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Australian Computer Society skills assessment changes
The Australian Computer Society has today announced changes to the graduate skills assessment application process to align with changes implemented by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP).
The ACS is choosing to implement the changes effective from January 15, 2014, which will provide certainty to those studying courses that are scheduled for completion in the final months of 2013.
The implementation of the ACS graduate application changes will ensure applicants are being assessed in line with the Migration Amendment (Skills Assessment) Regulation 2013 changes announced by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to take effect on Oct 28, 2013.
The ACS is committed to providing a robust assessment service that accurately identifies an applicant’s ICT skills and their compatibility with the skills that the Australian Government has identified as being in shortage. To aid clarity and enhance consistency, the ACS has reviewed the current suitability criteria for applicants with an Australian study component in their skills assessment.
The following changes will come into effect on Jan 15, 2014:
· The ACS Temporary Graduate – 485 skills assessment will clearly state that it is specifically for the purpose of applying for a subclass 485 visa application. Applicants with an Australian study component that are applying for a subclass 485 visa will be assessed on the Australian qualification only, based on the completion of the relevant Australian Bachelor degree or higher.
· Applicants with an Australian study component that wish to apply for permanent residency will require either 1 year of relevant work experience or completion of an ACS Professional Year Program to receive a suitable skills assessment which can be used for general migration purposes.
· The ACS Post Australian Study skills assessment is intended to support graduates in applying for permanent residency under the General Skilled Migration or Employer Nomination Scheme after completing an Australian study component.
· The Australian study component is taken into consideration because of the value of studying in Australia and the exposure to Australian culture and language, which in turn places applicants in a better position to be employed in their nominated occupation.
· The work experience or professional year program is assessed for suitability of the full skills assessment and the applicant is considered skilled from the completion date of the relevant Australian degree. The Post Australian Study skills assessment can be used for migration purposes in general.
Comments
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Friday, 25 October 2013Hi Karl,
Thanks for your question.
If you take the time to carefully read our release you can see it refers to the Migration Amendment (Skills Assessment) Regulation 2013.
You can access commonwealth legislation at www.austlii.edu.au
You will see the regulation speaks specifically to this matter, and I'm sure DIBP will be able to answer any questions you have regarding the regulation.
I've provided the same information to Immigration News and trust that you will inform your readers, and clients, of the regulatory change. -
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Hi Thomas,
Please reply to Karl's email question, "Could you point us specifically which verse are you referring to?" This is very important to general public including international students. ACS seems changing skilled migration rules by itself.
I am looking forward to seeing your reply.
A reader -
Monday, 28 October 2013
Hi Thomas Shanahan,
Are you referring to this regulation : http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/legis/cth/num_reg_es/maar2013n233o2013572.html?stem=0&synonyms=0&query=migration%20skills%20assessment%202013
There is no statement of imposing mandatory 1 year post qualification work experience. Could you point us specifically which verse are you referring to?
I feel like ACS should be responsible and remain ethical, provide an example to the others instead of concealing publications. I would also question the logic behind this, how can one find a fulltime skilled employment when 95% of employers demand permanent residency as a requirement for a skilled employment?
Regards -
Monday, 28 October 2013
Dear Thomas Shanahan,
If I'm going to apply for the 485 post-study work visa next year and I already have a positive skills assessment from last year, do I need to apply for the new ACS Temporary Graduate – 485 skills assessment?
Regards -
Monday, 28 October 2013
Hi,
When will the details of this change be published?
For instance, I am interested to know what happens when a person has the relevant experience, but outside Australia? Is ACS looking for Australian work experience gained after completion of the Australian degree?
Immigration blog
Dear Thomas Shanahan of the ACS.
Thank you for informing the public today and particular those international students who are studying IT courses in Australia regarding the changes to the assessment criteria.
Of course nobody is questioning the right for the ACS to change their skill assessment criteria as they see fit to do so. The ACS is an independent professional body which I am sure everyone has the utmost respect for.
However there is one very important issue that needs clarification and we feel the public has the right to know.
Your release today makes this statement;
“The Australian Computer Society has today announced changes to the graduate skills assessment application process to align with changes implemented by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP).”
Can you please inform the public what is meant by “align with changes implemented by DIBP”.
One of our reporters spoke to today and you said;
"The update is to comply with the Migration Amendment Skills Assessment Regulation which is a Commonwealth Legislation. It requires Temporary Skills assessments to be identified as temporary."
However the DIBP has released no policy or legal change that requires any skill assessment body to implement a two stage skill assessment process. For example we spoke to Engineers Australia today and they have no plans to change any part of their skill assessment policy.
We are concerned your comments regarding an alignment with DIBP changes is making international students think that somehow the ACS is not to blame for making this change of forcing them to prove one year work experience or to complete a PYP program, that somehow these changes are driven by DIBP and that the ACS is simply following the rules laid down by DIAC.
Of course everybody respects the ACS as being an independent body and the DIBP would have no say in assessing the skill level of international student who study in Australia.
The advice we have received, regarding the proposed changes to the legislation, is that there is clearly no policy or law that requires a separate skill assessment for the purpose of applying for the 485 visa and then another skill assessment for the purpose of a permanent residency application. This is why Engineers Australia and other skill assessment bodies are not changing any part of their skill assessment process. Engineers Australia also administer PYP programs but they are not requiring Engineering students to do their PYP before students can apply for permanent residency. Their skill assessments can be used for either application, temporary or permanent.
Please explain to the public what law you are you referring to that requires the ACS to make these changes to their skill assessment criteria which would require an international student studying in Australia to complete an ACS PYP program or complete one year of work experience.
A detailed explanation has not been provided and we are providing you an invitation to comment before we publish our next edition of IMMIGRATION NEWS.
Karl Konrad
Editor
IMMIGRATION NEWS