An ICT Security Specialist skills assessment is assessed by the Australian Computer Society (ACS) against ANZSCO code 262112, and a positive outcome currently supports the points-tested Subclass 189, state-nominated Subclass 190 and regional provisional Subclass 491 visas — but not the employer-sponsored Subclass 482 or 186 Direct Entry stream, since ICT Security Specialist does not appear on the Core Skills Occupation List that governs those two pathways. This guide walks through the ACS assessment process, what it actually costs and takes in 2026, which visas the occupation supports today, and how the government’s current onshore-priority processing settings affect ICT applicants weighing an offshore application.
What Is the ICT Security Specialist Occupation (ANZSCO 262112)?
ICT Security Specialist sits under ANZSCO group 2621 (Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists), alongside Database Administrator (262111) and Systems Administrator (262113). It’s classified as Skill Level 1, meaning it typically requires a bachelor degree or higher (or at least five years of relevant experience where no formal qualification exists) and covers roles responsible for information system security policy, access control, system integrity and incident response.
It’s worth being precise about this code, because the Australian Computer Society has also introduced a newer, more granular set of dedicated cyber security occupations in recent years — Cyber Security Engineer (261315), Cyber Security Analyst (262116), Cyber Security Architect (262117) and others. These sit alongside, not instead of, ICT Security Specialist (262112), which remains a current, separately assessed occupation. If your day-to-day role is closer to one of the newer cyber-specific titles, it’s worth checking with a registered migration agent which code best matches your actual duties, since the wrong code can mean an assessment against criteria your experience doesn’t cleanly satisfy.
Which Authority Assesses ICT Security Specialist, and How Does It Work?
The ICT Security Specialist occupation is assessed by the Australian Computer Society (ACS), the designated assessing authority for ICT occupations on Australia’s skilled migration lists. ACS runs several assessment pathways depending on your qualifications and experience:
- General Skills pathway — for applicants with a completed overseas ICT (or closely related) qualification. How much relevant work experience you need alongside it depends on how closely your degree matches an ICT major: broadly, a bachelor’s degree with a closely related major requires fewer years of post-qualification experience than a degree assessed as only minor-related, where more years are required.
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) — for applicants without a formal ICT qualification, assessed instead on documented work experience and a written RPL report.
- Post Australian Study pathway — for recent graduates of an accredited Australian ICT qualification.
As of ACS’s current published fee schedule, the General Skills assessment costs AU$1,498 (excluding GST), and RPL is AU$625 (excluding GST) — both payable when the application starts. ACS advises allowing 4–6 weeks for an assessment to be completed where no additional documents are requested; a request for further evidence will extend that timeline, so submitting a complete, well-organised application the first time matters more than trying to save a few days.
Whichever pathway applies, ACS asks for four categories of evidence: proof of identity, evidence of your qualification, verified work experience (employment references plus proof of payment, such as payslips or tax records), and — for DevOps and Cyber Security pathway applicants specifically — any relevant vendor certifications. ACS treats a minimum of 20 hours a week as full-time employment for experience-counting purposes; work below that threshold isn’t counted the same way, so part-time or contract history needs to be documented carefully.
Which Visas Can ICT Security Specialists Actually Apply For?
This is where a lot of generic occupation-list pages get it wrong, because Australia currently runs two separate occupation lists that apply to different visa pathways — and ICT Security Specialist sits on one but not the other.
Points-tested and state-nominated pathways: 189, 190, 491
ICT Security Specialist appears on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), which is the occupation list underpinning the:
- Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent, points-tested stream) — no state or employer sponsorship required, assessed purely on the points test
- Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) — requires nomination by a state or territory government
- Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional, provisional) — requires state/territory or eligible family sponsorship, with a pathway to permanent residence via Subclass 191 after meeting the regional-residence and income requirements
These are the three pathways an ICT Security Specialist with a positive ACS outcome can realistically pursue today without needing an employer to sponsor them.
Why the employer-sponsored pathways (482, 186) currently aren’t available for this occupation
Since December 2024, employer-sponsored visas draw from a different, separate list — the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) — which governs both the Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) Core Skills stream and the Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) Direct Entry stream. Checked directly against the Department of Home Affairs’ own published occupation lists, ICT Security Specialist (262112) does not currently appear on the CSOL, even though several newer cyber-specific occupation codes (such as Cyber Security Analyst and Cyber Security Architect) do. In practice, that means an employer currently cannot sponsor someone against the ICT Security Specialist code for a 482 or a 186 Direct Entry visa — even though the occupation is genuinely and separately eligible for the points-tested and state-nominated pathways above via the MLTSSL.
This is a live example of why it pays to check the current legislative instrument rather than a static “all pathways: yes” table — occupation lists are reviewed and can change, and a table that hasn’t been updated against the latest CSOL can overstate what’s actually available. If your intended pathway is employer sponsorship rather than points-tested migration, it’s worth discussing your specific circumstances and any related occupation code that might fit your actual role — read our broader employer-sponsored visa guide for how that process generally works, or see our guide on how to get an employer-sponsored visa in Australia.
Regional employer sponsorship under Subclass 494 is assessed against a further list (the Regional Occupation List); given occupation lists can be updated, confirming current 494 eligibility for this specific code is best done as part of a personalised assessment rather than assumed either way.
How Does Onshore-Priority Processing Affect ICT Security Specialists?
Since Ministerial Direction 119 took effect, Australia’s skilled visa processing has run on a tiered priority system that generally favours applicants already in Australia over offshore applicants in the same occupation, with named priority given to specific sectors such as construction, healthcare and teaching. ICT Security Specialist isn’t one of the occupations named in those top priority tiers, so offshore ICT applicants should expect processing to sit within the general queue rather than benefit from the fastest lane — but Home Affairs has not published an occupation-specific processing time for this code, so we’d rather describe the mechanism honestly than quote a number that may already be out of date by the time you read this. If timing is central to your planning — for example, you’re weighing an offshore 189 application against building experience onshore first — that trade-off is worth working through with a registered migration agent who can check current processing data at the time you’re ready to apply.
Key Takeaways
- ICT Security Specialist (ANZSCO 262112) is assessed by the ACS, with a General Skills fee of AU$1,498 (excl. GST) or an RPL fee of AU$625 (excl. GST), and a typical 4–6 week turnaround with no further documents requested.
- A positive assessment currently supports Subclass 189, 190 and 491 via the MLTSSL — but not Subclass 482 or 186 Direct Entry, since the occupation is not on the Core Skills Occupation List that governs those two visas.
- 494 eligibility depends on the Regional Occupation List and is best confirmed as part of a personalised, current assessment.
- Offshore applicants aren’t in one of MD119’s named top-priority sectors, so realistic timeline-setting matters more than chasing a specific published wait time.
- Getting the ANZSCO code right matters — ICT Security Specialist and the newer, more specific cyber security codes assess against different criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ICT Security Specialist on the skilled occupation list for Australian PR?
Yes — it’s on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), which supports the points-tested Subclass 189, state-nominated Subclass 190, and provisional regional Subclass 491 (with a pathway to permanent residence via Subclass 191). It is not currently on the Core Skills Occupation List used for the employer-sponsored 482 and 186 Direct Entry visas.
How much does an ACS skills assessment cost for ICT Security Specialist?
Based on ACS’s current published fee schedule, the General Skills pathway costs AU$1,498 (excluding GST) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) costs AU$625 (excluding GST). Fees are payable when you start the application and are reviewed periodically, so it’s worth checking ACS’s own fee page for the figure current at the time you apply.
How long does an ACS skills assessment take?
ACS advises allowing 4–6 weeks where no additional documents are requested. Requests for further evidence extend the timeline, so a complete, well-documented application from the outset is the best way to avoid delay.
Can an employer sponsor me as an ICT Security Specialist?
Not currently under that specific occupation code for the Subclass 482 Core Skills stream or the Subclass 186 Direct Entry stream, since ICT Security Specialist doesn’t appear on the Core Skills Occupation List those visas draw from. Some closely related, newer cyber security occupation codes do appear on that list, so it’s worth having your actual role checked against the right code.
Do I need Australian work experience for the ACS assessment?
No — ACS assesses overseas and Australian qualifications and experience on the same basis, provided the evidence (qualification documents, employment references and proof of payment) meets its requirements. A dedicated Post Australian Study pathway exists specifically for recent graduates of an accredited Australian ICT qualification.
Ready to find out if you qualify?
Kingsbridge Australia offers a free 15-minute pre-assessment with Dexter Lee, our Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2518927), to see if you qualify for this pathway. Book a time below.
