[rizjunior]

Hello everyone,

I am a new comer to this forum and need your help to calculate my points for NZ immigration. There are few things which I want to understand fully before I submit my EOI. Here are questions.

Do you have a recognised post-graduate qualification?
YES M.Sc IN IT FROM LONDON (PREVIOUS MASTER DEGREE FROM PAKISTAN IN ZOOLOGY)
Question: My degree from London does not need qualification assessment and will be recognised as Masters, so I expect 55 points for it. Since my previous degrees are from Pakistan, do I need qualification assessment for my previous degrees? I have in mind that since I am claiming points on the basis of my last degree which is already recognised, I would not need qualification assessment for previous degrees. What are your thoughts? Please advise.

Do you have a qualification in any one of New Zealand's:
identified future growth areas? YES OVER 10 YEARS.......10 POINTS
areas of absolute skills shortage? YES OVER 10 YEARS....10 POINTS
Question: Am I right in calculating these points?

Number of years of relevant work experience (anywhere) OVER 10 YEARS.....30 POINTS
Number of years work experience in any one of New Zealand's:
identified future growth areas? OVER 10 YEARS.....15 POINTS
areas of absolute skills shortage? OVER 10 YEARS.....15 POINTS
Question: Please comment on my point calculation.

Was the work experience gained in a comparable labour market or an area of absolute skills shortage?.............This bit is a bit tricky. I have around 5 years of work experience in UK and rest is from Pakistan but all of it (UK & Pakistan) is in the area of absolute skills shortage. Please comment again.


What is your current age?
Between 30-39,.............25 POINTS

So total points I calculate are 160

I would be glad if someone take some time out and look at my points calculation and advise if I am right or wrong and if wrong, please mention the area.

[IanW99]

Welcome to the forum, you may want to add a post to "introductions"

Not sure I can answer your questions, sure someone else will be along shortly.

I can tell you that Pakistan is not considered to be a comparable labour market. So unless your work experience in Pakistan was undertaken for a multinational commercial entity (including a wholly or majority owned subsidiary of such an entity that bears the same core name as the parent company) domiciled in a country that is, then it won't counted as work experience gained in a comparable labour market.

Ian

[rizjunior]

Thanks Ian.
Yes Pakistan does not fall in comparable labour market unless work is done in a multi-national but what about the second option, whether this work was done in an area of absolute skills shortage.

[ourquest]

A few aspects to consider here...
NZIS or NZQA always look at both degrees if you are claiming for a post graduate degree, and so as I understand it your prior degree will require assessment from NZQA.
I am not sure how they will look at your undergraduate degree in terms of it not being in IT, this you will have to find out...NZQA might take your work experience and provide you with a suitable assessment level, but it might not be sufficient to qualify you for skills shortage bonus points (and this would then affect the issue with comparable labour market experience). In IT they are very specific regarding the qualification level needed for these bonus points...my OH was not eligible for them as she has a 3 year diploma and not a degree (and I think the degree must contain a large proportion of IT content). Check the skills shortage list on the website for details.
Also, I think you will not be able to claim points for Identified Future Growth areas unless you have work experience in New Zealand itself.
The comments regarding the comparable labour market so far, appear correct. I think on this basis (unless Ian's comment regarding a multinational applies) you would only be able to claim 5 years experience.
I am afraid this info all seems to suggest that your points are not as high as you thought, but it is better to know that now, rather than claim them and then get your EOI returned to the pool later on. Let's assume your basic points and then see where you might get bonus points from there?
Ultimately you might need a job offer to get accepted, but with IT qualification and experience you should be able to achieve that fairly easily.
Hope this helps.

[rizjunior]

Thanks @ourequest

Quite good thoughts indeed. Is there anyone in NZIS who could help in points calculation. Does anyone have an email address of a caseworker or CO who at some point communicated to any of you regarding points?

[ourquest]

Thanks @ourequest

Quite good thoughts indeed. Is there anyone in NZIS who could help in points calculation. Does anyone have an email address of a caseworker or CO who at some point communicated to any of you regarding points?

In my own understanding the case officer will not normally be involved in points etc, because all the EOI's that proceed to ITA stage will already have been verified in terms of the number of points, although NZIS do indicate that receiving ITA does not necessarily guarantee points.

Your biggest confusion lies in whether you can claim for bonus points or not. And that will all depend on your prior degree being taken into account and in combination with your Masters the two must be at least considered level 7 AND they must represent a major study in IT. Although I understand your masters degree is in IT, I cannot comment on the previous degree and whether NZQA will see the masters as the only relevant specialisation.

And if you can claim the bonus points then I agree that your work experience in Pakistan will be applicable.

I would suggest two things; firstly read very carefully through the NZIS policy manuals, find them at www.immigration.govt.nz and use the link to the left "our policy manuals". In the residence policy you'll find the points/work experience etc policies and in the Appendices (appendix 6) there is the specific requirement for IT shown. Although I had a look through now you know your own situation better and you will have the motivation to study the policy even if it takes you a whole day.
Secondly; post a thread on this forum asking a very specific question...I would suggest "masters degree in IT, different undergrad degree, do I get bonus points?" or something similar.
In the meantime acquaint yourself with the NZQA application forms etc and send off for assessment...it sounds like you'll need this anyway and it might also answer your question.

And a final resort might be a visit to a migration agent which, although on this forum most people would not recommend using, might provide you with the answers you require.

:nice1 Good luck.

[rizjunior]

@ourquest

Thanks mate. You helped a lot. I sent few questions to immigration authorities and received these answers. First two are their answers and last two are my questions.

Please comment.

Dear xxxxx

Thank you for taking advantage of our Online Help facility.

If you have a qualification (that does not have to be gained in New Zealand, but a Recogised qualification) in the following categories which are identified as future growth areas:
*Biotechnology
*Information Communications Technology
*Creative Industries (advertising, software and computing, publishing, tv and radio, film and video, architecture, design, music and performing arts, fashion, visual arts)

The area of absolute skill shortage, is also the Long Term Skill Shortage List.


The Long Term Skill Shortage List (previously known as POL - Priority Occupations List) is a list of occupations that are in critical or absolute shortage all over New Zealand. This list is commonly used in the Work to Residence policy and Skilled Migrant (Expressions of Interest) policy. In the Skilled Migrant category, you may claim bonus points if your skilled employment, recognised work experience and/or recognised qualification is in the Long Term Skill Shortage list (referred to as the "Area of absolute skill shortage" in the Expressions of Interest policy).




Kind Regards,


xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Customer Service Officer
Department of Labour
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear xxxxx

Thank you for taking advantage of our Online Help facility.

Yes, your UK-issued Masters will require an assessment from the NZQA as your graduate qualification was not a recognised qualification. You will need to contact the NZQA ( http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ ) for the assessment. A pre-assessment is sufficient to submit your Expression of Interest, but a full assessment is required once you are invited to apply for residence.

You can only claim points for having qualification in an identified future growth area if you can also prove that you have a job offer from a NZ employer who can write a letter for you to confirm that your job is in an identified future growth area. This is regardless of whether or not you have set foot in NZ.

Again, with regards to work experience, it does not matter if it was not conducted in New Zealand.


Kind Regards,


xxxxxx
Customer Service Officer
Department of Labour
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Could you please explain this question in detail.

QUESTION-2 Do you have a qualification in any one of New Zealand's:
identified future growth areas?
areas of absolute skills shortage?

MY QUALIFICATION IS FROM UK BUT I HAVE NO JOB OFFER. MY IT DEGREE FALLS UNDER BOTH OF ABOVE-MENTIONED CATEGORIES i.e WILL I BE ABLE TO CLAIM POINTS. I AM CONFUSED AS YOU SAID THAT POINTS WILL BE AWARDED IF I HAVE A JOB OFFER. THE QUESTION-2 NEVER SAYS THAT QUALIFICATION HAS TO BE FROM NEW ZEALAND OR IDENTIFIED FUTURE GROWTH AREA OR ABSOLUTE SKILLS SHORTAGE LIST IS SUBJECT TO ANY JOB OFFER.

Please explain this.
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Here my questions are.......
QUESTION-1 Do you have a recognised post-graduate qualification?
YES M.Sc IN IT FROM LONDON (PREVIOUS MASTER DEGREE FROM PAKISTAN). My degree from London does not need qualification assessment as it is in the list of recognised qualification. Since my previous degrees are from Pakistan, do I need qualification assessment for my previous degrees? I have in mind that since I am claiming points on the basis of my last degree which is already recognised, I would not need qualification assessment for previous degrees. Please advise.

QUESTION-2 Do you have a qualification in any one of New Zealand's:
identified future growth areas? YES OVER 10 YEARS
areas of absolute skills shortage? YES OVER 10 YEA
I never set foot in New Zealand, this question is a bit tricky. Does it mean that I will get points if I have qualification from New Zealand or if this qualification is in above-mentioned areas in anywhere in the world.

QUESTION-3 Number of years of relevant work experience (anywhere) OVER 10 YEARS.....30 POINTS
Number of years work experience in any one of New Zealand's:
identified future growth areas? OVER 10 YEARS.....15 POINTS
areas of absolute skills shortage? OVER 10 YEARS.....15 POINTS
Again this question is tricky, I do not have New Zealand’s experience but my work experience is from UK and Pakistan (in a multi-national company)