New Job Ready Test and TRA policy changes

[Migration Help]

Migration Help has heard the following:


the Job Ready Test options have been finalised by the Committee headed by DEEWR. Minister Evans will now make a decision based on the analysis by his Department officials, and based on Modelling, the best option for on-shore GSM for Trade courses.

An announcement is expected shortly with new changes likely to be brought in from the 1 Jan 2010.

Trade Testing is likely to start end Feb /early March.

It is anticipated a substantial number of applicants who have lodged their on-shore GSM applications prior to 1st Jan 2010 are likely to be Trade tested (TRA will likely refuse the majority of on-shore students cases to force them into a Trade Test).

Judging by past Trade Testing undertaken (eg in 2003) where 95 percent failed, it is anticipated that approx 85 % or more will fail this new Trade Test.

the VRQA has been given the power by the State Parliaments to take action against "dodgy" providers and name them on the website.

MH will provide further updates on this critical issue as and when they come to hand.

MH

[Robert]

From these proposals it can be inferred that the Minister wants to deny permanent resident status to the large number of onshore students waiting in the pipeline. He is telling the 85% of the students “you came, you studied and gained knowledge, there is no ready employment here for you, start packing and return to where you came from and join the offshore queue."

By extension, the Minister is telling the offshore applicants wait in the queue for two or three years OR get an employer to sponsor you for a shortcut from the queue.

With the imminent resource- based boom, it would be better for most migration agents to perform the dual role of recruitment agent as well and offer a one window approach.

I am now a job placement (International) agent as well. Anyone interested can contact me on rkc@austmigration.com.sg. I currently have requests for Carpenters (Malaysia), Electricians (Singapore), and Non-Destructive Technicians (NDT) (Australia)


Robert K Chelliah
www.austmigration.com.au

[Migration Help]

From 1 January 2010, applicants applying for a skills assessment for permanent residency from within Australia are required to undertake the Job Ready Program to meet the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) skills assessment requirements for a permanent residence visa.

This will affect international students who are studying in Australia to obtain trade qualifications e.g. hairdressing and cookery, and who wish to use this qualification to apply for Permanent Residency under the General Skilled Migration program.

The Job Ready Program is currently a four step process requiring :

Step 1 –An application for a Provisional Skills Assessment

A successful application will enable students to apply for a 485 skilled graduate temporary visa. Requirements to be met for this application include:
• An Australian trade qualification (certificate III or higher)
• At least 6 months relevant work experience (part time experience is acceptable)
• An IELTS score of at least 6 in all 4 bands, unless the student holds a passport from the UK, the USA, Canada, Ireland or New Zealand

Step 2 – The completion of Job Ready Employment

Once on a 485 visa you will have 18 months to complete at least 12 months of full time employment. This employment will be strictly monitored and regulated and will require:
• the employer being registered with TRA
• the student to keep log books/diaries of their work
• additional training in Australian workplace skills during this period of employment.

Step 3 – The completion of a Job Ready Workplace Assessment

Once employed in your trade for at least 6 months, you can undertake a workplace assessment which will require you to demonstrate your trade skills in the workplace to a TRA approved assessor.

Step 4 – An application for a Job Ready Final Assessment

Once Steps 1 to 3 have been successfully completed you are then able to apply for a final skills assessment which can be used to apply for a permanent visa.


All four steps of the Job Ready Program must be completed to gain a successful skills assessment.

Total Cost: approx A$4,500.



Observations
Work Experience – the 900 hours work experience allowed in the past has been scrapped. Now a minimum of 12 months paid work experience in the relevant trade is required to be shown. This must be paid work experience and cannot include unpaid as in the past. The 12 months experience must also be completed within the 18 months validity of the 485 Graduate Skilled Visa.

English Requirement – Previously no English requirements for a trade skills assessment although the visa required a minimum IELTS of 5. Now a minimum of IELTS 6 is required to be met at step 1 in the Job Ready Program.

Cost: Total costs have increased from the current $300 to around A$4,500 plus. A quite substantial increase.

Further details about the Job Ready Program will be provided when available.

MH

[t_brar]

From 1 January 2010, applicants applying for a skills assessment for permanent residency from within Australia are required to undertake the Job Ready Program to meet the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) skills assessment requirements for a permanent residence visa.

This will affect international students who are studying in Australia to obtain trade qualifications e.g. hairdressing and cookery, and who wish to use this qualification to apply for Permanent Residency under the General Skilled Migration program.

The Job Ready Program is currently a four step process requiring :

Step 1 –An application for a Provisional Skills Assessment

A successful application will enable students to apply for a 485 skilled graduate temporary visa. Requirements to be met for this application include:
• An Australian trade qualification (certificate III or higher)
• At least 6 months relevant work experience (part time experience is acceptable)
• An IELTS score of at least 6 in all 4 bands, unless the student holds a passport from the UK, the USA, Canada, Ireland or New Zealand

Step 2 – The completion of Job Ready Employment

Once on a 485 visa you will have 18 months to complete at least 12 months of full time employment. This employment will be strictly monitored and regulated and will require:
• the employer being registered with TRA
• the student to keep log books/diaries of their work
• additional training in Australian workplace skills during this period of employment.

Step 3 – The completion of a Job Ready Workplace Assessment

Once employed in your trade for at least 6 months, you can undertake a workplace assessment which will require you to demonstrate your trade skills in the workplace to a TRA approved assessor.

Step 4 – An application for a Job Ready Final Assessment

Once Steps 1 to 3 have been successfully completed you are then able to apply for a final skills assessment which can be used to apply for a permanent visa.


All four steps of the Job Ready Program must be completed to gain a successful skills assessment.

Total Cost: approx A$4,500.



Observations
Work Experience – the 900 hours work experience allowed in the past has been scrapped. Now a minimum of 12 months paid work experience in the relevant trade is required to be shown. This must be paid work experience and cannot include unpaid as in the past. The 12 months experience must also be completed within the 18 months validity of the 485 Graduate Skilled Visa.

English Requirement – Previously no English requirements for a trade skills assessment although the visa required a minimum IELTS of 5. Now a minimum of IELTS 6 is required to be met at step 1 in the Job Ready Program.

Cost: Total costs have increased from the current $300 to around A$4,500 plus. A quite substantial increase.

Further details about the Job Ready Program will be provided when available.

MH






i am already on 485 and only 10 months visa left. i jus finshed my one year exp this month and dnt know what to do now. somebody plz help me.

[Migration Help]

Hi t-brar

Welcome to the Migration Help forum.

Unfortunately you are in a very difficult situation and there is limited assistance we can provide you other than to let you know that clarification has been sought on this matter by both migration industry associations - the Migration Institute of Australia and the Migration Alliance.

In particular both TRA and DIAC have been asked whether:

1. holders of 485 visas who are nearing their 18 months and who have genuine paid work experience but who are legally unable to take part in the Job Ready Programme as they do not have the required 12 months; and
2. students who have applied for a 485 visa and have been waiting for more than 12 months for the visa to be approved, and have undertaken genuine paid work experience during this time;

will receive a waiver under the job ready program. That is, will their current 12 months paid work experience be accepted in lieu of the job ready program employment requirements?

No response has been received as yet. Migration Help will post further information about this serious issue as soon as it comes to hand.

I am sorry we do not have more positive news for you.

MH

[lamtran]

i have just applied for 485 visa with my Certificate III of hairdressing and waiting for response. i continue working 20 hours a week with legal payment because i have not finished my Cert IV and Diploma at school.i 'll finish these up to 6 months. Whenever i ve got my visa 485, is it alright if my 20-hour per week of working can be counted in 12 months paid work required for Step 2?how many hours in a week at least i need to work for Step 2?