Teaching qualification query

[Brodie]

Hi,

 

I have a 3 year Bed degree in Primary Education with QTS and am thinking of emigrating to Australia. I have contacted a few visa arranging services and seem to be getting conflicting advice.

 

Some say it is a grey area and I will get a visa others say not. This is based on the fact that my degree was only 3 years not the 4 as stated on a lot of the specifications. One company said that because my degree was actually in education, then this 'over-rides' the 4 years. Also if I do get the 189 visa is there a chance that I would then not be able to register as a teacher?

 

Any help/advice would be much appreciated, especially before I invest a chunk of money with a visa arranger. It would be great to hear from anybody who is/was in the same position and has been successful (or not).

 

Many thanks

 

Brodie

[Ozmaniac]

The occupation of Primary School Teacher is only on the CSOL and is therefore only eligible for employer or state sponsored visas. It is NOT eligible for a 189 visa. As you don't appear to have employer sponsorship (and will be most unlikely to be able to find any), that only leaves the possibility of a state sponsored, points tested 190 or 489 visa for which you must have a positive skills assessment from AITSL. AITSL's skills assessment guidelines clearly state that you must have "Study assessed by AITSL as comparable to at least four years full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education (university) level study in Australia that results in a qualification/s comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor degree or higher". That's not all that is required so you should check the following:

http://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/aitsl_primary_school_teacher_application.docx AITSL Assessment criteria Primary School Teacher

http://www.aitsl.edu.au/assessment-for-migration AITSL assessment for migration

 

Registration is a separate matter and is handled locally by each state. You should search on teacher registration 'state' for individual state requirements but I think you'll find they will all require at least 4 years study.

[Brodie]

Thanks for that. My degree qualifies to teach from 3-11 so I was thinking of going via the pre-primary route - most of my teaching practice at university was with reception/year 1 children so from what I've read that would allow me to go down that route.

 

If I do require 4 years how do go about getting the extra year - as far as I know I wouldn't be eligible for the PGCE. Is there a route other than a Masters degree? Distance learning to get enough credits etc..?

[Brodie]

It all comes down to weather I can prove that the 3 year degree is comparable (from the AITSL):

 

Study assessed by AITSL as comparable to at least four years full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education (university) level study in Australia, that results in a qualification/s comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor degree or higher.

 

For Early Childhood I think I would qualify as enough of my teaching practice (60 days) was with 4 and 5 year olds:

 

An initial teacher education qualification relevant to the Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) teacher occupation of at least one year full-time study (or part time equivalent) at the higher education (university) level that includes a minimum of 45 days of supervised teaching practice with students across the ages of 3 and 8 in education programs prior to and in to the early years of primary school.

These qualifications must be assessed as comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor degree or higher.

[Petals]

For teaching bachelor degrees are required, kindergarten teachers also need degrees and each State is different in the way their education system works. To do post grad you have to have an undergrad degree first and pay the full fees for the post grad that do not come cheap these days.

 

Its not easy getting a job in teaching for everyone here, there are a lot of unemployed teachers around. Anywhere that is nice to live has no shortage of teachers at all, outback and country together with schools with probs are the ones looking for teachers.

 

Most teachers are on contract here in Victoria not a lot are permanent anymore, so even if jobs are advertised that is because they have to be advertised even though a contract teacher has the position, probably staying on so its a formality and really there is no vacancy.

[Sammy1]

Hi,

 

I have a 3 year Bed degree in Primary Education with QTS and am thinking of emigrating to Australia. I have contacted a few visa arranging services and seem to be getting conflicting advice.

 

Some say it is a grey area and I will get a visa others say not. This is based on the fact that my degree was only 3 years not the 4 as stated on a lot of the specifications. One company said that because my degree was actually in education, then this 'over-rides' the 4 years. Also if I do get the 189 visa is there a chance that I would then not be able to register as a teacher?

 

Any help/advice would be much appreciated, especially before I invest a chunk of money with a visa arranger. It would be great to hear from anybody who is/was in the same position and has been successful (or not).

 

Many thanks

 

Brodie

 

It is not a grey area, to be able to teach anywhere in Australia you must have four years of tertiary education. The issue is that you must be registered with the relevant teacher registration board in the state that you wish to live in. Teacher registration boards will not register you without the four year requirement being filled.

 

Another thing to understand is that there is a huge over supply of primary teachers here and I am not sure if any state is even sponsoring at the moment. I seem to remember Victoria may have been, but they required a second language.

[Sammy1]

It all comes down to weather I can prove that the 3 year degree is comparable (from the AITSL):

 

Study assessed by AITSL as comparable to at least four years full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education (university) level study in Australia, that results in a qualification/s comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor degree or higher.

 

For Early Childhood I think I would qualify as enough of my teaching practice (60 days) was with 4 and 5 year olds:

 

An initial teacher education qualification relevant to the Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) teacher occupation of at least one year full-time study (or part time equivalent) at the higher education (university) level that includes a minimum of 45 days of supervised teaching practice with students across the ages of 3 and 8 in education programs prior to and in to the early years of primary school.

These qualifications must be assessed as comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor degree or higher.

 

 

No, it does not come down to whether you can prove a three year degree is comparable to a four year degree - it is not. You must have four years of tertiary education (at least one year of which is a university based initial teaching qualification).

 

Teaching registration boards will not register you without it. What you need to consider is a one year post graduate qualification in an area for example such as special needs or some related education discipline.

[dmjg]

I can only echo what Sammy has said.

 

There is no ambiguity, you need another year of uni.