Additional assessment for DIACs New Points Test

On 1 July 2011, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will implement a revised Points Test for the General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program. Applicants who intend to apply for specified visas under the GSM Program may wish to claim points towards the new Points Test. The points are awarded by DIAC. To support DIAC in this process, DIAC has authorised Skills Assessing Authorities to provide authorative advice on qualifications and/or employment which applicants may submit to DIAC for points test purposes. The Points Test does not apply to applicants applying for permanent residency under the Employer Nomination Scheme. For more information about the Points Test please refer to http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/points-test.pdf The qualifications assessment for Points Test purposes will list the applicants highest qualification. It does not have to be relevant to the nominated occupation. If it is an overseas qualification, the assessment will determine its comparability to a qualification level on the Australian Qualifications Framework. The employment assessment for Points Test purposes will list the applicants employment undertaken over the last ten years. The assessment will determine whether the employment is closely related to the nominated occupation and whether the employment was full-time or part-time. Fulltime refers to employment which is at least 20 hours per week. A fee will apply for the separate assessment for Points Test purposes. DIAC will continue to accept positive Skills Assessments issued by VETASSESS before or from 1 July 2011 provided that the nominated occupation is on the SOL and VETASSESS is the designated assessing authority. These Skills Assessments may be issued either under the current or previous VETASSESS assessment process. There are four groups of applicants who may require advice from VETASSESS to give to DIAC for points test purposes: 1. Applicants who apply to VETASSESS from 1 July 2011 for a full Skills Assessment for the GSM and who nominate one of the general professional occupations assessed by VETASSESS These applicants should complete the revised SRG1 Application for Skills Assessment form which will be available on the VETASSESS website from 1 July 2011. VETASSESS will continue to issue its Skills Assessments in the current format. The optional assessment for Points Test advice will be issued as an additional document. By 1 July 2011, a new form will be available on the VETASSESS website for applicants who applied to VETASSESS for a Skills Assessment before 1 July 2011 and who require an opinion advice to give DIAC for Points Test purposes for the same nominated occupation.

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Skills Recognition General Occupations (SRGO)

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Applicants who apply to VETASSESS from 1 July 2011 for a Post 485 Skills Assessment to support an application to DIAC for permanent residency under the GSM program

Those applicants who nominate the same occupation as in their Qualifications Assessment for 485 visa purposes should complete the revised SRG29 Application for post 485 Skills Assessment form which will be available on the VETASSESS website from 1 July 2011. Those who nominate a different VETASSESS occupation need to complete the SRG1 Application for a Skills Assessment form. 3. Applicants who applied to VETASSESS before 1 July 2011 for a full Skills Assessment or a Qualifications Assessment for 485 visa purposes and who intend to apply for permanent residency under the GSM from 1 July 2011 These applicants either have a pending Skills Assessment as at 30 June 2011 or a Skills Assessment issued before 1 July 2011. They may return to VETASSESS for the optional authorative advice on qualifications and/or employment for Points Test purposes. Please complete the new form for this purpose which will be available on the VETASSESS website by 1 July 2011. 4. All other applicants who require an assessment of their highest qualification for Points Test purposes and who do not require a Skills Assessment from VETASSESS

These applicants have nominated an occupation assessed by another designated Skills Assessing Authority and wish to claim points for a qualification not related to their nominated occupation. Under an arrangement with DIAC, if the assessing authority conducting their Skills Assessment cannot provide an opinion on the unrelated qualification, applicants may apply to VETASSESS to have their qualification assessed for Points Test purposes. Please complete the new form for this purpose which will be available on the VETASSESS website by 1 July 2011.

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Skills Recognition General Occupations (SRGO)