Who this may suit
Help desk technicians, systems support officers and network support staff considering Australian migration.
Key considerations
- TRA is the assessing authority for 313112.
- The occupation is on the STSOL and CSOL, rather than the points-tested MLTSSL.
- Choose the TRA program for your circumstances; one assessment program does not serve every visa.
Check the technical support responsibilities
The ABS lists ICT Help Desk Officer, ICT Help Desk Technician and Systems Support Officer as alternative titles. The occupation involves assisting users and resolving technical infrastructure problems; it may be performed in a call centre.
Explain the systems supported and the troubleshooting you personally undertake. A first-contact customer service job that only records enquiries may be different from diagnosing software, device or network faults. Compare the work itself rather than assuming every help desk title is equivalent.
A preparation summary might cover a typical problem, the checks you made, what you resolved, when you escalated and how you documented the solution. Do not share user passwords, personal customer records or confidential support logs.
Use TRA, and check the correct assessment program
TRA’s occupation list includes ICT Customer Support Officer. Do not submit an ACS application solely because your job is in IT. The authority and assessment type must match the occupation and visa purpose.
TRA advises applicants to use its program guidance and Pathfinder before applying. Its Migration Skills Assessment Program is a documentary assessment for relevant applicants, and expressly excludes people seeking an assessment for subclass 482 or 485. Australian study, passport country, occupation and visa purpose can affect the correct route.
Check the TRA Migration Skills Assessment Program →
Assess qualifications and recent work together
Under the current TRA Migration Skills Assessment guidelines, applicants must demonstrate three years of relevant full-time paid employment or its part-time equivalent, including 12 months full-time equivalent in the nominated or directly related occupation within the preceding three years.
The qualification and employment still need to meet the program’s comparability requirements. Do not treat ANZSCO’s general skill-level description as a guarantee that work experience alone will satisfy TRA. Check the full guidelines for the selected program before paying.
Read the current TRA program guidelines →
Understand the limits of the STSOL entry
313112 is on the STSOL under LIN 19/051. That can support occupation eligibility for state-nominated 190 or 491, subject to state selection and other criteria. It does not provide the MLTSSL occupation requirement for a new 189 Points-tested or family-sponsored 491 application.
The occupation also appears on the CSOL for 482 Core Skills and 186 Direct Entry. Assess the proposed job and stream independently, including whether an assessment is required. A willing employer alone does not establish a complete visa pathway.
Review subclass 190 nomination →
Understand employer-sponsored visas →
Prepare evidence that a technical assessor can verify
Keep a timeline of employment, hours, qualifications and changes in responsibilities. Follow TRA’s requirements for employer evidence and payment records rather than submitting a collection of unexplained support tickets.
The MSA guidelines require duties to be your actual work rather than copied occupation descriptions. They also instruct applicants to remove irrelevant sensitive details from payment evidence. Use the official checklist for what to submit and clarify missing records before lodging.
How we can help
Ausdirect can help identify the appropriate occupation and TRA program, review state-nominated or employer-sponsored options and highlight evidence gaps before an application.
Questions to consider
Can I apply for an ACS assessment instead of TRA?
For the nominated occupation 313112, TRA is the specified authority. If your actual work belongs to a different occupation, assess that occupation on its merits rather than switching authorities for convenience.
Does an Australian IT qualification guarantee a graduate visa under this occupation?
No. In particular, the subclass 485 Post-Vocational Education Work stream requires an MLTSSL occupation, while 313112 is on the STSOL. Other graduate-stream criteria must be checked separately.
Will a support job count as professional network engineering?
Not automatically. The scope of troubleshooting, responsibility for systems and level of engineering work matter. Review the specific duties before comparing 313112 with a professional network occupation.
Your next step
Bring your qualification details, support responsibilities, employment hours and recent work history. General information checked on 17 October 2026.