Software Tester
A Software Tester designs and executes test plans to identify defects and ensure software quality before deployment in Australian technology organisations.
Full-time AUD, 2025 indicative. Wide bands reflect variation by employer, experience, and location.
Consistent demand; quality assurance is essential in all software development teams.
Occupation list membership
Which Department of Home Affairs skilled lists this occupation currently appears on.
- STSOLShort-Term Skilled Occupation List
Occupations eligible for shorter-term sponsored visas including Subclass 482 (short-term stream).
- CSOLCombined Skilled Occupation List
The merged skilled list that consolidates previous MLTSSL and STSOL eligibility under the Skills in Demand program.
Assessing authority
The body that assesses skills for migration purposes for this occupation.
- ACSAustralian Computer SocietyVisit official site →
Visa pathways
Australian visa subclasses for which this occupation is currently eligible.
- 186Learn more →Employer Nomination Scheme visa
Permanent employer-sponsored visa for workers nominated by an approved sponsor.
- 190Learn more →Skilled Nominated visa
Permanent visa for workers nominated by a state or territory government.
- 482Learn more →Skills in Demand visa
Employer-sponsored temporary visa (formerly TSS) for occupations on the relevant list.
- 491Learn more →Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa
Five-year provisional visa for workers willing to live and work in regional Australia.
- 494Learn more →Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa
Five-year employer-sponsored provisional visa in regional Australia, with a path to PR.
State nominations
States and territories that currently nominate this occupation for skilled migration.
| Code | State / Territory | Details |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | New South Wales | View nomination → |
| WA | Western Australia | View nomination → |
| SA | South Australia | View nomination → |
| TAS | Tasmania | View nomination → |
| ACT | Australian Capital Territory | View nomination → |
Key duties
- Develop test plans, test cases, and testing strategies
- Execute manual and automated tests against functional and non-functional requirements
- Report and track defects through the defect lifecycle
- Conduct regression, performance, and user acceptance testing
Skills required
- Software testing methodologies and SDLC
- Test automation tools (Selenium, Cypress, Playwright)
- API testing tools (Postman, RestAssured)
- Bug tracking and test management tools (Jira, TestRail)
Typical qualifications pathway
Bachelor's degree in IT or computer science; ISTQB certification is valued. ACS assesses qualifications.
Visa & occupation list information
Listed on STSOL and CSOL, supporting subclasses 186, 190, 482, 491, and 494 For advice on which pathway suits your circumstances, consult a registered MARA migration agent.
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