[kirkandliz]

I am and engineer in the telecoms industry and am looking at emigrating but need some advice over the whole experience vs qualification scenario.

I don't have a degree but do have over 6 years working in the industry - and the area is classed as an absolute skills shortage area I am told.

Will not having a degree matter?

Someone has told me that some experience can count as a 10pt degree - is this true - how - is it worth it?

Seems to me that the experience is worth more on its own?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated

[Ana&Steve]

There is a website just for IT that you can register your work experiance for 10 points, but I think you have to have an NZ job first...I can't find the address :o but I saw it on this site, so I'll look but hopefully someone else can find it!
Ana

[Ana&Steve]

Found it!!
www.itanz.org.nz
http://www.itanz.org.nz/default.asp?Screen=GeneralInfo

I looked under immigration legislation.
Hope that helps!
Ana

[kirkandliz]

Hi Ana

Thanks for the info - just been checking it out - seems I can surrender 3 yrs of exp for a 10pt equiv qualification (letter of support) but that will leave 3 yrs exp which counts for 10 pts

If I leave it as 6 yrs exp - its worth 20 pts - so basically the same?!?

So I guess it does not matter too much - I'll just have to figure out whether I HAVE to do surrender the exp or whether it can be left

[Ana&Steve]

Surrender? I don't understand, I thought it was a qualifying board for IT and for those in IT who don't have a Bachlors...here is another section of the site http://www.itanz.org.nz/default.asp?Screen=LetterApplication
Ana

[kirkandliz]

The way I have read it is that the 'Letter of Support' will effectively use up 3 yrs of experience

So if I have 6 to start with I could get a Letter of Support but I could then only claim 3 yrs of experience
Unless I'm missing soemthing......

[jaycee]

Now that's interesting, however it doesn't get around the qualification required for Skills Shortage in IT, does it?

It would work out to your advantage if you had 11 or more years' work experience, as there are no extra points to be had once you've reached 10 years. The extra 5 or 10 points is nowhere near the 50 for a degree, but might sway the balance for some people.

[kirkandliz]

Contacted NZIS about this and got the following

"Thank you for taking advantage of our Online Help facility.

A letter of support does not give you additional points.

Your points can be based job offer, work experience if the job is on the absolute skill shortage or in a comparable labour market, your age, any immediate family sponsor.
Quick Check given for you to review your points.
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/workandlivepermanently/LinkAdministration/MoreInformationLinks/smcexpresslane.htm?level=2"

So I'm guessing either ITANZ are either on the make and its pointless applying for a Letter of Support or the above was a mistake.

Anyone else used ITANZ and applied for a Letter of Support - did it help

[Kim39]

Kirkandliz,

Drop Stevie D a PM as he is coming out here ref: Telecoms, and as he has PR am sure he may be of help to you regarding your question. What i do know, is that in my occupation experience counts for jack when submiting an EOI, but there again i'm only a trucker, and in the wrong hands can become a killing machine. Never mind though, just have to dance to the immigration tune for the time being.

Kim

[jaycee]

Just looked at the 'Legislation' link on the ITANZ website - the quote they give, if I'm not mistaken, is from the old points system. That would explain why you would have been given 10 points - that's what you used to get for a bachelor's degree, so the letter would have been an equivalent. It's completely out of date, and I'm fairly sure that rule no longer exists in the current immigration manual, so the answer NZIS gave you was probably right.

[StevieD]

Hi Kirk, just spotted this. If you have over 6 years experience in IT&T you will get extra points. Drop me a pm as Kim says, I'll see where we get. Did you take any formal qualifications?? I did a higher national in telecommunications engineering, ended up not doing my maths degree coz I went out and saw the world LOL.