply for an ACS Skills Assessment from Pakistan
The process takes six steps, from choosing your occupation to receiving your outcome.
- Choose your occupation: Choose the ANZSCO code that matches your duties, plus up to two more that also fit
- Get HEC attestation: Have HEC attest your degree certificate and transcript. RPL applicants follow separate evidence requirements.
- Collect work evidence: Gather reference letters and payment evidence for each job you want ACS to assess, with English translations of any Urdu documents
- Start your application: Create an account on the ACS portal, upload your ID, choose your pathway and pay the fee
- Submit within 90 days: Upload every document, because ACS does not let you add experience after you submit
- Use your outcome: Your outcome letter shows your ANZSCO code and skill date. Lodge your Expression of Interest in SkillSelect, as your assessment must still be valid when you are invited.
A positive ACS outcome does not guarantee an invitation or a visa. Our Australia PR service covers the EOI, state nomination and visa stages that follow.
ACS RPL Report for IT Workers Without an ICT Degree
The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) pathway is for IT professionals with a non-ICT degree or no tertiary qualification. On this pathway, ACS assesses your experience and your ACS RPL report instead of your degree.
- Without a tertiary qualification: You need 6 years of relevant experience, with your most recent work within the last 2 years
- With a non-ICT degree: ACS decides the years you need during the assessment
- Project reports: Two reports, one from a project in the last 2 years and one from the last 4 years
- Professional currency evidence: At least two items from the last 2 years, such as a CCNA or other vendor certification, published work or professional training
These required years are deducted from your experience. With 8 years of experience and no degree, only 2 years count as skilled employment, too few to earn work experience points.
Each report must describe your own role, the IT knowledge you applied and the problem you solved. ACS checks reports for plagiarism and rejects any prepared by writing services.
ACS Document Checklist for Pakistani Applicants
ACS checks every document first, and wrong documents are a common cause of delays.
- Identity: Two forms of photo ID, such as your passport and CNIC, plus proof of any name change
- Education: HEC-attested degree certificate and full transcript
- Reference letters: On company letterhead, signed and dated, with your job title, dates, employment status, weekly hours, salary, work location and the duties you personally performed. The signatory must give a work email, not a personal one.
- Payment evidence: Two types of evidence for both the start and the end of each job, such as salary slips and bank statements, with at least one from outside your employer. Cash salaries are not accepted.
- No employer letter: An affidavit or statutory declaration in place of the reference letter
Why Do ACS Applications Fail?
Many unsuitable outcomes come from occupation and document mistakes you can avoid, not from weak experience.
- Wrong occupation: Your duties match ICT Business Analyst, but you nominated Software Engineer
- Incomplete reference letters: Letters that leave out dates, weekly hours, salary or the signatory’s contact details, or that copy duties from ANZSCO
- Unexplained name differences: Your passport, CNIC and degree show different names, with no “one and the same person” affidavit
- Missing HEC attestation: A degree certificate or transcript submitted without HEC attestation on the General Skills pathway
- Ineligible work: Unpaid work, work under 20 hours a week, work paid in cash or internships required by your degree
ACS does not advise on your occupation or suitability before you apply and does not let you add experience after you submit, so review everything before you pay the AUD 1,498 fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an ACS skills assessment cost in 2026?
The General Skills assessment costs AUD 1,498, and the RPL pathway costs AUD 625. Level 1 and Level 2 appeals cost AUD 516 and AUD 620.
How many years of experience does ACS deduct for a BSCS degree?
ACS usually deducts 2 years when your degree is an ICT major closely related to your occupation and that experience falls within the last 10 years. Otherwise, it deducts 4 years, and the deducted years do not count as skilled employment.
How long is an ACS skills assessment valid?
A positive ACS outcome is valid for 2 years from its issue date. ACS does not renew outcomes, so you must apply again after it expires.
Can I get an ACS skills assessment without a computer science degree?
Yes, IT professionals without a computer science degree can apply through the ACS RPL pathway, which usually needs 6 years of relevant work experience and two project reports.
Do I need IELTS for the ACS skills assessment?
No, ACS does not require an English test, but Home Affairs needs at least competent English for a skilled visa, and higher IELTS or PTE scores earn extra points.
Plan Your ACS Assessment with AIRCS
ACS does not advise on your occupation or suitability before you apply, and you cannot add experience after you submit. AIRCS Group reviews your ANZSCO code, reference letters and HEC documents first, so you know your likely skill date and visa points before you pay, as part of your Australia PR application.
