Employment outcomes for ICT-skilled migrants 'overwhelmingly positive': ACS report

A survey by the Australian Computer Society (ACS) has revealed the vast majority of ICT-skilled migrants have had positive employment outcomes.   

The 'Skilled Journeys: Navigating IT Migration in Australia Report' was based on a survey of 2,303 ICT-skilled migrants who completed ACS skills assessments from July 2017 to July 2022.

The ACS said the survey findings "reveal the employment outcomes for ICT skilled migrants are overwhelmingly positive, with more than 90 per cent finding employment and 80 per cent securing positions within the IT sector." 

The survey found 46 per cent of ICT-skilled migrants who did not have a job found their first job within six months of completing an ACS skills assessment.

Eighty-five per cent said they found their first job within two years, while 15 per cent indicated it took more than two years. 

“This success story runs counter to the popular narrative that gig economy work is the inevitable outcome of Australia’s skilled migration system. When it comes to the IT workforce, the vast majority are finding fulfilling roles in the right fields," ACS chief growth officer Siobhan O’Sullivan said.

“Today’s report is proof of the valuable contribution skilled migrants make to our country; helping fill the critical shortage of IT professionals in Australia, especially in a time when the tech industry is facing unprecedented demand for skilled talent.”

The survey found 27 per cent of surveyed ICT-skilled migrants were residing outside of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, up from 18 per cent in 2017, "indicating a trend towards regional migration," the report stated.

O’Sullivan said the report "illustrated the opportunity for regional employers at a time when skills shortages are deeply affecting local economies and businesses."

"Skilled migrants can fill a critical gap in the workforce and we’d like to help employers embrace that.”

However, only 43 per cent of surveyed migrants said they would remain in a regional area for more than five years or indefinitely.

“What this research reveals is that for many migrants, regional Australia just doesn't have the opportunities for career progression that they want. That’s something we need to address at the policy level,” O’Sullivan said.