Australian Immigration Daily News

• Experience gained as part of a Masters and/or PhD may be considered as work experience for relevant occupations, such as medical and research occupations.
• Experience gained whilst studying, through a formal arrangement (for example, a clinical/industry placement, internship or apprenticeship) that is undertaken as part of a CRICOS registered course of study, may be considered as work experience where it is relevant to the occupation. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • for medical practitioners, experience gained through internships or the final year medical training, including periods of clinical placements; and.
  • the internship component of the Professional Year Program.
• Experience gained whilst studying, through a formal arrangement (for example, a clinical/industry placement, internship or apprenticeship) outside of a CRICOS registered course of study, must be undertaken at the skill level of the relevant occupation to be considered as work experience.

Accordingly, a combination of "employment" and "internship" will meet the two year work requirement assuming this was performed at the right skill level which I understand is the case here.

There has been some ambiguity in relation to how many hours is full time work for the purposes of ENS.

The TSS Policy states that work experience must be undertaken on a full time basis (or part time equivalent) at the required skill level.  Whether an applicant is "employed" bears little relevance.  The case officers are interested in actual work performed (work is defined as any activity which would ordinarily attract remuneration) and whether this work is at the required skill level.

A number of examples are given in the TSS policy including:

·        Experience gained as part of a Masters and/or PhD may be considered as work experience for relevant occupations, such as medical and research occupations.

·        Experience gained whilst studying, through a formal arrangement (for example, a clinical/industry placement, internship or apprenticeship) that is undertaken as part of a CRICOS registered course of study, may be considered as work experience where it is relevant to the occupation. This includes, but is not limited to:

o   for medical practitioners, experience gained through internships or the final year medical training, including periods of clinical placements; and.

o   the internship component of the Professional Year Program.

·        Experience gained whilst studying, through a formal arrangement (for example, a clinical/industry placement, internship or apprenticeship) outside of a CRICOS registered course of study, must be undertaken at the skill level of the relevant occupation to be considered as work experience.

The policy surrounding full time work experience for ENS purposes appears to be more rigid with R 5.19 stating that full time work should equate to 38 hours.  Given the flexibility allowed in the TSS scheme, this poses problems for those wishing to apply for ENS under the TRT stream.

Upon further enquiries, Employer Sponsored Section issued the following statement:

“The position on full-time work is below:

Consistent with the National Employment Standards (NES), employment will be considered ‘full-time’ where the visa applicant worked 38 hours per week.Work experience will, however, also be considered ‘full-time’ where the visa applicant worked for a period between 32 and 45 hours per week under an industry award or an agreement that was consistent with the NES where applicable”

The is welcomed news for those wishing to apply for ENS visa given the apparent flexibility with the working hours counting towards full time.