SA SS Questions

[aliogilvie]

Hi all

 

I have been searching for answers on old threads but cannot find a definitive answer to my specific queries so I wondered if I could pick your wonderful brains!

 

Firstly, I have just (23/08) submitted skills assessment to VETASSESS for Program or Project Administrator, I am hopeful of getting this back as positive because I have an MBA and PRINCE2, the problem is that I currently work as a Project Manager (i.e. at a higher level than this kind of post) within public sector, will that count against me? I can't seem to find anything which states if being 'overqualified' or experienced at a higher level goes against you. I am just hoping that as I am clearly capable of doing that post I will be ok, anyone got any thoughts on this?

 

Secondly, can I put the SA SS application in before I get the skills assessment back? I am worried about the availability of this occupcation changing while I wait and it seems like some people do apply in advance of receiving the same, from what I can see it is going to take 8-12 weeks to get the Skills Assessment back, I turn 33 on 31st Dec (about 18 weeks away) and I am thinkng about the impact that will have on my points assessment - which I believe is at full DIAC app stage rather than SS. Just wondering what the chances are of getting through Skills Assess and SS is so that I can lodge full app before my birthday!

 

Any thoughts or comments much appreciated, finding everything ahead of us so daunting but this forum is a source of much inspiration and support.

 

Ali

[Guest helene73]

Hi

You need to have a positive skills assessment to apply for SS.

I would wait the other people who have applied may have had their skills assessments due back around the time they applied for their SS so would have been able to send all the evidence they require.

SS won't process without all the supporting evidence so just because you have submitted the online applications they won't start processing you! I would wait to do you application until a week or so before your skills assessment is due back then send you documents ASAP, I know time and occupational quotas are a issue (I have been in the same boat) but like I said they won't process till they have everything and others in your occupation with evidence will still be processed first until you provide them with everything, so sorry to say you are in a no win situation as far as time/quotas are concerned

 

 

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[Guest johnny.w]

I can only relate it to my job (electrician) but i certainly had to have my quals assessed by vettasses and do a trade test before we could apply for state sponsorship. It does take a few months but in the whole process you will have to learn to be patient.

As for for your other point i will relate it to my job and say that if i had been a supervisor for a number of years i would try and dull this and prove that i was more hands on as this what they seem to want. IT seems that when you get here you will have to prove yourself again and you probably wont walk into a managers role. I've never been in management and are happy to prove myself but this can put some people off. I remember one of the down under episodes and the bloke was a headmaster in england but in aus he would be back to normal teacher and he wasn't to happy about it.

This is the choice you have to make . I hope this info is correct and if anybody wants to say otherwise then please do.

 

 

Hope this helps johnny.

[aliogilvie]

Thanks Johnny, that does help and sort of reinforces what I thought might be the case.

 

I guess if nothing else this process is going to make me learn to have more patience!

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

Yep, you need to to wait until your skills assessment is back, as once you have lodged you only have a few weeks to get all the paperwork to them (30 days) or they cancel your application, and a) it takes a few days even on the fastest service for courier to get docs to Oz and b) you can never be sure when something is arriving until it arrives (in terms of your assessment paperwork) so best to be on the safe side.

 

Its one of the joys of the 176 visa - on the up side, once you have been through the nail bite of the SS application process, the 176 application process is a walk in the park (imho). Very chilled

 

Good luck with it all

[aliogilvie]

Thanks Adelaide-bound, didn't realise there was a time limit on docs for SS. Will indeed have to chill out and try to forget about it for the next few months while we await skills assessment. I am thinking I might sit IELTS in the meantime to bank some more points when the time eventually comes to lodge 176. Will also give me something else to focus on!

[Guest MarK Jowett]

Hi aliogilvie, looks like you're about at the same stage as me - although, i won't be posting my Skills Assessment (ACS) till next week. I've booked in for my IELTS and sit it on 3rd September - and let me tell you, it will certainly give you something to think about.

 

Helene has a good thread on here about IELTS advice which I recommend reading as a good source of training material as well as for the helpful calming advice offered.