scutterUK

Hello people,

Are there any microsoft certified IT professionals out there who's moved to or moving to auz from the UK?

At present i'm wanting to apply for general independant skilled migration, but i have NO formal qualifications, just shed loads of experience. Unfortunately i'm going to have to put my foot where my mouth is, erm, or was it money, and get myself an education.

I'm trying to work out which MS certifications are acceptable for skilled migration. I'm currently listed on the Skilled occupations list, web designer/developer - a 60 pointer, and was thinking of studying for my MCAD/MCSD (.net). an MSCE isn't really applicable to my career... but i suppose i would consider it if i had no other options.

Is there anyone out there who would be able to offer me any advice on this? I've already tried contacting the ACS and an immigration agency, but neither seem willing to help (blah). so any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks to the masses.

cheers

Leigh

ptlabs

Leigh,

An MCSD/E is, presently, treated as equivalent to an IT diploma.

You should start out first by downloading and reading the ACS guidelines for skills assessment, if you haven't already done so. It's available at http://www.acs.org.au/

An IT diploma holder requires at least 6 years of professional IT experience before he/she qualifies for the skills points (via a successful ACS skills assessment).

Alternatively, there is something called the RPL http://ptlabs.topcities.com/faq0.html#l009 which may be something you can pursue.

Have a read through the FAQ for ACS skills assessment which is available here: http://www.acs.org.au/static/nationa...ationassmt.htm

If you think you would like to speak with a registered migration agent, there are a handful of registered agents who visit this forum (Lifestyle) and the Immigration forum who can certainly assist you.


HTH

Peter

scutterUK

Hi peter,

Thanks for the help, i'd skimmed through the ACS guidelines for skills assessment the other day (while at work i hate to admit). I was pretty interested in RPL, it just all depends on how they define IT experience.

Technically speaking i have over 13 years of 'IT' experience, i wont get in to detail, but job titles have changed faster than the staff. My career has covered everything, from graphic artist, graphic designer, web designer, developer, programmer (are they the same?), studio manager, production manager and even company wide technical support (macs and PCs), network email and systems administrator. (the last 3 to a lesser degree.) I wouldn't say i know a vast amount about one thing, but i know plenty about a lot of things.

Most of those 13 years have revolved around macs and graphic design, but i still would qualify for at least 6 years of what i'd consider IT experience, if they don't count the rest.

Now you may think i change jobs a lot, but it's all been for the same company. As something new came along, i got the job because they knew if i couldn't do it already i'd soon learn, which i do. I still haven't had the chance to get my head around .net yet, but i'm dying to try! That's my project for this winter, before i get stuck in to my MCSD.

I wont be in a position to apply for the visa, or even the skills assessment until summer of next year. i've got a house to get in to selling condition before i do! So i thought it wouldn't hurt my career or my migration chances to get the qualifiaction as well.

Im just going to see how it goes, i'll certainly look in to the RPL more though, who knows i may just have to rely on it if i run out of time.

I hope the masses don't mind if i ask a few questions as they come up? i'd certainly appreciate the help.

thanks again peter,

Cheers

Leigh

ptlabs

Hi Leigh,

A few points to note:

If you're interested in doing an ACS assessment, and you don't already yet have your MCSE/D, you may need to go through RPL. If that is the case, the RPL documentation is going to be pretty extensive.

One way or another, you have to prove a number of years of experience (as mentioned, it's 6 years for RPL or Group B). It can be a mixture of an array of IT experience, not necessarily limited to one particular job function. The key is to be able to document what you did, with letters of references detailing your exact job scopes, which as you mentioned, changes with the season of the year.

Not only must you document skilled IT employment for ACS, it will be re-examined by DIMIA when it comes to your PR application proper, so it's something you really can't escape anyway.

If you need more help or would like to get professional assistance, my advice is to post in the Immigration forum instead of the Lifestyle forum.

http://www.britishexpats.com/forum/f...?s=&forumid=32


Regards
Peter

it_hooker

Peter

I was readint the faqs - very interesting thank you. As a fully qualified teacher I'm planning on nominating secondary school teaching as my occupation. However, as an IT professional I wnated to claim the MODL points for the 12 months expereince from IT. Would that require certification by the ACS? And if so, to what extent?

Cheers

ptlabs

If you nominate teaching as your SOL occupation, you should be assessed by the relevant skills assessing body for teachers.

In order to claim IT MODL points, your nominated occupation must be an IT occupation, plus the ACS must certify that you have the necessary 12 months (or more) experience in that IT MODL specialization. This means, you effectively cannot nominate teaching as your occupation and attempt to get MODL points for an IT specialization.

For more information on how to get MODL points for the relevant IT specialization, see http://ptlabs.topcities.com/faq0.html#l014

And see also http://www.acs.org.au/static/national/lodgeappn.htm the part about MODL points.


Peter

P.S. These questions should rightfully be asked in the Immigration forum, not here.

it_hooker

I understood that MODL points didn't necessarily have to be in your nominated occupation?

ptlabs

It has to be.

You're mixing it up with the specific and recent work experience criteria that do not need to be in the exact same occupation as the one you nominated (and got a skills assessment for).


Peter

it_hooker

Aha - I think I may be!! But I am right in thinking that my recent work experience doens't have to be in Teaching even if that's my nominated occupation? In which case, does the ACS have to certify my recent work experience?

Sorry to all the usual posters - I do realise this should be in a different forum but this is still on-topic to original question (I think!!!)

ptlabs

Your recent work experience can be in any SOL occupation, and need not be your nominated occupation. If you read the Skilled Migration Booklet, you'll find it written there.

ACS will generally not be required to certify your recent work experience, but your case officer may request that you get your recent work experience verified as skilled by the relevant authority. It's up to your case officer, if he/she thinks that your recent work experience is violently different from your nominated occupation.

If you plan to nominate an occupation that is totally and wholesomely different from your regular occupation, please consider approaching a registered migration agent with experience in such cases, as I would classify such cases as not straightforward.


Peter

it_hooker

Peter

Thanks for your advice which confirms what I thought. It's just that at this time of night I'm not thinking clearly and saw the MODL question and panicked and managed to confuse myself!!

Cheers

scutterUK

hi everyone.

yeah i'll second that, thanks for the advice peter. i didn't realise i was in the wrong forum to be honest! DOH!

I shouldn't have a problem getting my experience documented, i'm sure i could even get some testimonials from clients, who i've done major projects for in the past, as well as from within the company.

IT_hooker, it sounds like you're in similar boat to me.... good luck in sorting it all out.

cheers

Leigh

ptlabs

Download and read the Skilled Migration Booklet. Somewhere in page 34 you'll find what's needed for proof of work experience.

Glowing testimonials from clients are not usually required


Peter

scutterUK

hey peter,..

..i'm impressed... did you have to look that up? haha

sorry..

actually i've been trying to get on the immi.gov.au site for a while this morning and it's sssssoooo slow.

thanks again.

leigh

ptlabs

Leigh,

No, I didn't have to look it up. I've repeated these so many times, I only look up stuff I can't remember.

The DIMIA website is slow indeed, now at least. It's not known for reliable uptime, that I must say.


Peter