EOI - Bonus points

Jenkins · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 4:04 pm Post subject: EOI - Bonus points

Hi all,

I need your opinion on this before I lodge our EOI. My husband has a sure 115 pts. but we’re hoping he’ll be given 10 more from bonus points. Design engineer is recognized in the Auckland-OSL and the qualifications read as “Bachelor of Engineering and/or NZ certificate in Engineering science with computer aided design”. Hubby is a licensed mechanical engineer and now heads the engineering dept of his company. He was never employed with the title "design engineer" but could very well work as one. He knows computer aided design but never took formal training on this. Does that count?

By the way, he already got his NZQA cert.

Graham Barnes · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:16 pm Post subject:

Tricky one... Confused

I reckon that, when push comes to shove, NZIS will want something on paper that says "design engineer" when there is any doubt over whether points can be allocated. This would either be an NZQA report to this effect, or a reference from a past employer saying that he has fulfilled this role in the past.
Likewise with the quals I suspect...you won't get EOI points for qualifications, unless he has an actual qualification...having equivalent experience is not viewed as being the same thing.
Paper-pushers like things on paper, I guess!!

Graham

Jenkins · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 9:17 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Graham for the reply.

My husband is thinking of enrolling to a CAD course but I'm not sure if this qualification will be recognized since it's only a short course (couple of weeks). He can ask his employer to "certify" that he was a design engineer.

If he gets his PR visa after claiming points as a design engineer, would it be ok not to be employed as one?

Graham Barnes · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 9:50 pm Post subject:

Hi Jenkins, happy to help.

NZQA will almost certainly not assess the CAD course...they will only assess overseas courses which take a minimum of 12 months full-time study, or part time equivalent.
Having said that, there might be a bit of flexibility...I did a six month teacher training qual (PGCE) which took into account my past teaching experience in independent schools. The full course takes one year full-time, but I only needed to do half of it...and they accepted it as my past experience was deemed a suitable replacement in lieu of the first half of the course. But I still think that a two week course will be pushing your luck though!!

But in general, I got the distinct impression that NZQA do not work in shades of grey, and stick rigidly to the rules. It might be worth 'phoning them in Wellington to speak to a liaison officer, who I found very helpful (my contact was Gina Sutherland)...much easier to get specific information off a real person than than officious general "Government-speak" documents.

I don't think that PR is linked to a particular job, particularly if you have enough points without getting a specific job offer. But I'm not an expert on this one...my application was through WTR (I'm a teacher and on the POL), where the visa is definitely linked to your specific occupation.
You could even become another over qualified Auckland taxi-driver or burger flipper from overseas...I gather they love them over there!! Laughing

Graham