Which routes are open
Status reflects the official position at the time of writing. Rules change often — follow each link and confirm before you act on it.
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UK Skilled Worker visa
OpenProgramming and software development occupations sit above the graduate-level (RQF 6) skill threshold. You need a job offer from a licensed sponsor and a salary at or above the going rate for the occupation code.
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Australia Skills in Demand (subclass 482)
OpenICT occupations appear on the Core Skills Occupation List. Requires employer nomination and a salary at or above the Core Skills income threshold.
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Germany EU Blue Card
OpenLower salary threshold for IT shortage occupations, and since 2023 it can be obtained with demonstrated professional experience rather than a degree in some cases.
What you need before applying
- A degree helps but is increasingly not mandatory — demonstrable professional experience can substitute on several routes.
- English for UK/Australia; German is often not required for Blue Card IT roles but widens your options considerably.
- For Australia, a skills assessment (usually ACS for ICT) is typically required.
Where to find the jobs
Go to these directly. Applying at the source beats applying through a reposting aggregator, and the official registers let you verify an employer before you commit anything.
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UK register of licensed sponsors
Search it for tech employers, then apply to them directly rather than through aggregators.
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Australia — Core Skills Occupation List
Confirm your occupation is listed before planning around it.
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Make it in Germany — job listings
Official portal, including Blue Card eligible roles.
What your software and it CV must show
- Put the stack in the first two lines. Recruiters and filters both search on technology names.
- State scale: requests per second, data volume, team size, users served. "Large scale" means nothing.
- Name your visa position plainly — "requires sponsorship" is better than silence, because silence wastes everyone's time.
- Keep it to two pages maximum and skip the photo for UK and Australia; German CVs may still include one.
Write it now. Open the software engineer example in the builder and replace the details with your own. It saves in your browser — no account, nothing uploaded.
Software and IT in UK, Australia and Germany — FAQ
Should I say on my CV that I need sponsorship?
Yes. Employers who sponsor are not deterred by it, and employers who do not will screen you out at some point anyway. Saying it early saves you weeks.
Which of the three markets is easiest?
There is no single answer, but Germany's Blue Card has the lowest salary threshold for IT shortage occupations, while the UK has the largest number of licensed sponsors. Australia requires a skills assessment, which adds time and cost up front.
Do I need a degree?
Not always. The UK route cares about the occupation's skill level rather than your personal qualifications, and Germany now accepts demonstrated IT experience in some cases. Australia is stricter because of the skills assessment.
Are remote roles a route in?
Not usually a visa route — sponsorship requires a job located in the destination country. Remote contract work can build relevant experience and references, but it does not by itself lead to a work visa.
Other pathways and tools
- Registered nurse — United KingdomUK-based and international nurses
- Aged care worker — AustraliaAustralia-based jobseekers and sponsored applicants
- Learnerships and entry-level — South AfricaSouth African school leavers and graduates
- Construction and skilled trades — UK and Australiatradespeople seeking sponsored work
- CV & resume builderFree, no sign-up
- How to write a resumeStep-by-step guide