Qualification recognition
What it takes to have your qualification recognised and work in another country.
Computer Science & IT in 9 countries Tap a country to see how to qualify there
4 United Kingdom Open door Some demand
No licence needed. The real hurdle is finding a sponsoring employer paying the Skilled Worker salary floor.
- Recognition
- 5/5 Unregulated there, or the South African qualification is accepted as it is.
- Time to practise
- Immediate once a visa is granted; typically 2-4 months from job offer
What it takes: exams, language test, cost
- Exams
- None
- Language test
- English at CEFR B2 for the visa: an SA degree counts only with a paid Ecctis assessment confirming it was taught in English; otherwise pass an approved English test
- Rough cost
- Visa, IHS and fees commonly GBP 3,000-6,000+ for the applicant; UK ENIC statement optional
Worth knowing: Graduate-level tech hiring in the UK tightened after 2024; many employers will not sponsor juniors. Temporary Shortage List roles cannot bring dependants.
Step by step 5 steps
- Apply directly to UK employers that hold a sponsor licence; no registration or professional body membership is required to write software.
- Optionally get a UK ENIC Statement of Comparability so HR can see your BSc mapped to a UK bachelor's degree.
- Secure a Certificate of Sponsorship and apply for a Skilled Worker visa; the role must be at RQF level 6 (degree level).
- Meet the salary rule: usually at least GBP 41,700 a year or the job's going rate, whichever is higher.
- Alternative entry: a UK master's followed by the post-study Graduate route, then switch to Skilled Worker.
Evidence and sources (4)
Demand evidence: Software developers (2134) and IT architects (2133) are visa-eligible but not on the ISL; only IT technicians (3131-3133) are on the Temporary Shortage List. (source)
5 Ireland Open door High demand
Unregulated, and ICT roles sit on Ireland's Critical Skills list, so no labour market needs test applies.
- Recognition
- 5/5 Unregulated there, or the South African qualification is accepted as it is.
- Time to practise
- Immediate on arrival; on 2 October 2026 DETE was processing Critical Skills Employment Permit applications received on 25 September 2026 (current dates are published by DETE)
What it takes: exams, language test, cost
- Exams
- None
- Language test
- English (no test for SA graduates); Irish is not required
- Rough cost
- Critical Skills permit fee EUR 1,000 for 2 years, usually paid by the employer
Worth knowing: The occupations list is revised roughly twice a year and roles can be removed. Dublin housing costs are very high relative to salaries.
Step by step 5 steps
- Get a job offer of at least 2 years from an Irish employer; software and ICT roles are on the Critical Skills Occupations List.
- Employer or employee applies for a Critical Skills Employment Permit; no labour market needs test is required for these roles.
- Meet the salary rule: EUR 40,904 with a relevant degree (EUR 36,848 if you graduated within the last 12 months).
- Optionally obtain a NARIC Ireland (QQI) statement of comparability for your BSc; not legally required for an unregulated job.
- After the permit, family reunification is immediate and long-term residence can be applied for after 60 months' residence.
Evidence and sources (3)
Demand evidence: Critical Skills Occupations List: software development professionals (2136), IT business analysts/architects (2135), web developers (2137), other ICT (2139). (source)
4 Netherlands Open door Some demand
No licence and English-speaking tech workplaces, but you need an IND-recognised sponsor and a high salary.
- Recognition
- 5/5 Unregulated there, or the South African qualification is accepted as it is.
- Time to practise
- Immediate; for a complete application from a recognised sponsor the IND strives to decide within 2 weeks (legal maximum 90 days)
What it takes: exams, language test, cost
- Exams
- None
- Language test
- English is the working language in most Dutch tech firms; Dutch is not required for the permit.
- Rough cost
- IND permit fee several hundred euro (employer-paid); IDW diploma evaluation EUR 148.83
Worth knowing: The 30% expat tax ruling has been cut back in recent years. The orientation year is only open to graduates of Dutch or IND-listed top-200 universities.
Step by step 5 steps
- Find a job with an employer on the IND public register of recognised sponsors; only recognised sponsors can hire highly skilled migrants.
- Meet the gross monthly salary threshold: EUR 4,357 if under 30, EUR 5,942 if 30 or older (2026 figures).
- Employer applies for the highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) permit; no Dutch language test and no professional registration.
- Optional: an IDW credential evaluation comparing your BSc to the Dutch system, useful for HR and salary grading.
- Alternative: study a Dutch master's, then use the orientation year (zoekjaar) permit to job-hunt; a highly skilled migrant permit applied for during or after that year (or within 3 years of graduating) uses the reduced EUR 3,122 monthly salary threshold.
Evidence and sources (4)
Demand evidence: No Dutch shortage list. UWV's 2020 page named ict programmeurs as in demand but says it is out of date; ICT staff use the IND highly skilled migrant permit. (limited evidence for this country) (source)
- IND highly skilled migrant
- IND required income amounts 2026: 'The reduced salary criterion applies in these 3 cases: The residence permit for a highly skilled migrant is applied for during the residence permit for an orientation year for highly educated persons. The highly skilled migrant no longer has a residence permit for an orientation year for highly educated persons, but did have this permit. The residence permit for a highly skilled migrant is applied for within 3 years of the graduation date...' (reduced salary criterion EUR 3,122.00 gross per month)
- IDW (Nuffic) - credential evaluation to work in the Netherlands ('A diploma evaluation costs €148.83')
- IND, Residence permit for work as a highly skilled migrant (publication 3072), p.4: 'The IND must take a decision on the application within 90 days, but strives to decide on the application within 2 weeks'
5 Germany Open door High demand
Unregulated; EU Blue Card needs your BSc to be recognised as comparable, but not German for the permit itself.
- Recognition
- 5/5 Unregulated there, or the South African qualification is accepted as it is.
- Time to practise
- 3-6 months including degree recognition and visa appointment waits
What it takes: exams, language test, cost
- Exams
- None
- Language test
- German not required for the Blue Card; in practice B1-B2 German widens job options considerably.
- Rough cost
- ZAB Statement of Comparability approx EUR 200; national visa fee EUR 75
Worth knowing: Blue Card salary thresholds are reset each year and were not verified here - check the current figure. Recognition is only needed to prove degree comparability, not to practise.
Confidence: medium. We could not fully confirm every detail here from official sources. Check before relying on it.
Step by step 5 steps
- Check your university and degree in the anabin database; if not clearly listed, order a ZAB Statement of Comparability for your BSc.
- Get a German job offer in IT; software development is not a regulated profession so no chamber or licence is involved.
- Apply for an EU Blue Card, which is designed for university graduates and has a minimum salary threshold set annually.
- If you have no job yet, consider the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) points-based job-seeker permit, which replaced the job-seeker visa on 1 June 2024.
- Learn German to at least B1 if you want to move beyond international tech firms or apply for permanent residence.
Evidence and sources (4)
Demand evidence: Make it in Germany lists IT specialists as a profession in demand; IT is a named EU Blue Card shortage field. (source)
5 United States Open door High demand
Profession is unregulated, but H-1B cap selection makes the US the hardest destination to enter legally.
- Recognition
- 5/5 Unregulated there, or the South African qualification is accepted as it is.
- Time to practise
- Often 1-3 years from first application, because of H-1B selection odds and timing
What it takes: exams, language test, cost
- Exams
- None for the profession. A credential evaluation is usually needed to show your BSc equals a US bachelor's for H-1B.
- Language test
- English (no test for SA graduates)
- Rough cost
- Employer-paid H-1B fees run into thousands of dollars; credential evaluation approx USD 100-250
Worth knowing: A USD 100,000 H-1B payment ordered in Sept 2025 is not being collected: on 8 June 2026 a court vacated the agency guidance implementing it and on 24 July 2026 the appeal court denied a stay, but DHS says it still plans to collect the payment if the order is lifted. Proclamation 11069 of 18 September 2026 extended the 2025 proclamation until 21 September 2027.
Confidence: medium. We could not fully confirm every detail here from official sources. Check before relying on it.
Step by step 5 steps
- No licence exists for software work; a US employer can hire you on skill alone, but must obtain a work visa.
- Most common route: a US master's degree, then 12 months OPT plus a 24-month STEM OPT extension (US, SEVP-certified degree required).
- Employer registers you for the annual H-1B cap: 65,000 places plus 20,000 for US advanced-degree holders; FY2027 caps are already full. Since FY2027, selection is weighted by the offered wage level, so entry-level offers have lower odds.
- Cap-exempt option: universities and non-profit or government research organisations can sponsor H-1B outside the cap at any time.
- Longer term, employer sponsors an EB-2/EB-3 green card via PERM; South Africans are not in the long India/China backlogs.
Evidence and sources (5)
Demand evidence: BLS OOH: software developers and computer and information research scientists projected to grow much faster than average. (source)
4 Canada Open door Some demand
Unregulated work, but software and data jobs were dropped from Canada's 2026 STEM Express Entry category.
- Recognition
- 5/5 Unregulated there, or the South African qualification is accepted as it is.
- Time to practise
- At least 1 year of skilled work experience first; then Express Entry commonly 8-18 months end to end (estimate; IRCC's processing standard for Express Entry applications is six months for 80% of cases)
What it takes: exams, language test, cost
- Exams
- None for the profession; IELTS/CELPIP is required for Express Entry points.
- Language test
- English (test required for immigration points, not for the job); French adds significant points.
- Rough cost
- ECA approx CAD 250-350; language test approx CAD 300; PR fees CAD 1,590 per adult (processing plus right of PR fee)
Worth knowing: This is a real change: software and data occupations were on earlier STEM draws but are absent from the current official 2026 list. Cybersecurity (NOC 21220) still qualifies.
Step by step 5 steps
- Get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from WES, ICAS, CES, IQAS or ICES; it must be under 5 years old when you apply.
- Sit IELTS or CELPIP for language points and build an Express Entry profile under Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class once eligible. Express Entry needs at least 1 year of continuous skilled work experience (TEER 0-3) in the last 10 years for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (or 1 year of Canadian experience for the Canadian Experience Class), CLB 7 and proof of settlement funds - a new graduate cannot enter the pool straight away.
- Because software roles are outside the 2026 STEM category, aim at general draws, a provincial tech stream, or a job offer.
- Employers can also use an LMIA or the Global Talent Stream for fast-tracked tech work permits.
- No provincial licence or professional registration is needed to work as a developer; the title 'engineer' is protected, so avoid it in job titles.
Evidence and sources (5)
Demand evidence: Only Cybersecurity specialists (21220) are in the Express Entry STEM category; software engineers and developers are in no current category. (source)
4 Australia Open door Some demand
No licence, and most ICT job titles sit on the Core Skills Occupation List - but ACS assessment is compulsory.
- Recognition
- 5/5 Unregulated there, or the South African qualification is accepted as it is.
- Time to practise
- ACS assessment 4-6 weeks; whole migration process commonly 9-18 months
What it takes: exams, language test, cost
- Exams
- None. ACS may require an RPL project report if your degree has insufficient ICT content.
- Language test
- English; IELTS/PTE usually required for points even though SA graduates study in English.
- Rough cost
- ACS General Skills assessment AUD 1,498 (excl GST); visa charges several thousand AUD on top
Worth knowing: ACS typically discounts 2-4 years of your early work experience depending on how closely your degree matches ICT - plan for that in your timeline.
Step by step 5 steps
- Apply to the Australian Computer Society (ACS) for a Migration Skills Assessment; ACS is the assessing authority for ICT occupations.
- ACS grades your BSc as ICT Major, ICT Minor or insufficient, then deducts a number of years of experience before your skills are 'recognised'.
- Nominate an ANZSCO code on the Core Skills Occupation List, e.g. 261313 Software Engineer, 261312 Developer Programmer or 261111 ICT Business Analyst.
- Either find a sponsoring employer for a Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, or lodge a points-tested skilled visa expression of interest.
- No registration board exists for software work, so once the visa is granted you can start immediately.
Evidence and sources (3)
Demand evidence: JSA Occupation Shortage List 2025: Software Engineer (273333) and unit group 2613 rated No Shortage; several cyber security roles are in shortage. (source)
5 New Zealand Open door High demand
Software engineer is a Tier 1 Green List role, but straight to residence needs pay of NZD 70 an hour or more, so most graduates start on a work visa.
- Recognition
- 5/5 Unregulated there, or the South African qualification is accepted as it is.
- Time to practise
- Immediate; residence decisions commonly 3-8 months
What it takes: exams, language test, cost
- Exams
- None
- Language test
- English (no test for SA graduates who studied in English)
- Rough cost
- Straight to Residence Visa from NZD 6,450 for a principal applicant; NZQA standard IQA NZD 445
Worth knowing: Green List tiers and pay thresholds are reviewed periodically. Verify your specific role in INZ's Green List search tool before planning around it.
Confidence: medium. We could not fully confirm every detail here from official sources. Check before relying on it.
Step by step 5 steps
- Check your exact job title against the Green List; Software Engineer, Analyst Programmer and ICT Security Specialist appear as Tier 1 roles.
- Get a full-time offer from an Immigration NZ accredited employer. For Tier 1 straight to residence, these ICT roles must pay NZD 70.00 an hour or more (NZD 145,600 a year), or NZD 87.50 an hour plus 10 years' relevant work on a contract for services; graduate and junior offers rarely reach this.
- Apply for a Straight to Residence visa (Tier 1) if the offer meets the pay threshold; otherwise the usual route is the Accredited Employer Work Visa.
- If asked, obtain an NZQA International Qualifications Assessment (IQA) showing how your BSc compares to the NZ framework.
- No professional registration is needed for software work once residence or a work visa is granted.
Evidence and sources (4)
Demand evidence: Green List Tier 1: Software Engineer (261313), Developer Programmer (261312), Analyst Programmer (261311), ICT Security Specialist (262112). (source)
5 United Arab Emirates Open door High demand
Unregulated and English-speaking; the government courts coders, but your visa depends on your employer.
- Recognition
- 5/5 Unregulated there, or the South African qualification is accepted as it is.
- Time to practise
- Immediate once the visa is issued; degree verification takes 12-25 working days
What it takes: exams, language test, cost
- Exams
- None
- Language test
- English is the working language in tech; Arabic is not required
- Rough cost
- Degree verification AED 300 + 5% VAT (DataFlow); work permit and visa fees are normally paid by the employer
Worth knowing: Residence lasts only as long as the sponsoring job or Green/Golden Visa; no route leads to citizenship.
Confidence: medium. We could not fully confirm every detail here from official sources. Check before relying on it.
Step by step 5 steps
- No licence is needed for software work in the UAE.
- Get a job offer; the employer applies for your work permit and two-year renewable residence visa, so your right to stay is tied to that job.
- Have your degree verified through DataFlow for the Ministry and recognised; degrees from universities ranked 1-200 need only a validity check.
- With a degree, a skill level 1-3 job and AED 15,000+ a month, you can apply for the self-sponsored 5-year Green Visa, which loosens the employer tie.
- At AED 30,000+ a month with a degree, the 10-year Golden Visa is the long-term option; there is no standard route to citizenship.
Evidence and sources (4)
Demand evidence: ICP names computer engineering, programming, artificial intelligence and big data as Golden Visa priority specialist fields. (source)
General information, not immigration or legal advice. Confirm the rules with the regulator before you rely on them. Computer Science & IT overview