2nd Canada-Australia Foreign Credential Roundtable

March 20-22, 2013Vancouver, Canada

Helen Wilson Counsellor ImmigrationAustralian High Commission, Ottawa

Introduction

• Australia’s skill assessment regime is unique• Skills assessed in nominated occupation before

we make a visa decision• Skill assessment processes can be complex• In Australia assessing authorities relate

qualifications and experience to standards set by the Australian Qualifications framework

• Registration/licensing may complicate process

Introduction

• The Continuous Survey of Australia’s Migrants provides encouraging results for skills assessment

• Offshore skilled assessed migrants achieve 90 per cent skilled employment in six months

• Permanent employer sponsored skilled migrants achieve 94 percent in six months

The Skills Assessment Process

• Relevant processing authorities determine if skills and experience are comparable to Australian standards

• Since July 1999 immigration officers have not undertaken skills assessment

• Assessing authorities relate qualifications and experience to set standards

• There are currently 34 assessing authorities

The Skills Assessment Process

• Three Main groups of assessing authorities– Specialist assessing authorities eg. Australian

Dental Council, Architects Accreditation Council of Australia Incorporated, Australian Pharmacy Council

– Trades Recognition Australia and Registered Training Organisations

– Vocational Education Training and Assessment body (VETASSESS)

Which Visa Programs require skills assessment

• Mandatory for Points Tested skilled migrants • Skills assessment also required for– Temporary Skilled Work applicants with high risk

trade occupations– Permanent Employer Nominated, where applicant

has not held Temporary Work visa for 2 years and not nominated by same employer who employed them for temporary visa

Recent Policy Changes

• New Points Test introduced 1 July 2011 for independent and State/Territory Nominated Points Tested visas

• New Points Test awards points to recognised overseas qualifications and additional points for length skilled employment

• From July 2011 consideration given to opinion of assessing authority to award points for qualifications and skilled employment

Recent Policy Changes

• SkillSelect introduced in July 2012• Intending migrants must first lodge an

Expression of Interest (EOI) for skilled visa• State and Territory governments may choose

to nominate intending migrants from EOI• Intending migrants may be invited to apply for

independent migration based on Points Test• If invited to apply must provide evidence of

holding satisfactory skills assessment