Skilled Migration Pathway

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER | ANZSCO 135111

Australian businesses of every size now depend on their technology systems running properly, and someone needs to set the ICT strategy at the top level rather than just keeping servers running day to day. Under ANZSCO 135111, skilled Chief Information Officers are being sponsored by businesses across every industry that runs a serious ICT function. This occupation is assessed by a specialist ICT body rather than a general management one, so applicants and employers both need to understand how that process actually works.

This guide covers what a Chief Information Officer actually does, the English language standard applicants need to meet, and a full breakdown of two of the most common visa pathways for this occupation: the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa and the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme.

Migration Republic, Expert visa pathway preparation for Chief Information Officers and enterprise ICT executives

ANZSCO 135111

WHAT DOES A CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER DO?

A Chief Information Officer under ANZSCO 135111 plans, organises, directs, controls, and coordinates the ICT strategies, plans, and operations of an organisation, to ensure the ICT infrastructure supports the organisation's overall operations and priorities. The occupation sits at ANZSCO Skill Level 1, which generally means a bachelor degree or higher qualification, though at least five years of relevant experience can substitute for the formal qualification in many cases. A Chief Information Officer typically heads the ICT function of a business and reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer.

Typical responsibilities include:

• Analysing information needs and specifying the technology required to meet those needs
• Formulating and directing information and communication technology strategies, policies, and plans
• Directing the selection and installation of ICT resources and the provision of user training
• Directing ICT operations and setting priorities between system development, maintenance, and operations

One thing worth flagging early: this occupation is assessed by the Australian Computer Society rather than a general business management body, and the assessment process itself looks quite different from other management occupations. More on that further down.

CSOL List

SUBCLASS 482 FOR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS – CSOL LIST

The Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa replaced the older Temporary Skill Shortage visa, and a new occupation list came with it. The Core Skills Occupation List, known as the CSOL, brought the earlier strategic skills lists together into a single list covering several hundred occupations across professional, technical, and managerial fields.

Chief Information Officer sits on the CSOL under the code ANZSCO 135111, and this is the code an employer nominates against for a Core Skills stream 482 visa. Because it is a Skill Level 1 occupation, Home Affairs pays close attention to whether the nominated role genuinely involves setting ICT strategy at an organisational level, rather than a narrower IT manager or systems administrator function.

ANZSCO Requirements

SUBCLASS 482 ANZSCO REQUIREMENT FOR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS

The nominated position has to genuinely reflect the work of a Chief Information Officer, not just carry the title. The Department looks at the actual scope of the role, including whether the applicant sets ICT strategy and policy at the organisational level and reports at executive level, rather than managing day to day IT support or infrastructure operations under someone else's direction.

Because this occupation sits at ANZSCO Skill Level 1, applicants generally need a bachelor degree or higher qualification with a major in ICT, or at least five years of relevant experience where a formal qualification is not held. Roles that are largely IT support, systems administration, or infrastructure operations based are unlikely to meet the ANZSCO description for this occupation, so getting the position description right at the nomination stage matters a great deal.

482 Visa Requirements

SC 482 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS

To be granted a Subclass 482 visa under the Core Skills stream as a Chief Information Officer, applicants generally need to meet the following:

• A genuine, approved sponsor. The employer must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor, or in the process of becoming one
• An approved nomination for ANZSCO 135111, with a salary at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold and the market rate for the role
• At least one year of full time equivalent work experience as a Chief Information Officer, or in a closely related field, within the past five years
• Meeting the Competent English requirement, unless an exemption applies
• A clear health examination through an approved panel physician
• Police clearance certificates from every country lived in for twelve months or more

Salary and income thresholds are indexed regularly, so it is always worth checking the current figure on the Home Affairs website before an employer lodges a nomination. Visa grants can range from one to four years depending on individual circumstances, and a partner along with dependent children can be included as secondary applicants.

482 Skills Assessment

Skills Assessment Requirement for Chief Information Officer – Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) Visa

The Australian Computer Society, generally known as ACS, is the assessing authority for Chief Information Officer. A skills assessment is not automatically mandatory for every 482 applicant in this occupation, though Home Affairs can request one, and many employers arrange it anyway to support a stronger nomination.

Where a skills assessment is used, ACS generally looks for an Australian bachelor degree or higher with a major in ICT closely related to the nominated occupation, together with at least one to two years of relevant employment after graduation, depending on the specific pathway. Where the ICT component of the qualification is a minor rather than a major, ACS generally expects around five years of relevant employment within the last ten years instead. Completion of an ACS accredited Professional Year program can also support an application.

Applications generally require a detailed Recognition of Prior Learning report, or RPL report, along with career episodes describing ICT strategy, project management, operations, and leadership responsibilities. A strong application also includes certified academic transcripts, employment reference letters, and clear evidence of managerial responsibility over ICT strategy and resources.

Subclass 186

SUBCLASS 186 FOR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS – EMPLOYER NOMINATION SCHEME

The Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme is Australia's main permanent employer sponsored visa, and for many Chief Information Officers already working in Australia on a 482 visa, it is the natural next step. The Direct Entry stream is the relevant pathway for applicants who have not yet worked long enough with their employer to qualify for the Temporary Residence Transition stream, or who are applying from outside Australia altogether.

Unlike the 482, a grant under the 186 gives the applicant and their family permanent residency from the day it is approved, with no further visa renewals needed.

186 Visa Requirements

SC 186 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS

For the Direct Entry stream, applicants generally need to meet the following:

• A nomination from an approved Australian employer for a genuine, full time, ongoing Chief Information Officer position
• A salary that meets or exceeds the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold and the market rate for the role
• A positive skills assessment from ACS in the nominated occupation, unless an exemption applies
• At least three years of relevant work experience, unless exempt from the skills assessment and experience requirements
• Being under 45 years of age at the time of application, with limited exemptions
• Competent English, at an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with no band below 6.0, or an accepted equivalent
• Health and character clearances

This is a noticeably higher bar than the 482, both on English and on work experience, which is one reason a lot of Chief Information Officers use the 482 as a stepping stone before applying for the 186.

186 Skills Assessment

SKILLS ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT FOR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS: SC 186 VISA

Unlike the 482, a positive skills assessment from ACS is generally mandatory for Direct Entry 186 applicants in this occupation, and it needs to be current at the time the visa application is lodged.

The assessment process is the same one used for the 482, including the RPL report and career episodes describing ICT strategy and leadership experience. Because the Direct Entry stream also requires three years of relevant experience on top of the assessment itself, it helps to start preparing career episodes, gathering employment evidence, and organising reference letters well before applying, since ACS processing and document preparation both take time.

English Standards

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Every skilled or employer sponsored visa in Australia comes with an English language test, and the score applicants need to clear depends on which visa they are applying for. For Chief Information Officers looking at the 482 and 186 pathways, the bar is different at each stage, which catches a lot of applicants off guard.

For the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa, Core Skills stream, applicants generally need Competent English, which works out to an overall IELTS score of 5.0 with no band below 5.0, or an accepted equivalent test result.

For the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, Direct Entry stream, the standard is higher. Competent English here means an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with no band below 6.0.

English Exemptions

EXEMPTIONS ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Citizens of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and the Republic of Ireland are generally exempt from formal English testing, along with applicants who have completed a set period of study conducted in English. Test results typically need to be current within three years of lodgement, so if an applicant's score is getting old, it is worth sitting the test again before applying rather than finding out partway through processing.

Caveats & Business Requirements

CAVEATS AND BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS FOR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS

Chief Information Officer does not carry a specific migration caveat under either the Subclass 482 or Subclass 186 visa, which is a genuine advantage compared with several other management occupations that restrict positions based on salary, business size, or location.

Because there is no caveat to rely on as a checklist, the emphasis falls even more heavily on the RPL report and supporting evidence submitted to ACS. Employers should be ready to provide a clear position description and evidence of the applicant's ICT strategy and leadership responsibilities to support the nomination.

Salary Rates

SALARY EXPECTATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Chief Information Officers at large corporations, financial institutions, and technology heavy businesses tend to sit toward the higher end of the range, reflecting the scale of the ICT budgets and teams typically involved.

Industry Shortage

WHY CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS ARE IN DEMAND IN AUSTRALIA

• Australian businesses across every industry continue to invest heavily in digital transformation and technology infrastructure
• Growing cybersecurity risks and data protection obligations require experienced technology leadership at the executive level
• Cloud migration, automation, and artificial intelligence adoption are placing pressure on organisations to have strong ICT strategy in place
• Multinational companies expanding their Australian operations often need experienced technology leadership to run local ICT functions
• Jobs and Skills Australia tracks Chief Information Officers as part of the broader ICT managers workforce, where experienced technology leaders remain in demand

Employer Sponsorship

Employer Sponsorship for Chief Information Officers in Australia

Australian businesses can sponsor overseas Chief Information Officers through the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa, the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa, and other eligible employer sponsored pathways when a suitably experienced local candidate is not available. With demand for strong technology leadership continuing across many industries, employer sponsorship has become a practical way for businesses to bring in experienced overseas Chief Information Officers.

At Migration Republic, we assist employers with every stage of the sponsorship process, including Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) applications, nomination applications, visa lodgements, and ongoing sponsorship compliance. Our Registered Migration Agents ensure your business meets all Department of Home Affairs requirements, including preparing a strong ACS RPL application, while making the sponsorship process as straightforward and efficient as possible.

Whether you need to sponsor a Chief Information Officer for a growing technology business, an established corporation, or an Australian subsidiary of an overseas parent, we can help you identify the most suitable employer sponsored visa pathway. We work with businesses of all sizes across Australia, helping employers sponsor skilled technology leaders under the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa and secure permanent residence pathways through the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, where eligible.

We help businesses with:

• Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) applications
• Sponsoring overseas Chief Information Officers under the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa
• Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) applications
• Preparing a strong ACS RPL application and career episodes to support the nomination
• Employer nomination applications
• Employer sponsorship compliance obligations
• Permanent residency pathways for sponsored technology leaders

If your business is looking to sponsor a Chief Information Officer, or recruit senior overseas technology talent more broadly, Migration Republic can manage the entire employer sponsorship process from start to finish, so you can focus on your business priorities while we handle the migration side.

Interactive Tools

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Migration Services

HOW MIGRATION REPUBLIC CAN HELP YOU

Migrating to Australia as a Chief Information Officer means working through an ACS skills assessment that is genuinely different from most other management occupations, preparing an RPL report and career episodes, and choosing between two visa pathways with different English and experience thresholds. Our registered migration agents at Migration Republic handle this every day, and we can help you get it right the first time.

Here's what we take care of for you:

• Confirming your role genuinely matches the ANZSCO 135111 definition
• Assessing whether your qualification and experience are likely to satisfy ACS's requirements
• Preparing a complete, decision ready ACS skills assessment application, including RPL career episodes
• Structuring your employment references so they demonstrate genuine ICT strategy and leadership responsibility
• Comparing the 482 and 186 pathways to find the right fit for your circumstances
• Managing your full visa application from lodgement through to grant

Frequently Asked Questions – Employer Sponsorship for Chief Information Officers

Migration Republic is an Australia based migration agency offering paid consultation and visa lodgement services for skilled and employer sponsored migration.