How to get positive skills assessment for Australian migration

Are you looking for positive skills assessment and want to know how can you achieve it? please read the below:

When I came to Australia as an International Student, I was lucky to get the job in my field of accounting just after a month of my arrival. I did not have to struggle to find a part time job. Initially I was given a job as a part time Accounts payable Officer and through updating my skills and experience, I was working as an Assistant Accountant by end of the course.

Soon after I finished my studies; wanted to apply for Permanent Residency; I had two options 1) score 5 extra points by scoring 7 in each module (now it is 8) or apply for skilled employment migration. I wrote IELTS 3 times and was lost by 0.5 in one of the modules every time to reach 7. I wrote the last and fourth time just to check my luck and patience.

While I was waiting for the result, I have compiled all my work documents to apply through skilled employment. However, I did not apply for Assessment as I scored 7 in each in my last attempt and applied for PR on that basis.

After working for 12+ years in various fields of Accounting and experience in compiling all the documents for assessment; I want to bring from my point of view what is important and what the professional bodies expect in the application to give you a positive assessment.

There are three professional accounting bodies that assess your skilled employment for Accounting profession;

1) CPA Australia

2) Institute of Public Accountants and

3) Chartered Accountant Australia and New Zealand

You can apply in any of the above bodies with the following documents:

1. Successful qualification assessment: This shows that your degree is closely related to one of the skilled occupations in Accounting.
2. Payslips showing that you have worked at least 20 hours a week
3. If you had changed 2 to 3 jobs accumulating to one year, just provide that evidence in the form of payslips and offer letters
4. Group/tax certificate obtained from taxation office
5. Employment or Offer letters from the employer
6. The above bodies request Testimonials from your employer and that must include:

• Start and end dates of your employment history
• Position Held
• Permanent or temporary
• Full or part time
• Working hours per week
• Salary or hourly rate
• Duties and responsibility of the job

7. Testimonial from your employer should be

• Written on official letterhead of the company. The letterhead should indicate clearly the full address of the business and any telephone, email and website addresses
• Name and position of the person authorised to sign the employment and this should include the authorised person’s signature. This is usually Human Resource Manager if you work for a large organisation or the CEO or Managing Director if it is a small company
• Work contact number and email address of the person writing the reference

Note: Points 6 and 7 are covered in your employment or offer letter and duties you can attach the          Position Description the employment letter was offered for.  Ensure the documents are signed by            the person mentioned in point 7. Alternatively, you can request the referee to write separately                  combining all together as in points 6 and 7.

8. English requirements as per below

	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
CAE	185	185	185	185
IELTS Academic	7	7	7	7
PTE Academic	24	24	27	23
TOEFL iBT	65	65	65	65

What is expected in the application by Immigration and the above bodies?

1. Your experience is closely related to your nominated occupation
2. Your experience is not clerical or administrative in nature, Example: The role should not mainly focused on filing, data entry etc

Tips to get positive skills assessment from the above bodies if you have below 2 years of experience:

Every company has their own job titles for the same position; but the responsibilities you undertake are important.

 

1. Clearly understand your role purpose in the organisation. Sometimes, if you work in a small team or company, you look at everything required for the organisation but your title might not represent it.  For example: Accounts Clerk; this position require you to perform accounting clerical duties; but you may look at financial reporting, management and assisting in budgets.

2. Check whether your experience is closely related to your nominated occupation as mentioned in ABS Website.

3. Meet your immediate manager and write all the responsibilities you do at your work and analyze how they are linked to your closely related occupation. Some small organisations may not have position description prepared for the role.

4. Elaborate your duties you perform at your work place in a clear and simple way. For example: Do not write I run financial reports instead explain clearly I perform General Ledger Financial reporting; analyse the reports and any discrepancies are followed up with the relevant stakeholders.

5. Quote any achievements that you have achieved during your tenure at your workplace. Example I have attended 100 tax clients in a week and was greatly appreciated by the management or any process improvements that you have made within the team.

6. Attach any appreciation emails you have received from your clients or your manager on any work that you performed exceptionally well.

7. Prepare a list of documents that you have submitted along with the application and attach to the front page of the application and scan them accordingly. This gives a good impression and less chances of requesting more documents.

8. Attach a letter to the professional body explaining your future plans towards your career (if you any). For Example; plan to study further like CA or CPA and any steps you have taken towards it.

Don’t’s:

1. References from colleagues at the same level
2. Personal phone numbers and email address of the referee or Manager
3. Copy and paste the duties mentioned in the ABS site: This may impact adversely on your application

Hope the above information is useful and helps you in getting the positive outcome. Good luck!