mikki

Hi all
Am very very confused about the points test for the general skilled migration visa. My nominated occupation is worth 60 points. I have over 3 yrs immediate prior experience in a 50 point occupation BUT none in the actual nominated occupation. I'm 28, from the UK, and have 6 months Oz work experience.
According to some immigration assessments that gives me 115 points (not enough) According to others it gives me 120 or even 125! The confusion seems to lie in whether you get points for 3 yrs specific work experience in ANY occupation on the SOL, or whether it needs to be in your nominated occupation.

Can anyone shed some light?!

cheers
M

wargod

Hi Mikki,

Dunno if this will help or not but...... I am applying under Applications Programmer - of which i have 5.5 years experience, previous to that i used to design networks for about 5 years, the ACS (skills assessment body) state i need to show a minimum of 6 years experience.

My agent has said that as i have had over 10 years in IT i shouldn't have a problem.

So to answer your question - i dont think it should be an issue.

Alan Collett

Hello M.

You can claim points for what is known as Specific Work Experience if you have worked in an occupation on the Skilled Occupations List for 3 out of the 4 years immediately preceding the delivery of your visa application at the Department of Immigration. The number of points you can claim depends on the occupation you nominate in your application, and (in the case of 60 point nominated occupations) whether the occupation in which you have worked in the last 4 years is the same (or closely related) to your nominated occupation:

- If it is the same (or closely related) you can claim 10 points.
- If it isn't the same (or closely related) you can claim 5 points.

Importantly, agreement to the allocation of these SWE points by your DIMIA case officer will be determined by the quality/content of the employer references that you provide with the visa application.

In broad terms, if you need the 10 points for SWE and your work experience in the last few years is in a different occupation to your nominated occupation the key will be establishing a linkage between the two, such that it is plausible that the more recent occupation flows from the nominated occupation.

Hope this makes sense and helps.

Alan Collett

Also, re your points, I see your situation (based on what you have said) as follows:

Occupation 60 points
Age 30
English language 20
Specific work experience 10 (maybe 5)
Bonus points (assuming you have been working in Australia in a SKILLED occupation for 6 months in the last 4 years) 5

TOTAL 125 (or 120 if you can only claim 5 for SWE)

=> You are probably over the line even if you can "only" claim 5 points for SWE

Once again, can I emphasise that employer references are likely to be the key to the success of your application ...

Best regards.

Dmartyos

Hi Alan

Can I ask a quick question. Who determines whether the work experience is relevent? Once applying for ACS & being accepted for 60 points, does DIMA then review the role & then you gain your 10 points (based on 4 years relevant work experience) or does ACS cover it all?

I am in the same boat minus the 5 points for Oz experience & 4 years in the IT role that I am applying for.

regards

wargod

Good post !

Any ideas, anyone??

Alan Collett

The DIMIA case officer makes the call on whether the points are to granted to you ...

Best regards.

JAJ

To add to what Alan says:

If your work experierience was some time in the past (more than 4 years ago) it would be acceptable to ACS but not to DIMIA for points, and the window for basic requirements for DIMIA is even narrower. There is also a different view between ACS and DIMIA on the treatment of part-time work experience.

So passing the ACS requirements in itself does *not* mean you are automatically ok for DIMIA.

On the other hand some work experience not acceptable for ACS may still be acceptable for DIMIA (eg IT technician).

The rules are different.

Jeremy