degree for 176 visa??

**sylvandsam** · 31-10-2011, 02:31 PM

Hi,
Not sure if anyone can help, but I'm feeling a bit frustrated. I am a dance teacher (private) and run my own ballet school and have for the past 17 years. South Australia has my occupation listed as being eligible for state sponsorship, and I followed a link which took me to a page on the government website stating that it was a degree level application, but that extensive work experience of 5 years + may be taken in place of the degree. Yay thought I, and contacted a migration agent who told me I needed a degree. If this is the case, I'm not suprised they're short of dance teachers as the majority (like myself) have trained in specialised theatre schools and not university's. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Sylvia.

**PeteD** · 31-10-2011, 07:53 PM

Not my field of business, but considering assessing bodies such as the Australian Computer Society recognise experience as well as qualifications, your best start might be to investigate your assessing body and their requirements. If you have a positive assessment from the assessing body based on experience, it is likely to throw as much weight as a degree in the remainder of the application process; well it did for me anyway.

Cheers
P

**PityTheFool** · 31-10-2011, 08:08 PM

I have to agree with PeteD.

Again no experience in your line of work, but I am an electrical engineer with many years experience but no degree (currently studdying for it!). As the standard requirements for such a profession are a degree I was told by approx. 10 migration agents that I would not get a skills assessment without one. I looked into it myself and low and behold a few months down the line I have a positive skills assessment!!!

In my opinion people should be vary cautious with migration agents. My belief is that if they are busy enough with easy / straight forward cases they will not bother with the like of us - mainly due to the fact that they may have to actually do some work for their money!

My advise would be to research the assessing body both on the internet and by quizzing them on the phone, they may ask for a degree for the 'standard requirements' however they may have an experience based route as I found.

Good Luck!!!

**wrussell** · 31-10-2011, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by sylvandsam

Hi,
Not sure if anyone can help, but I'm feeling a bit frustrated. I am a dance teacher (private) and run my own ballet school and have for the past 17 years. South Australia has my occupation listed as being eligible for state sponsorship, and I followed a link which took me to a page on the government website stating that it was a degree level application, but that extensive work experience of 5 years + may be taken in place of the degree. Yay thought I, and contacted a migration agent who told me I needed a degree. If this is the case, I'm not suprised they're short of dance teachers as the majority (like myself) have trained in specialised theatre schools and not university's. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Sylvia.

You might (probably would) be able to have your work experience positively assessed to satisfy applicable DIAC work experience criteria.

Without a degree assessed as comparable to an Australian degree (preferably a relevant degree) you would not be able to obtain a positive pre-migration skills assessment from the relevant skills assessing authority.

You would therefore be constrained to apply (at least initially) for classes of visa for which a pre-migration skills assessment is not a criterion.

May I suggest you take professional advice about your possible options?

**sylvandsam** · 31-10-2011, 09:37 PM

Thanks for that, it at least gives me a bit of hope! Just didn't want to blow the money on the skills assessment if there was no hope of a visa at the end of it. Would consider doing a degree as I can top my qualification up in 15 months, but by then, I probably won't be on the sponsor list. Have had no joy with employer sponsored visas, so want to grab this opportunity if I can.
It's good to know that there are other people out there who don't quite fit into the visa box but still manage to succeed. Just a bit scary trying to figure it all out without professional help......

**wrussell** · 31-10-2011, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by shanethomas123

I have to agree with PeteD.

Again no experience in your line of work, but I am an electrical engineer with many years experience but no degree (currently studdying for it!). As the standard requirements for such a profession are a degree I was told by approx. 10 migration agents that I would not get a skills assessment without one. I looked into it myself and low and behold a few months down the line I have a positive skills assessment!!!

In my opinion people should be vary cautious with migration agents. My belief is that if they are busy enough with easy / straight forward cases they will not bother with the like of us - mainly due to the fact that they may have to actually do some work for their money!

My advise would be to research the assessing body both on the internet and by quizzing them on the phone, they may ask for a degree for the 'standard requirements' however they may have an experience based route as I found.

Good Luck!!!

Are you asserting that you retained the services of approximately 10 registered migration agents to fully assess your visa prospects?

We have successfully represented engineers in various engineering disciplines who did not hold qualifications assessed as comparable to an Australian degree, but they all held some relevant academic qualification.

There are some pre-migration skills assessing assessing bodies that absolutely insist on applicants holding specified academic qualifications and there are some that will accept various vendor certifications underpinned by relevant work experience and there are some that will accept relevant work experience.

**PityTheFool** · 31-10-2011, 11:29 PM

I am saying that as a naive would be migrant I completed numerous online initial assessments, all of which suggested that I would successfully meet with the minimum requirements of the points test.

Many of these online forms were followed up by a telephone call from migrations agents, all of which stated that without a degree I would not be successful in acheiving a positive skills assessment with Engineers Australia.

It was then my own research and determination which lead me to completing a competancy demonstration report (CDR) and gaining a positive skills assessment.

My point being that sylvandsam should not give up hope simply because a migration agent is not, for whatever reason, willing to look at her case on an individual basis.

**wrussell** · 31-10-2011, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by shanethomas123

I am saying that as a naive would be migrant I completed numerous online initial assessments, all of which suggested that I would successfully meet with the minimum requirements of the points test.

Many of these online forms were followed up by a telephone call from migrations agents, all of which stated that without a degree I would not be successful in acheiving a positive skills assessment with Engineers Australia.

It was then my own research and determination which lead me to completing a competancy demonstration report (CDR) and gaining a positive skills assessment.

My point being that sylvandsam should not give up hope simply because a migration agent is not, for whatever reason, willing to look at her case on an individual basis.

I have yet to see an online assessment that was better than useless.

If you had consulted a registered migration agent who deals with Engineers Australia and paid a consultation fee, you might have saved yourself time and effort.

**cki2011** · 01-11-2011, 08:20 AM

Hello

Give Marina Towner or Allan Collet a call at Go Matilda we contacted lots of agents and we have found them to be very honest from the begining and if there is a way they will know your best route.

Good Luck

**sylvandsam** · 01-11-2011, 03:20 PM

Thanks for all your thoughts everyone. I have no problem using an agent if that will help us get our visa, but I really can't afford to throw money away either. I appreciate that some agents have enough straightforward cases not to need tricky ones, but likewise are there some agents who will just take your money knowing there is really no hope? Helps a lot to have a personal recommendation for an agent and I will definitely give them a call.