[elzahn]

There is a lot of helpful information on this forum, but also a lot of inconsistencies that makes it even more difficult to know the right answers.

I need to know - if you're qualification is on the list of recognised qualifications AND you do not have a job offer - do you still need an NZQA? Some people on this forum said they didn't have to and some said they had to. Does that mean that there is inconsistencies in the Emigration process?

[ian and sandra]

Yes there is a lot of inconsitences in the process,but we are being checked out and have been told by our immigration officer that if you are claiming points in skill shortage areas then your quals are checked by nzqa .

[Susan&Dennis]

It IS a maddening process, isn't it? But my understanding is (won through recent eye-opening experience) that if you are applying under the Skilled Migrant category, you absolutely do need to go through NZQA, and that process takes a lot of time even with expedited service. Also, unless you are very doubtful as to what level your qualifications will be assessed--and thus unsure whether your immigration application will have legs at all--I wouldn't bother with the Pre-Assessment. That counts only as a rough estimate of points available--you'll still need the full assessment at additional hundreds of dollars for your immigration application.

Best, Susan

[james the mechanic]

Sadly the emigration process in my experience is full of inconsistencies, possibly as it’s based on different ways of interpreting the same policy. I always liken this to MoT / WoF testing as I have always found that there are two ways of inspecting a vehicle and the outcome will thus often depend on the inspector’s personal agenda.
1.) I am going to use this test manual and the parameters of test set out within it, in order to find a way to pass every vehicle that is presented for test.
2.)I am going to use this test manual and the parameters of test set out within it, in order to find a way to fail every vehicle that is presented for test.

I was originally told by my first visa officer (Dominic Forde) that I would need my qualifications assessed, So as he advised I had them pre assessed and in the meantime was assigned a different visa officer (Rebecca Oliver) she said that my qualifications aligned perfectly with the list of recognized qualifications and as I had a pre assessment result I wouldn’t require full assessment & just enter the pre assessment refrence number on the ITA (which I did).
I then got a job offer and was assigned a third visa officer (Seleta Mitchie-Tatio) She questioned and challenged just about everything in my ITA (some things twice) however, never requested an assessment of my qualifications.

Prior to finally getting my blue stickers my case was transferred to NZ and you guessed it, I got a forth visa officer (Grant Mudgway) who checked everything, requested nothing and issued the fabled long awaited and in my opinion much deserved blue stickers.

So in summary no I haven’t actually been accepted as a skilled migrant without a job offer, although my qualifications are on the list of recognized qualifications, however, I came close and see no reason why you need a full assessment if your qualifications align perfectly. However perhaps a pre assessment might be an idea for piece of mind (its certainly cheaper) to confirm that they do defiantly align, when you then get your ITA you can submit the pre assessment (or the reference number at least).

As I have said before…
‘I don’t think anything is cut and dried, some people seem to sail through and others seem to have a hell of a game’.

Best Wishes & game On:nice1
James

[holm188]

Hi,

We just went thru the EOI ITA process and got PR. Our EOI was handled in Bangkok (we live in Thailand) and ITA in Beijing (135 pts, no job offer).

On our EOI reply it was clearly stated that our qualifications were on the LORQ.

The ITA instructions from Beijing seemed to require full NZQA assessment. I checked with INZ and got an email stating that full NZQA was not required.

The ITA officer then said full NZQA was required based on the following immigration policy:

SM14.20 Evidence

b. If an NZQA assessment is required for an overseas qualification, a PAR is suitable for lodgement of an application under the Skilled Migrant Category, but a QAR will be required to determine whether a qualification (or group of qualifications) will qualify for points.


I then checked the Imm policy and found:

SM14.20:

a. Principal applicants* under the Skilled Migrant Category must submit their qualifications and a NZQA Pre Assessment Result (PAR) or NZQA Qualifications Assessment Report (QAR) (see SM14.35) of those qualification(s) unless:

i their qualification(s) are included on the List of Recognised Qualifications; or

ii they have been awarded full or provisional registration by a New Zealand organisation authorised by law to give occupational registration, and registration involves an assessment that their overseas qualification(s) is comparable with a New Zealand qualification that is included on the List of Recognised Qualifications.

I then asked my officer why SM14.20 a i would not apply. Our officer checked that all qualification were on the LORQ and no full NZQA was required.

After that everything went very smoothly.

Hope that helps,

holm

[elzahn]

Thank you - that helps a lot - It seems like you have to know your facts very well so that you van actually point them in the right direction!

[yossarian]

@holm188: i remember i pointed the very same rules (SM14.20) to Bangkok branch before sending my ITA off to Beijing, but still they insisted that I need an NZQA assessment. However, I'm only 110 points and no job offer, but honestly, I don't think it has anything to do with SM14.20...

so the bottom line, yes, apparently, there are inconsistencies and it mainly depends on EOI/ITA officer...and your luck. :)