Points Test Advice
1. What is Points Test Advice?
2. Who can apply for Points Test Advice?
3. What does assessment for Points Test Advice involve?
4. Can I have my qualifications assessed for Points Test purposes if I have had a Skills Assessment from another assessing authority?
5. Which form do I need to complete for Points Test Advice?
6. How do I apply for Points Test Advice?
7. What documents do I need to submit?
8. What are the fees for Points Test Advice?
9. Where can I find out more?
1. What is Points Test Advice?
Applicants who are applying for a GSM visa may also wish to apply for an Advisory Letter to DIAC for Points Test purposes. You can submit this advisory letter, along with your positive Skills Assessment to DIAC when you apply for a GSM visa. Points Test Advice is provided in addition to and not in place of the Skills Assessment.
The advice is an opinion of:
- the comparative educational level of your qualifications against the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
- your employment which has been undertaken in the nominated or closely related occupation in the 10 years before your application to VETASSESS.
The Points Test Advice is an opinion only, and will be taken into consideration by DIAC when assessing your eligibility for points. The Points Test Advice provided by VETASSESS is not binding on DIAC and DIAC may undertake further investigations to verify the qualification and employment claims made.
A successful Skills Assessment from VETASSESS is not a guarantee that you will meet the Points Test requirements. Also note that Skilled–Graduate (Temporary) visa (subclass 485) or Employer Nomination Scheme visa applicants do not require a Points Test Advice from VETASSESS.
top2. Who can apply for Points Test Advice?
- New VETASSESS applicants who have not previously applied for a Skills Assessment and now wish to assessed under an occupation for which VETASSESS is the designated skills assessing authority, click here
- Applicants with a Skills Assessment in progress with VETASSESS, click here
- Applicants who have received a Skills Assessment from another Assessing Authority and have been referred to VETASSESS by their skills assessing authority and/or DIAC for Points Test Advice, here
- Previous VETASSESS applicants, click here
New VETASSESS applicants who have not previously applied for a Skills Assessment
If you are intending to apply for a GSM visa, and have not yet applied to VETASSESS for your Skills Assessment you can apply for your Skills Assessment and Points Test Advice at the same time. You can apply online or by using the SRG1 Application for Skills Assessment form
Applicants with a Skills Assessment in progress with VETASSESS
Applicants who have a pending Skills Assessment (including a post-485 Skills Assessment) with VETASSESS may now require an advice from VETASSESS to give to DIAC for Points Test purposes for the same nominated occupation. These applicants can apply to VETASSESS for the optional advisory letter by completing the SRG35 Application for VETASSESS Advisory Letter for Points Test Purposes (VETASSESS occupations)
Applicants who have received a Skills Assessment from another Assessing Authority
If you have been referred to VETASSESS by another assessing authority for an assessment of your unrelated or higher qualifications you can apply using our online application form or by completing and submitting the SRG34 Application for VETASSESS Advisory Letter on Qualification(s) for Points Test Purposes (non-VETASSESS occupations)
VETASSESS will assess the highest qualification held (regardless of the area of study), up to postgraduate doctoral degree level unless the applicant requests another qualification to be assessed for Points Test purposes. In some cases VETASSESS will need to consider two or more qualifications to determine whether together they are comparable to the educational level of a qualification on the Australian Qualifications Framework.
If you have previously had a positive Skills Assessment from VETASSESS (post 2010), you may apply for Points Test Advice for your additional qualifications and employment using the SRG35 Application for VETASSESS Advisory Letter for Points Test Purposes (VETASSESS occupations)
If you have previously applied for a Qualifications Only assessment for 485 Visa purposes, you can apply for the employment assessment
and Points Test Advice using the
SRG29 Application for Post 485 Skill Assessment form
Applicants who have received a positive assessment from VETASSESS before 2010 and now require a Points Test Advice, should contact VETASSESS for information on how to apply for the Points Test Advisory Letter.
3. What does assessment for Points Test Advice involve?
For applicants applying for a Skills Assessment under the GSM visa categories, VETASSESS offers an optional assessment option to receive an advisory letter for DIAC regarding your point's eligibility for migration (for qualifications and employment). You must provide sufficient relevant evidence to support your claims of qualifications and employment.
Qualification requirements
VETASSESS will assess the highest qualification held (regardless of the area of study), up to postgraduate doctoral degree level unless the applicant requests another qualification to be assessed for Points Test purposes. The assessment for overseas qualifications determines the definitive educational level in Australian terms. In some cases VETASSESS will need to consider two or more qualifications to determine whether together they are comparable to the educational level of a qualification on the Australian Qualifications Framework. Please note that according to DIAC, points for qualifications at Masters level can only be awarded where applicants have also completed a Bachelors degree that is assessed by the relevant skills assessing authority as being comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree level.
Employment requirements
When assessing employment for the Points Test Advice, VETASSESS requires the following for a positive outcome:
- Employment must be highly relevant to the nominated occupation, or in a closely related occupation and at an appropriate skill level for your nominated occupation
- Employment must be full time (at least 20 hours per week)
- Employment must be genuine and verifiable
- Employment must be undertaken within the last ten years
VETASSESS defines highly relevant employment to the nominated occupation as paid employment of at least 20 hours per week in which the major everyday tasks closely match the major tasks undertaken in the nominated occupation in Australia and are performed at an appropriate skill level for the nominated occupation in Australia.
For Points Test purposes, VETASSESS applies DIAC's definition of "closely related employment" to the nominated occupation. DIAC defines closely related employment as paid employment of at least 20 hours per week in an occupation in the same Unit Group of ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) as the nominated occupation. This implies that the employment should be at the same skill level as the nominated occupation and should draw on a similar skill set and subject matter. Usually closely related employment is in the same industry. The employment must also match the lead statement in ANZSCO for the nominated occupation.
For more information on ANZSCO skill level and unit groups please refer to www.abs.gov.au
In order to consider employment undertaken whilst completing a PhD for Points Test purposes, the employment would need to be paid, at least 20 hours per week and the tasks performed should be at the required skill level and highly relevant/closely related to the nominated occupation. PhD research tasks which are unpaid, or paid a stipend or scholarship cannot be assessed for employment under the Points Test Assessment.
4. Can I have my qualifications assessed if I have had a Skills Assessment from another assessing authority?
Yes, VETASSESS offers a qualification only assessment for Points Test purposes for applicants who do not require a Skills Assessment from VETASSESS (because their nominated occupation for migration purposes is assessed by another skills assessing authority). DIAC has authorised VETASSESS to undertake qualifications assessments for Points Test purposes for these applicants if their qualification is in a field unrelated to their nominated occupation and the skills assessing authority and/or DIAC has referred them to VETASSESS. This type of assessment is issued as an Advisory Letter for the applicant to give to DIAC for Points Test purposes. DIAC determines whether points will be allocated.
Applicants should consult the Assessing Authority which has issued their Skills Assessment as to whether they would provide Points Test Advice for their qualifications. You should be referred to VETASSESS by your relevant skills assessing authority or by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for a qualifications only assessment to assist DIAC to consider a claim for qualification points in the General Skilled Migration Program (GSM) Points Test. A formal referral is not required, but it is the applicants' responsibility to ensure that they have a Points Test Advice from the correct assessing authority. For further information about the Points Test see the DIAC website at www.immi.gov.au.
VETASSESS will assess the highest qualification unless the applicant requests another qualification to be assessed for Points Test purposes. The assessment will determine the general educational level of the qualification in terms of a qualification level on the Australian Qualifications Framework. An assessment of the relevance of the major area of study to the nominated occupation is not required.
In some cases VETASSESS may need to consider two or more overseas qualifications to determine their comparability to the educational level of a qualification on the Australian Qualification Framework.
5. Which form do I need to complete for Points Test Advice?
New VETASSESS applicants who have not previously applied for a Skills Assessment
If you are intending to apply for a GSM visa, and have not yet applied to VETASSESS for your Skills Assessment you can apply for your Skills Assessment and Points Test Advice at the same time. You can apply online or by using the SRG1 Application for Skills Assessment form
Applicants with a Skills Assessment in progress with VETASSESS
Applicants who have a pending Skills Assessment (including a post-485 Skills Assessment) with VETASSESS may now require an advice from VETASSESS to give to DIAC for Points Test purposes for the same nominated occupation. These applicants can apply to VETASSESS for the optional advisory letter by completing the SRG35 Application for VETASSESS Advisory Letter for Points Test Purposes (VETASSESS occupations)
Applicants who have received a Skills Assessment from another Assessing Authority
If you have been referred to VETASSESS by another assessing authority for an assessment of your unrelated or higher qualifications you can apply using our online application form or by completing and submitting the SRG34 Application for VETASSESS Advisory Letter on Qualification(s) for Points Test Purposes (non-VETASSESS occupations)
Previous VETASSESS applicants
If you have previously had a positive Skills Assessment from VETASSESS (from 2010), you may apply for Points Test Advice for your additional qualifications and employment using the SRG35 Application for VETASSESS Advisory Letter for Points Test Purposes (VETASSESS occupations)
If you have previously applied for a Qualifications Only assessment for 485 Visa purposes, you can apply for the employment assessment and Points Test Advice using the SRG29 Application for Post 485 Skill Assessment form
Applicants who have received a positive assessment from VETASSESS before 2010 and now require a Points Test Advice, should contact VETASSESS for information on how to apply for the Points Test Advisory Letter.
6. How do I apply for Points Test Advice?
New applicants
- Apply online or download and complete the appropriate form (for information on the correct form to complete refer to the section above titled " Which form do I need to complete for Points Test Advice?")
- Gather all required documents.
- Send the signed original application form (paper based form) or the signed applicant declaration page (if applying online)
along with the required documents and assessment fees by mail:
VETASSESS
Skills Recognition - General Occupations
GPO Box 2752
Melbourne VIC 3001
AUSTRALIA
7. What documents do I need to submit?
The documents for Points Test Advice are the same as for a Skills Assessment although employment evidence for Points Test purposes may cover positions held in the last ten years. Please see required documents for more information. You will need to ensure that you submit sufficient evidence for the assessor to make an assessment of your employment claims. Employment documents and claims which cannot be verified as genuine and authentic cannot be given a positive outcome.
8. What are the fees for Points Test Advice?
Additional fees apply for the Points Test Advisory Letter based on the type of qualification(s) and number of employment positions to be assessed. Information about the fees and documents required is also included in the forms.
Full Skills Assessment (GSM with Points Test Advice)
Points Test Advice (pending or returning VETASSESS applicants)
Points Test Advice only (for applicants with non-VETASSESS occupations)
Post-485 assessment under the same occupation (GSM with Points Test Advice)
9. Where can I find out more?
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has further information on their website regarding the Points Tests for GSM visas. Please refer to www.immi.gov.au
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