Chief Information Officer sits on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). The federal data file for ANZSCO 135111 confirms three open channels — all employer-sponsored: Subclass 186 Direct Entry, 494, and 482 Core Skills.
What's not available: Subclass 189, 190, and 491 — closed for 135111.
This guide walks through each open pathway, the ACS skills assessment, and a realistic timeline.
Open pathways at a glance
| Visa | Status | Speed to PR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subclass 186 Direct Entry | Open ✅ | 6-18 months | Direct PR via employer sponsor — fastest |
| Subclass 494 (Regional Employer) | Open ✅ | ~60 months | Provisional 5y → 191 PR after 3y regional |
| Subclass 482 Core Skills | Open ✅ | 30-36 months | Up to 4y employer-sponsored, transitions to 186 TRT |
| Subclass 189, 190, 491 | Closed | — | Not available for this code |
Pathway 1 — Subclass 186 Direct Entry (fastest to PR)
Subclass 186 Direct Entry is direct PR via an employer sponsor. Requirements:
- Positive ACS Migration Skills Assessment
- Competent English (IELTS 6 each band, OET / PTE / TOEFL / CAE equivalent)
- Under 45 at lodgement (limited exemptions, including age waivers for senior executives)
- At least three years post-qualification work experience (typically much more for CIO roles)
- Employer must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor
- Employer nomination citing ANZSCO 135111 with annual salary above the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold
Realistic 186 Direct Entry sponsors include the top-4 banks (CBA, ANZ, NAB, Westpac), Macquarie Group, BHP, Rio Tinto, Telstra, Optus, NBN Co, Woolworths, Coles, Wesfarmers, and the major federal departments through their public-sector ICT recruitment programs.
Pathway 2 — Subclass 494 (employer-sponsored regional)
Subclass 494 is the regional cousin of 186 → employer-sponsored, regional postcode, converts to 191 after three years. Useful when the appointing employer is in a designated regional area (e.g. mining and resources companies in WA, large regional health networks).
Pathway 3 — Subclass 482 Core Skills
Subclass 482 is up to four years employer-sponsored. After 24 months with the same sponsor, you can transition to Subclass 186 TRT for PR if you are under 45.
What ANZSCO 135111 covers
Chief Information Officer is the C-suite ICT leadership code. Typical roles:
- CIO (Chief Information Officer)
- CTO (Chief Technology Officer)
- CDO (Chief Digital Officer / Chief Data Officer)
- Group Head of IT / Group Director of Technology
- Vice President / Senior Vice President of IT
- IT Director at a large organisation
The Australian Bureau of Statistics task profile covers:
- Determining the organisation's ICT strategy and roadmap
- Setting ICT governance, risk, and security frameworks (alignment with ASD Essential Eight and APRA CPS 234 where applicable)
- Managing the ICT P&L (typically AUD 20M-500M+ for medium-large organisations)
- Leading the ICT workforce (architecture, infrastructure, applications, security, data, digital)
- Vendor strategy and major contract negotiation
- Board / executive reporting on technology strategy and risk
- Coordinating with finance, operations, marketing, and other C-suite peers
The ACS skills assessment
ACS — Australian Computer Society — is the named assessor for ANZSCO 135111. ACS conducts the Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) for ICT occupations.
ACS reviews:
- Tertiary qualification — typically a Bachelor in Computer Science / IT / Software Engineering, plus often a Master / MBA. Major in computing must be evident.
- Minimum employment experience at the right ICT skill level
- Reference letters mapping duties to the ANZSCO 135111 task profile
- Evidence of decision authority over ICT strategy, budget, and workforce
ACS allows multiple assessment pathways including Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for candidates without an ICT major.
For the evidence pack and rejection patterns, read our Chief Information Officer skills assessment guide.
Realistic timeline
- 186 Direct Entry: 6-18 months from ACS lodgement to grant if employer is set up
- 494 (employer-sponsored regional → 191 PR): ~60 months end-to-end
- 482 → 186 TRT: ~30-36 months end-to-end
Verify processing time bands on the global visa processing times tool.
Costs at a glance
For a typical 186 Direct Entry pathway with a family of three:
- ACS skills assessment: AUD 530 (post-Australian-qualification) or AUD 575 (general skills) per the ACS fees page
- 186 visa fee (primary): AUD 4,910
- Health, police, English: AUD 1,050
- Employer SAF levy: AUD 5,000 one-off (large business)
Read the breakdown in our Chief Information Officer cost and timeline case study. Use the visa fee calculator to model dependants.
Common mistakes
- Choosing VETASSESS instead of ACS. All ICT occupations including 135111 use ACS. VETASSESS does not assess this code.
- Confusing 135111 with 135112 (ICT Project Manager) or 135199 (ICT Manager NEC). 135111 is C-suite ICT executive level; 135112 is project leadership; 135199 is residual. Pick the code matching your scope and seniority.
- Assuming 189 / 190 are open. They aren't. Only 186, 494, and 482 are open.
- Underestimating the ICT major requirement. ACS requires evidence of an ICT major in your degree. RPL is available but adds time.
Tools
- Eligibility wizard — quick scan of which visa streams might fit
- ANZSCO search — confirm 135111 vs 135112 / 135199
- Document checklist — for ACS + visa application
- Visa fee calculator — model fees for 186, 494, or 482
- Invitation rounds tracker — context only
To verify any migration agent advising you, search the MARA register.
Next step
C-suite ICT leadership track record and an Australian employer in mind? Start with the eligibility wizard. Book a 30-minute free strategy call to map your specific pathway.