self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

I'm a self employed teacher (I run a tuition centre) and am finding it difficult to prove I work for over 20 hours a week.
The master franchisee cannot prove my hours as I run the business without any help from him.
I need help on this one.
Thank you letters from parents etc don't prove my hours either and nor do my lesson plans.
Not sure what to do, anyone else come across this problem?
Thanks

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

Tax records?

Do you claim child tax credit (if you have children) because that's based on hours of work.

You can make a statutory declaration (needs to be witnessed by an appropriate authority) to state that you work 20hrs+.

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

I'm having the same problem, I'm a supply teacher and can't find any info anywhere. Agents are not 100% sure of how my hours will be worked out either. One said that I have to work 20 hours per week for 52 weeks for my recent work experience whereas a permanent teacher would only have to work for a school year (around 39 weeks) as I am not paid holiday pay. This can't be fair surely!! It could take me years to get to Oz!!

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

Oops, just realised that my sister in law has been on my computer and I have posted using her ID...Sorry Beth!!

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

Thanks for that
What is a statutory declaration, does someone need to witness that ?
Tax records excellent idea. More paper work to find.
Will get there eventually I think.

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

A statutory declaration is a legally recognised document. Basically you make a written statement that is then witnessed by an appropriate authority (we used a solicitor - but there are a number of other people who I think could be witnesses).

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

Stat dec is probably your best course of action.

Who can sign;

justice of the peace (local post office should have a list of local JP's) who usually include;

Postmaster
Pharmacists
Doctors
Solicitors
parish priest/minister
MP's
police
Court officers

Your problem will likely be that a JP asked to sign a Stat Dec for Visa's etc would almost certainly require some documentary proof.

Things like an appointment diary, pupil register, advertised hours of business, tuition receipt/invoice book.

Good luck

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

Great lots to go on there
Will try a declaration.
Just waiting for my skills to be assessed now. Acknowledged on 1st April - not heard back yet- fingers crossed.
Wanting to be out in Melbourne for Jan 2008 - kids school, seems to be such a long, difficult process, not an easy country to get into if you ask me.

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

I also had to prove hours of work as we were claiming 5 points for spouse skills. We initially sent the application in with just my statotory declaration and a letter from my accountant and they got back to us asking for more proof. The case officer stated that the sort of things they were looking for were tax documents and formal business letters from me to clients etc, on letterhead stating my title. So I just gave them everything I could, figured better too much than too little. Sent in company bank statements, invoices, letters I had written, letters I had received, tax documents and product catalogues. We got the visa.

Good luck

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

To teach in OZ you will also need a police/security clearance. In Perth (WA) grad teachers are waiting 6 - 8 weeks to be processed. This is creating such a back log in the system that the teachers union is threatening strikes.

A license to teach in Victoria is only good in that state. You have to go through all the BS again if you relocate to another state. All states are like this although processing times vary.

Suggest you try and get this part completed as well before you arrive or come with a local police clearance that can be verified here if only to potentially speed the process up.

You may wish to consider tutoring again once you've been on the ground here for a while. Holiday and after school tutoring is big here. Probably more so in Sydney where professional families are prepared to shell out serious dollars for their kids education although Melb probably has a high demand as well.

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

I think refugees get an easier time :D

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

Proving 20 hours per week may be the least of your problems - assuming you have 4 year BEd or 3 year degree plus PGCE and get recognised by TA, DIAC will need evidence that you have worked (for at least 20 hours per week) in ANY Skilled Occupation on the list for 12 months in the previous 18 month period. Teachers have many different Classifications and only some are on the SOL.

Obviously I don't know the set up of your tuition centre, what do you teach ? roughly how many hours is teaching ? how many hours preparing teaching programs and running the centre and running your business. Do you employ other teachers ?

If your application is not well prepared there may be an obvious classification of your recent work experience as Extra Systemic Teachers Not Elsewhere Classified 2491-79. These teachers are not on SOL and neither are TESOL, special education teachers, special needs teachers, hearing impaired teachers, sight impaired teachers.

Possible relevant occupations on the SOL are Education Managers Not Elsewhere Classified, 1293-79 and/or Education Officers 2493-11.

If classiifcation as a teacher looks to be a problem, an argument may need to be made that you spend at least 20 hours per week Managing the Centre and Co-ordinating education programs, Developing courses , training teachers etc - This would be possible if you also employ other techers at the Centre.

It may be that your experience classification is obviously something on SOL but reading your post set of an alarm bell in my head - so just check it out.

Regards


Tony Coates
MARN 0635896

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

Thanks for that Tony
Got my skills assessment back today for secondary teacher.
I teach secondary pupils at the centre in English and Maths.
I work full time at the centre preparing lessons,teaching, employing other teachers etc.
Now I'm worried as don't know if I've got the right skills assessment as I may have to classify myself as an education manager - do you think I will need a new skills assessment?
Oh bother !

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

No problem with mixing the recognition classification and the recent work experience classification, as long as bothare on SOL. So you need to make sure that your experience will be classified as one of the teachers on SOL or Manager or education Officer or combination

Regards


Tony Coates
MARN 0635896

Re: self employed - how to prove hours of work
 

Thanks Tony - great help
New to this but what does MARN stand for ???
While I'm into asking queations, do you know if the skills assessing authority sends back all my certified copies or do I have to get them done all over again for the visa application (at great expense ?)