[ChrisnPam]

Hi - I've been posting questions in the introduction section (not sure if this is the right place) but maybe this is more appropriate.

Qualifications.
I have 2 x HNC and a 4yr apprenticeship
Can I claim points for all / some / or 1 of these ?
Do I have ot get them all assesed ?

Thanks

Chris and Pam

PS if I'm asking q's in the wrong place, please point me in the right direction.Thanks.

[ChrisnPam]

Hi its us again (sorry)
Question on work experience - qusetion g1 its asks why this work experience should be recognised - what are the looking for here ? Do we try to tie this into skills shortage list or somehow like they say, explain it is relevant to my quals ? Not sure what they are after here.

On question g6 - where can we find a list of "area of absolute skills shortage". I can find the long term list (closest fit would be professional Mech Engineer....but I dont have a degree, just HNC(s) and apprenticeship.


Thanks

Chris and Pam

[Twig]

The absolute shortage skills list is the Long Term Shortage list. We got the impression that if you were newly qualified as a Professional Engineer then they would definitely require a degree but if you have over 10 years experience, well this sort of balances it out.

We're sending off my husbands qualifications to be fully assessed just for our own piece of mind really and to save time in case they ask for this later on.

As for the work experience bit, we just put down that it was relevant to his qualifications and was included in the absolute shortage skills list.

You might not ever get a real idea of whether you have a good chance of gaining all those bonus points (unless you're prepared to pay out for an immigration agent). Thats how we feel anyway. As soon as our qualifications are assessed and come back with a level, we're just going to submit our EOI and hope for the best! :D

[The Hodges]

Hi Chris and Pam

I hope that I can help.

Qualifications.
I have 2 x HNC and a 4yr apprenticeship
Can I claim points for all / some / or 1 of these ?
Do I have ot get them all assesed ?

It depends in what the HNC is in. NZIS have compiled a list of qualifications that they recognise and for which you can qualify for points. If they believe your qualification aligns with any included on this list it will not need to be further assessed by NZQA. The list is here (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/nzis/operations_manual/7960.htm) with the HNC bit right down the bottom. It is not the end of the road if they need to be assessed, just takes a bit longer, and a bit more money.

Also, I would assume that you would only be able to claim for one of them, as there is only that option i.e. if both are acceptable you can't claim 100 points. Unfortunately.

Have a look at the links and post again for advice if you need them assessed (hopefully not), or use the search function on the forum as there has been some recent discussion on it.

Question on work experience - qusetion g1 its asks why this work experience should be recognised - what are the looking for here ? Do we try to tie this into skills shortage list or somehow like they say, explain it is relevant to my quals ? Not sure what they are after here.

We just said that it related to my qualifications, but what they want to know is that you didn't qualify in engineering and then flipped burgers for 10 years, which has nothing to do with your quals. So if you put a statement relating your experience to your qualifications and the work shortage list, then that should suffice.

And Twig answered the last one pretty well.

Good luck.

[ChrisnPam]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, we found the HNC bit on the recognised qualifications. It states awarded by BTEC - I dont know how exact it needs to be but mine have been awarded by Scotvec (being that I studied in Scotland). I dont really want to throw money away as I expect to find Btec and Scotvec to be equvilant, but if needs must I'll have to get it done.....can anyone advise ?

Twig - would you say that as I've been doing a Professional engineering job for over 10 years, that along with my HNC, would be able to claim points for this on the long term shortage list ?


Thanks again
C&P

[ChrisnPam]

Hi folks - just had another look at the EOI form. It asks qF1 how many qualifications are you submitting ? and then goes on to say please answer qf2 to f6 for each qualification you are submitting.
So with this in mind would I not submit both HNC's (1 x mechanical + 1 Computing)

thanks
Chris & Pam

[StevieD]

BTEC/SCOTVEC is/was one and the same thing as far as I can remember. Put as much info is and you can. it can't harm your case.

Good luck

Steve

[Twig]

I'd be gobsmacked if they discounted a professional engineer with 20 years experience purely because he didn't go to uni.

We're going to the Expo in London in March (I think there is one in Edinburgh as well) and plan on going straight to the NZIS desk to ask about this, as we wouldn't have submitted our EOI by then. We did ask a recruitment agency but he hasn't got back to us (too busy finding jobs for people I hope! :roll )

You can always get a pre-assessment done if your not sure about your HNC's ($75NZ rather than $450NZ) - you can use pre-ass for EOI's only though.

[StevieD]

For the sake of anyone who is new on here - don't use agencies, you can do it all yourself online, heck of a sight cheaper. Anyone with half a brain can do what these agencies do, and you'll get all the answers you need on here.

Steve

[Trigirl]

if your application is going to include points for work experience in an area of absolute skills shortage then you must have one of the qualifications listed alongside that job description on the long term skills shortage list. the immigration website and operations manual are both very specific about this.

the principal applicant* is suitably qualified by training and/or experience to undertake that work (including any specific requirements set out on the Long Term Skill Shortage List).

lots of people have submitted their EOI, been selected then later had to go through the disappointment of being chucked back in the pool for not having the correct qualification. i've never heard of any of them getting this requirement waived.

[StuartBFrost]

As someone who has a HND in Computing and 20 years IT experience, I can guarantee that if the long terms skills list says you need a degree, then you cannot claim bonus points for having a HNC/HND.

You can claim 50 points for the HNC/HND but that is it.

I know this because I have just been deselected on this basis.

Stuart

[pinkpiggy]

You can however claim points for having a basic recognized qualification. That usually gives you about 50 points with a HNC/HND.

[ChrisnPam]

On the subject of qualifications being assesed, would I be just as well going for full assesment now as it seams I will have to get done eventually anyway ? (I read somethng that unless you have NZ quals a full assesment will be needed for the ITA)

chris

[pinkpiggy]

Chris, that's what we were told to do but it all depends on how quickly you want to submit your EOI. The pre-assessment comes back a lot quicker than the full assessment (unless you pay the extra to have it fast tracked). If I remember correctly a pre-assessment costs $75.

[ChrisnPam]

Can anyone point me iin the direction on how to get pre-assessmnets done. I've tried contacting NZQA online but no reply. Is there an online form where I can input details and do it over the net or even print out a form & post details away ?
Thanks

Chris

[Trigirl]

hi chrisnpam. i can't help with the NZQA thing as we didn't need to do it. but i just wanted to check that you have spoken to NZIS and confirmed you need an assessment. from your earlier posts i got the impression that your qualifications would likely be on the recognised list? or do you need it assessed simply because it is scotvec rather than btec?

[ChrisnPam]

We havnt spoken to NZIS - I didnt even concider it. How reliable would that be because if we only had someone "say" it s ok, someone else reviewing our application may not think so. I dont want to get into a situation where we get selected for the next stage only to get knocked back again.

Ive found the page on NZQA for preassesment - now I've gotta dig out all the info.......

Thanks
Chris

[Twig]

We've sent off hubby's qualification certificates to NZQA yesterday for a full assessment. I remember reading a while back, that NZIS were insisting on full assessments being done regardless of what they had listed as recognised qualifications.

So to be on the safe side (and as we have alittle time to kill) we thought it best to bite the bullet and get them assessed.

My hubby qualified for the following from 1988 til 1994:

BTEC Continuing National Diploma in Building Services Engineering (HVAC)
BTEC Higher National Certificate in " " "
BTEC National Certificate s/a before
BTEC First Certificate in Construction

He also has a lot of work experience which they have asked for references for, so we have done our best. Should hear from them in a month or so - I'll keep this updated if it helps?

[Trigirl]

NZIS were insisting on full assessments being done regardless of what they had listed as recognised qualifications

only if you are claiming bonus points for work experience or qualifications in an area of absolute skills shortage. for the standard 50 points for a recognised qualification - being on the list is fine. for 10 points for your partners qualification - being on the list is fine.

[Tentun]

can i just ask something - if they select you from the pool and find you have experience in an area of shortage but no qualifications to back that up will the case officer ask you about it or will you just automatically get chucked back into the pool without being able to explain?

[Trigirl]

It depends on what it is you want to explain I guess? My understanding is that you just get a letter telling you you’ve been put back in the pool (assuming you’ve still got over 100 points after the total has been reduced). If there’s been some mistake and you actually do have the qualifications then I’m sure you’d be able to get it corrected. But if you don’t have the qualifications then I’m not sure what is it you’d need to explain?

[Tentun]

well, our situation is very similar to everyone here that has been de-selected. ie loads of experience in an area of skills shortage but no qualifications to back it up. However my hubby is a teacher and on the skills shortage lists it says that you need to have a teaching qualification that is recognised for registration purposes by the NZ teachers council. So we've spoken to teachers council and they say that he can still be registered to teach in NZ even though he doesn't have the correct teaching qualifications. So we've put in our EOI that we have the work experience and qualifications for the skills shortage area of teaching because my understanding of it was that if he is registered with the teachers council then he does have what is required to be a teacher and therefore should qualify for bonus points.
Don't know if this makes any sense am trying to write it with a toddler around my ankles. But that's what I meant by explain - cos if they come back to us and say no qualifications so de-selected I am hoping to be able to explain this situation to them.

[Trigirl]

I’m sure they will give you the chance to say that – although I have no idea what the outcome might be – but I’m sure there are other teachers on here who have been through something similar?

Why don’t you try talking to NZIS up front and asking them whether the fact that the teachers council have said its enough will be ok? Did you get the teachers council to put that in writing – if so maybe you could send a copy of the letter and see what NZIS say?