ACS Skills Assessment - how long?

[zebedee]

Thanks Matty, and it's interesting to read your posts and great that you have you have your visa! Peter has been awesome so far, lots of great help

[Guest omarau]

Maybe this is a little bit off the topic here but im sure it will be for the interest of many.

South Australia migration has updated their sponsorship plan for 2011-2012 recently (on 09-Sep-2011 to be precise). Now all ICT occupations are marked as highly available without any extra conditions! not even for IELTS . So does that mean that we dont need to submit any IELTS results with our sponsorship applications to SA anymore?

 

feeling lucky to be an ICT profession now

 

Link to SA SSML: http://www.immigration.sa.gov.au/applyonline/skilled/planning_level_status.php

[Guest MarK Jowett]

I didn't think SS needed IELTS for IT professions if you're from an english speaking country. I thought it was just needed for getting extra points for your DIAC visa.

[Guest omarau]

Extract from SA SS website:

Some occupations have additional requirements that you must meet in addition to all other sponsorship requirements. If there is no special requirement listed you are required to meet the threshold requirements for sponsorship.

 

If you hold a valid passport from, and are a citizen of, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, United States of America, or the Republic of Ireland, you must provide an IELTS test result if the requirement is 7.0 or higher. Where the requirement is less than 7.0 no IELTS test result is required.

http://www.immigration.sa.gov.au/applyonline/skilled/planning_level_status.php

 

Anyway, this condition has been removed for ICT occupation now. So no need to worry about what it was before

[Guest MarK Jowett]

Ah yes, but my occupation (systems administrator) had a requirement of 6.5 i believe.

[Guest omarau]

Im not from an English speaking country so I had to provide IELTS results for that 6.5 in each band. But now even 6.5 is no longer required. That is what I'm happy about Looks like SA really needs ICT professions, so better job opportunities for all of us once we get there.

[zebedee]

I asked about this, and DIAC will require IELTS score of at least 7 I believe, so still needs to be done - although might be worth waiting for results from ACS and what falls out of the SA sponsorship first!

[Guest MarK Jowett]

i did my IELTS last saturday so that it's out of the way (well hopefully if I pass). Hoping for 8's to get the 20 extra points for DIAC though just to make the waiting period a little more bareable.

[zebedee]

Good call Mark - I am thinking I'll do it sooner rather than later, as it's something to be getting on with in the meantime. Especially now you've already done yours - I need to keep up

 

Did you bother with any practice material? Been looking at some of the packs on Amazon.....bewildering as usual.

[Guest MarK Jowett]

Depends on your level of english to be honest. I've always thought my standards are pretty high, but got bogged down by the number of worrying threads on the forums about revising. I did find it very useful to learn the format of the exam and a few pointers about what they are looking for in the answers to the writing test.

 

On the day I found the listening, reading and writing sections a doddle, but got a bit flustered on the speaking section so i've no idea how I did overall.

 

There is a good thread on here somewhere with loads of links for practice exams etc you should check out.

[zebedee]

Sure you'll do fine

 

Thanks, I did find the thread - had a quick look at the links - will give me some reading for the weekend.

[Guest MarK Jowett]

Getting very pissed off - my ACS forms have been gone over a week and still they haven't been received by the ACS. I will be gutted if I have to go out and get all new certified documents!!!

[zebedee]

Agree that would be a nightmare. Fingers crossed that it turns up asap!

[Guest MarK Jowett]

Good news - got the nod from ACS today that my documents have finally arrived - the clock starts now!

[zebedee]

Phew, that's a good start to the week

[zebedee]

I know it's pointless, but I keep checking the site a couple of times a day to see if there has been any movement....nothing so far. Not sure about anyone else, but this has always felt like the first big hurdle. We are very serious about the move, but haven't really engaged to much emotional discussion yet - kinda waiting till we get past the state sponsorship bit before we start thinking, wow, this could really happen.

 

Doesn't stop me from being impatient though!

[Guest MarK Jowett]

I know exactly what you mean. they've only had my docs for a few days but I still check daily - probably cos I sit at a computer all day and it's just a few clicks away. I'm at stage 4 already, but I imagine this is the bit that takes 3 months so I need to learn some patience!

 

As for the decision to move - we're very serious too, but we've also invested emotionally, and every conversation we seem to have now starts 'when we move to australia...' This is very dangerous as we could be setting ourselves up for a big fall and I imagine if it were to fail it would be at this step (although I don't know why, i'm pretty sure IT professional is in my blood now - IT degree - IT career over 10 years).

 

But we've got to keep positive and good things will happen - PMA!

[zebedee]

We'll be having a beer together in sunny Adelaide before you know it

[Guest omarau]

Just got my assessment result PDF through email, Im surprised at the pace they have finalized my application.

documents were received on 16-Aug-2011 and results sent on 16-Sep-2011 so exactly one month to get a result letter in my case.

3 out of 4 occupations were assessed by ACS as closely related to my nominated occupation (software engineer) totaling a 33 months. Another good piece of news is that the results seem to be valid for 24 month now instead of 12.

Next step for me is sitting the IELTS next week. Aiming at 7 in each band, wouldnt mind getting an 8 though

 

Which occupations are you guys being assessed against?

[Guest MarK Jowett]

So if they think you're more closely classed as another occupation they will assess you as such?

 

congratulations though.

[Guest omarau]

Hi Mark,

 

I have read somewhere on another thread that they will email you suggesting the change in the nominated occupation in that case. You should then answer them in writing to approve the change.

 

Omar.

[zebedee]

That's quite nice of them

 

Still on stage 2.........

[Guest MarK Jowett]

Stage 2 - really? Mine was put in after yours and i'm on stage 4 already?!?

[zebedee]

It could be due to not having an IT Degree - I've always known this stage could be 50/50 as I am just relying on my experience (and a bunch of MS qualifications).....so I might not be quite as clear cut. Peter was very hopeful, but I'm not getting my hopes up too much until I get the nod. I have a degree, it's just not IT based.

[Guest MarK Jowett]

ah ok. Yeah, I saw something about using MCSE instead of a degree so fingers crossed.