DevOps Engineer Migration to Australia: CSOL, ACS, Visa 482, 189 and PR
Can this occupation migrate to Australia?
Yes — DevOps Engineer (ANZSCO 261316) is one of the ICT occupations added in ANZSCO 2021 to reflect real workforce demand. The occupation sits on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) and is eligible for the 482 visa (employer sponsorship), the 189 visa (points-tested independent), the 190/491 visas (state nomination) and the 186 visa (employer-sponsored permanent residence).
DevOps is a role many people already perform, but the precise ANZSCO code is often unclear. Before ANZSCO 2021 introduced a dedicated code, 261316, many DevOps engineers had to lodge ACS applications under 263111 (Computer Network and Systems Engineer) or 261313 (Software Engineer). Since 2021, 261316 is the correct code and ACS assesses directly against it.
ANZSCO and CSOL: position on the occupation list
DevOps Engineer carries ANZSCO code 261316, sits at Skill Level 1, and falls within the 2613 group (Software and Applications Programmers) alongside adjacent ICT codes. The ANZSCO definition for 261316 covers roles that combine software development with infrastructure operations: CI/CD automation, containerisation (Docker/Kubernetes), infrastructure as code (IaC), systems monitoring and a collaborative dev-ops culture.
The occupation appears on the CSOL with status , making it eligible to enter SkillSelect and receive an invitation to apply for points-tested visas. This status also allows an employer to sponsor a 482 visa under the Core Skills Stream.
Skills assessing authority: ACS
The assessing authority for DevOps Engineer is ACS (Australian Computer Society). ACS has assessed code 261316 directly since ANZSCO 2021 came into effect — before then, DevOps applications had to be mapped to other codes. If an applicant already holds an ACS result under an older code, they should confirm the ANZSCO code update with ACS before lodging an EOI.
The four ACS pathways apply as they do to other ICT occupations: General Skills, RPL, Post Australian Study and Qualification Only. For DevOps, the key point is that the application must clearly demonstrate specific ICT technical work (not just process management or team coordination), because ACS assesses against ICT skills criteria. Experience with tools such as Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Terraform, Ansible and AWS/GCP/Azure should be described in detail.
Suitable visas: an overview
The four main visa groups are the same as for other Skill Level 1 ICT occupations: visa 482, visa 186, visa 189 and visa 190/491. The most common pathway is 482 → 186 TRT after two years with the same employer. Applicants with a competitive SkillSelect score (often 85+ points) can lodge an EOI for the 189 in parallel.
Visa 482 — employer sponsored
The 482 visa Core Skills Stream allows an employer to sponsor a DevOps engineer for up to four years. The eligibility conditions include relevant ICT work experience within the most recent five years, a nominated salary that meets the TSMIT, and at least Vocational English (IELTS 5.0 in each band). The employer must complete Labour Market Testing (LMT) before nominating, demonstrating that no suitably qualified Australian worker could be recruited.
In practice, DevOps is one of the harder ICT roles to fill in the Australian labour market, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne — which can mean LMT is approved more readily than for more common ICT roles.
Visa 186 — employer-sponsored permanent residence
The 186 ENS visa under the TRT pathway requires at least two years of full-time work in the past three years for the same employer, an age under 45, Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band) and a salary no lower than the market rate. The Direct Entry stream also applies .
Visa 189 — points-tested independent
Visa 189 (Skilled — Independent) — DevOps Engineer (261316) is not on the current MLTSSL (LIN 19/051 Compilation No. 5), so the occupation is not eligible for the points-tested independent 189 visa. Those seeking permanent residence via the points test should consider the 190 visa (state nomination, plus 5 points) or the 491 visa (regional, plus 15 points). The 482 → 186 TRT pathway remains the most reliable route for a DevOps Engineer.
Visas 190 and 491 — state nomination
DevOps Engineer is nominated by many states, particularly NSW, VIC, QLD and SA. The 190 visa adds 5 points; the 491 visa adds 15 points with a pathway to the 191 after three years in a regional area. Lists and application windows change — check each state’s portal.
English language requirements
The required English levels are the same as for other Skill Level 1 ICT occupations: Vocational (IELTS 5.0) for the 482, Competent (IELTS 6.0) as a minimum to lodge a 189/190, and Superior (IELTS 8.0) to reach the maximum competitive points. ACS also has its own English requirements during assessment.
Indicative salary
The figures below are reference points, not guaranteed salaries. Actual pay depends on the city/region, seniority and experience, specialist technology, type of employer, full-time/contract status, compulsory superannuation (super), and the visa/sponsorship context.
Labour market benchmark (official): According to the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile (drawing on the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours), the median weekly earnings for the Software and Applications Programmers occupation group (ANZSCO 2613) is 2,537 AUD/week — roughly equivalent to 10,990 AUD/month or 131,900 AUD/year on a simple 52-week conversion (a pre-tax reference point only, not a guaranteed salary). This is the median for full-time, non-managerial, adult, pre-tax workers — neither the minimum nor the maximum, and a figure for the whole occupation group (covering many programming roles).
Salary range from job ads (market): Sites such as SEEK Salary Insights publish salary ranges based on job advertisements. At the time of update, AustraliaHub has not been able to verify the SEEK range; you should look it up directly and cross-check it against the median benchmark above.
Legal minimum floor: Most programming roles are professional occupations that are award-free; in that case the legal minimum is the National Minimum Wage together with the employment contract. Check using the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool (https://calculate.fairwork.gov.au/).
Official sources (checked 12/06/2026):
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Software and Applications Programmers occupation profile (ANZSCO 2613): https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/occupation-and-industry-profiles/occupations/2613-software-and-applications-programmers
- Fair Work Ombudsman: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/
Pathway to permanent residence: summary
The most common route: complete the ACS assessment under code 261316 → obtain a 482 visa → work two full years with the same employer → lodge the 186 TRT → receive permanent residence. In parallel, lodge a SkillSelect EOI to track 189/190 opportunities. Given DevOps salaries and market demand, the time from holding an ACS result to receiving the 186 is often shorter than for many other occupations.
Common mistakes
- Using an old ANZSCO code when lodging an EOI: If you already hold an ACS assessment under another code (for example 263111), update it to 261316 before lodging the EOI to avoid rejection for a code mismatch.
- Describing the role too much as management: ACS assesses technical ICT skills, not project-management skills. The application must emphasise specific technical work, not just “organising the team” or “coordinating between departments”.
- Not tracking the occupation ceiling: The number of 189 invitations for each ANZSCO code is capped by the occupation ceiling. DevOps (261316) is less competitive than 261313, but you should still lodge the EOI early.
- Confusing the TSMIT with the market salary rate: The TSMIT is a minimum floor; the employer must also pay the correct market rate for a DevOps role. The market rate for DevOps is often well above the TSMIT.