Developer Programmer 261312 vs Software Engineer 261313: the published descriptions
Sources checked . Information only, not migration advice.
Short answer
ANZSCO describes Developer Programmer (261312) as interpreting specifications, technical designs and flow charts to build, maintain and modify code. Software Engineer (261313) is described as designing, developing, modifying, documenting, testing, implementing, installing and supporting software applications and systems. Both are Skill Level 1 occupations in unit group 2613.
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) assesses both. ACS's published occupation page lists near-identical duties for them and does not say which code suits which profile, so the choice cannot be read off a job title.
The two entries side by side
| Developer Programmer 261312 | Software Engineer 261313 | |
|---|---|---|
| Occupation description | Interprets specifications, technical designs and flow charts, builds, maintains and modifies the code for software applications; also writes technical specifications and tests and documents the work. | Designs, develops, modifies, documents, tests, implements, installs and supports software applications and systems. |
| Skill level | 1 | 1 |
| Alternative titles | Applications Developer, ICT Developer, ICT Programmer | Software Architect, Software Designer |
| Specialisations | Cyber Security Developer, Database Developer, Database Programmer (Systems), Network Programmer, Software Developer, Software Programmer | Computer Applications Engineer, Database Designer, Systems Architect |
| Assessing authority | ACS | ACS |
Unit group 2613 (Software and Applications Programmers) lists tasks and the indicative qualification (a bachelor degree or higher, with five years of relevant experience and/or vendor certification able to substitute) once for the whole group, not per occupation.
Where they overlap and where the wording differs
- Overlap: both cover writing, testing, documenting and maintaining code, and both sit in the same unit group with the same indicative qualification.
- Wording: the Developer Programmer entry is framed around building code from existing specifications and designs. The Software Engineer entry is framed around designing as well as developing, and its alternative titles (Software Architect, Software Designer) point to design work.
- Neither entry is defined by a seniority or a job title. A person called a 'software engineer' by an employer may do work that reads as either entry.
What ACS publishes
ACS's page on IT occupations and ANZSCO codes lists duties for 261312 and 261313 that are nearly identical. It gives no code-specific qualification requirement for either; it describes a general process in which ACS compares the qualification with the AQF, rates the ICT content, and then decides how much work experience is needed.
The page does not tell applicants which code matches which profile. It advises applicants to match the occupation to their own qualifications and to describe their skills accurately.
Classification is not a visa requirement
An ANZSCO code identifies an occupation. Whether an occupation is on the list a visa or a state uses, and what each visa requires, are separate questions answered by the Department of Home Affairs and the state or territory. The guide on skills assessment versus visa requirements covers that separation.
Official sources
- ABS ANZSCO 2022: Unit Group 2613 Software and Applications Programmers — Descriptions, skill level, alternative titles, specialisations
- ACS: IT occupations and ANZSCO codes — Duties and process for 261312 and 261313
- ABS: ANZSCO classification — Current ANZSCO release information