| VETASSESS is the main skills assessing authority for | | | | experience in the nominated occupation, applicants |
| professional (50-point) and associate professional | | | | would then apply for the second stage assessment |
| (40-point) occupations for the purposes of General | | | | which can then be used for permanent visa |
| Skilled Migration (GSM) and Employer Nomination | | | | applications (ie General Skilled Migration and Employer |
| Scheme (ENS) applications. | | | | Nomination Scheme). |
| Currently, applicants require a qualification comparable | | | | This change further disadvantages international |
| to an Australian bachelor degree to pass skills | | | | students who study at university in Australia versus |
| assessment in a 50-point occupation, or a qualification | | | | their colleagues who study trades such as commercial |
| comparable to a diploma for a 40-point occupation. | | | | cookery or hairdressing. Trade applicants obtain 60 |
| There is currently no requirement that the qualification | | | | points for their occupation and only need to complete |
| be in a discipline related to the occupation in which the | | | | a 1-year Certificate III and show 900 hours of work |
| assessment is sought, nor is any work experience | | | | experience to qualify for skills assessment in their |
| required for skills assessment purposes. | | | | occupation. University graduates generally only obtain |
| From 1 January 2010, VETASSESS will be changing | | | | 50 points for their occupation, unless studying in a |
| their assessment criteria for all applicants. All applicants | | | | 60-point occupation such as IT, teaching or accounting. |
| will be required to: | | | | The new VETASSESS assessment requirements |
| 1. Hold a qualification which is assessed at the required | | | | require students to have 12 months of work |
| educational level in a highly relevant field of study to | | | | experience in their occupation – this is very difficult |
| the nominated occupation and | | | | to obtain whilst in Australia on a temporary visa. This |
| 2. 2. Have at least one year of relevant work | | | | may lead to further integrity issues with the general |
| experience. | | | | skilled program similar to the fraud issues which have |
| For recent graduates who have studied in Australia | | | | arisen due to the 900 hours requirement for trade |
| and who intend to apply for the Skilled Graduate | | | | occupations. |
| subclass 485 visa there will be a 2-stage process. | | | | People who apply before 31 December 2009 will be |
| The first stage will lead to a skills assessment which | | | | processed under the current guidelines, providing the |
| can only be used to support the 485 application. To be | | | | relevant documentation is provided to VETASSESS. |
| eligible applicants must: | | | | If you are looking at applying for skills assessment in a |
| - Have completed Australian studies within the | | | | 40- or 50-point occupation, it is critical that you apply |
| previous 6 months and | | | | prior to the end of 2009 (preferably by the 18th of |
| - Hold a qualification which is highly relevant to the | | | | December), otherwise you may not meet the new |
| nominated occupation. | | | | VETASSESS requirements. |
| Once the applicant has at least 12 months of work | | | | |