What is the Professional Year Program?
The Professional Year (PY) Program is a structured, government-endorsed program designed to help recent international graduates transition from university study to professional employment in Australia. More importantly for those pursuing permanent residency, completing a Professional Year program adds 5 extra points to your skilled migration points test score — a significant advantage in a competitive field.
Who is Eligible?
The Professional Year program is available to international graduates who:
- Graduated from an Australian university with a degree in IT, Accounting, or Engineering
- Hold a valid Australian visa that allows them to study and work (typically a student visa, graduate visa, or similar)
- Have completed their degree within the past few years
Professional Year Streams
1. IT Professional Year (ACS)
Administered by the Australian Computer Society (ACS), the IT Professional Year program is designed for graduates of computing and IT disciplines. It runs for 44 weeks and includes classroom training and a mandatory 12-week internship with an Australian employer.
- Covers professional skills: workplace communication, project management, ethics
- Includes an industry internship in your field
- Leads to an ACS skills assessment (valuable for future visa applications)
2. Accounting Professional Year (CAANZ / CPA / IPA)
Offered by the major accounting bodies — CA ANZ, CPA Australia, and IPA — the Accounting Professional Year runs for 52 weeks and includes structured training plus a 12-week internship.
- Ideal for Bachelor's or Master's graduates in accounting or commerce
- Builds workplace-ready accounting and business communication skills
- Often leads to membership pathways with professional accounting bodies
3. Engineering Professional Year (EA)
Administered by Engineers Australia (EA), this program is for graduates in civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, and other engineering disciplines. It runs for 52 weeks with a 12-week internship.
- Provides mentoring and professional development workshops
- Internship in an Australian engineering firm
- Useful for Engineers Australia skills assessment
The 5 Migration Points Advantage
Completing an approved Professional Year program awards you 5 bonus points on the skilled migration points test. Since most skilled migration invitations are issued to applicants with scores of 80–95 points, 5 additional points can be the difference between receiving an invitation quickly or waiting indefinitely.
Combined with other bonuses (superior English = 20 points, NAATI CCL = 5 points, Australian study = 5 points), Professional Year participants can significantly boost their EOI ranking.
How Long Does the Professional Year Take?
- ACS IT: 44 weeks (approximately 11 months)
- Accounting / Engineering: 52 weeks (approximately 12–13 months)
The internship component (12 weeks) is arranged by the program provider, though you may also source your own employer internship.
Program Costs
Professional Year program fees vary by provider and stream:
- IT (ACS): AUD $8,000 – $15,000
- Accounting: AUD $10,000 – $16,000
- Engineering: AUD $8,000 – $14,000
Choosing the Right Professional Year Provider
When selecting a PY provider, look for:
- Approval by the relevant professional body (ACS, CA ANZ, EA)
- Quality of internship placement support
- Success rate in finding placements
- Location — choose a provider in your preferred city
- Student reviews and reputation
Talk to Us About the Professional Year
At Suvaansh Educational Services in Adelaide, we help IT, accounting, and engineering graduates identify the right PY program, understand the migration points benefits, and plan their path to Australian PR. Book a free consultation to get started.