ANMAC, AHPRA and IELTS

[JMcW89]

Hi All,

 

Me and my partner are planning on migrating on the Skilled Occupation visa. My partner is a Nurse and I will be going as a de-facto partner. My OH has complete the IELTS Academic and we are unsure of the next step. We have all documents ready to send to AHPRA but are now thinking that we may need to complete ANMAC skills assessment first? The issue really, is on the ANMAC online checklist it asks for the 'Date the verification of your current registration was requested to be forwarded to ANMAC'. As we have not yet lodged our EOI nor applied for the Visa, I am unsure whether we can do the ANMAC skills assessment yet.

 

Any Advice is appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Josh

[MARYROSE02]

I'm trying to understand the process. You do your IELTS first?

 

Then you complete your EOI (Expression of Interest), which includes having your skills assessed, in this case by ANMAC?

 

Then you wait for IMMI to come back and invite you to apply for a visa to work in Australia?

 

ANMAC website had a page that goes through the steps including an example of an Irish nurse called 'Paddy'. There must be hundreds if not thousands of people on PIO who've been through the process?

 

[h=1]Nurse with initial registration from Canada, European Union, Hong Kong, Singapore or United States[/h][h=2]Overview[/h]If you are a nurse with initial registration from a country listed below you qualify for a full skills assessment:

 

 

• Canada
• European Union
  
• Hong Kong
  
• Singapore
  
• United States.
  

 

Qualifying for a full skills assessment with ANMAC does not guarantee registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). You will need to have your documents assessed independently by AHPRA for registration purposes. Contact AHPRA directly for more information relating to the registration process for nurses and midwives.

[h=2]Steps for full skills assessment[/h]You need to follow these 5 steps to have your skills assessed by ANMAC for migration purposes:

 

 

1. Read this important background information on this website:
   
   • frequently asked questions
   • general application information (658 KB)
     
   • assessment process.
     

 

 

[*] Ask the regulatory authority you are registered with to post your verification of current registration status directly to us.

[*] Meet ANMAC’s English language standard by passing either the IELTS academic or OET for Nurses English language test and ask the test centre to post the results directly to us.

[*] Complete the online application form below.

[*] Follow the instructions you receive by email after you complete your online application.

 

 

Continue to the online application form.

Full skills assessment

 

 

 

Case study

[h=2]Paddy's experience undergoing a full skills assessment[/h]

 

 

Paddy completed a nursing degree in Ireland and has held unconditional registration with An Bord Altranais (the Irish regulatory authority for nursing) ever since. He now wants to apply to ANMAC for a skills assessment for migration.

He visits the ANMAC website and learns he has to undergo a full skills assessment, which involves meeting 5 standards.

Standard 2 is English language so Paddy has to pass one of the two English language tests available—the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Test or the Occupational English Test for Nurses.

He decides to book a test at a nearby IELTS centre and takes the academic test. He does well, scoring more than 7.0 in each band on the test.

Next Paddy asks An Bord Altranais to post his Certificate of Registration Status direct to us. He also asks his university to send us via post the information on the courses he took, including:

 

 

• hours of theoretical and practical instruction
• subjects studied
  
• placement details.
  

 

Now Paddy visits our website and applies for his full assessment online. He completes his application, answering all questions, and pays for his application online with his credit card.

After accepting Paddy’s payment, we send him a confirmation email with his application form. We ask Paddy to check that he has answered everything in his application form correctly. We also send Paddy a reference number.

Paddy prints out his final application and sends it to us in Canberra by post, with his supporting documents. He double checks he has not missed anything and also makes sure his solicitor certifies his documents to avoid delays.

Paddy includes professional references for his work experience in surgical wards in Ireland so he can apply under ANZSCO Code 254424 (Surgical). As he has more than three years of nursing experience internationally he is also able to have this work experience assessed by us to apply to Department of Immigration and Border Protection for at least 5 extra points with his visa application. Paddy has read the ANMAC professional reference requirements and provided his employers with a copy of the ANMAC professional reference example (200 KB) to ensure that all of his references meet these requirements.

When Paddy was on our website he looked at the times for processing applications. Our website indicates that, although we work as quickly as we can, our assessors often have a heavy workload and so it takes time to process applications. Our assessment time is usually 12 weeks. Paddy also reads that certain times of year can be busier than others, which means he might have to wait at least 16 weeks before he gets a Letter of Determination from us telling him if he is suitable for migration or not suitable for migration.

Paddy does not have to keep phoning or email us for updates since we send him emails as his application progresses. Phoning or emailing us just adds to our workload and slows down the assessment process.

After 7 weeks Paddy’s Letter of Determination arrives in the post telling him he is suitable for general skilled migration. He now calls the DIBP to determine what he has to do next to get his migration visa.

[Ozmaniac]

Hi All,

 

Me and my partner are planning on migrating on the Skilled Occupation visa. My partner is a Nurse and I will be going as a de-facto partner. My OH has complete the IELTS Academic and we are unsure of the next step. We have all documents ready to send to AHPRA but are now thinking that we may need to complete ANMAC skills assessment first? The issue really, is on the ANMAC online checklist it asks for the 'Date the verification of your current registration was requested to be forwarded to ANMAC'. As we have not yet lodged our EOI nor applied for the Visa, I am unsure whether we can do the ANMAC skills assessment yet.

 

Any Advice is appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Josh

 

You can do a full ANMAC skills assessment without already having AHPRA registration and then get AHPRA registration

 

OR

 

you can get AHPRA registration and then do a modified ANMAC assessment which is less expensive and less complex than a full assessment.

 

It's up to you which order you choose though if it were me (but I'm not a nurse), I would do AHPRA first given the massive problems some nurses have had in getting registration so that you know for sure that you'll be able to work as a nurse in Australia. And it's the less expensive approach which is a bonus.

 

When ANMAC ask for ''Date the verification of your current registration was requested to be forwarded to ANMAC' they're asking about your registration in your home country rather than Australian registration

[Captain Roberto]

Hi! - my wife has recently done all this:

 

Academic IELTS 1st - you need 7 for the ANMAC assessment. If you need more points you can get over 8 in all sections and get 20 points (10 points for 7 in all sections)

 

Then you look at the general points scenario - you just need 60, but you need to check those 60 are 'safe' - so look how you make up those 60 points towards your visa (if you want a PR visa)

 

Apply to ANMAC for a skills assessment

 

Look at AHPRA - If you are degree trained it's straightforward. If you are diploma trained it's potentially a no-go without a bridging course (search Ahpra on here) - if you are going for it anyway, maybe get on the Ahpra at the same time as the Anmac - as it can take a while.

 

Once you get a LOD approval from ANMAC you can do an EOI.

 

Prepare all your CV, check you can get the points (things like work experience can be tricky if you worked part-time or had maternity etc)

 

File an expression of interest, when invited to apply - make sure everything is consistent with the EOI and everything is correct. Pay the bill. upload tons of proof etc.

 

Wait.

 

That's it, loosely.

 

Mara Agent (optional)

 

IELTS >

ANMAC / AHPRA >

CHECK POINTS >

EOI >

APPLY >

PAY BILL >

PROOF >

MEDICALS & POLICE CHECKS >

WAIT >

GRANT

 

Also check you can get the Ahpra LOD sorted or you won't be able to work.

[Captain Roberto]

Or if you have a spare £2k you can hire a MARA agent - get a good one though wrussel on here is a good guy. We like him.

[jac2011]

I think the process for nursing is relatively simple... As long as you go to immi.com.au and check the points calculator for the 189 visa. If you get 60 points then your on the straight and narrow.

 

The chances are you will be 10-20 ish points off the 60 points and most people sit the IELTS test to gain these points. The IELTS is a must too for ANMAC. I am a degree registered nurse, I wasn't the cleverest person in my cohort and I managed to score 9s and 8s which gave me 20 points for the visa. However make sure it is the Academic version for ANMAC.

 

Now I prefer to think of the process as 2 separate entities:

 

1. THE VISA

IELTS>ANMAC>EOI>189 Visa Application (around 8 months)

 

2. AHPRA (NMC EQUIVALENT)

Think of this as a separate point. It can be done at any point of the process as you don't necessarily need it for anything else. Traditionally people did this last as it was simple however, the last 12 months have caused havoc for most nurses and at the end of it Diploma nurses were mainly refused registration. There are still delays but with a degree it is achievable. Therefore, most people are getting their applications in sooner. I am starting this immediately as most HR dept's I have spoken too advised me to get registration and they will contact me for a date for an interview. Without this you cant even apply for roles.

 

Now the complicated bit... If my AHPRA is approved before January and they don't ask me to present in person (sometimes they do sometimes they don't) I can then get a modified ANMAC assessment (I was going to apply to ANMAC in January) as I will save around $600. If I don't, I will continue with the full assessment as I want to have my visa by July/August.

 

So far, I have done my IELTS and sent my AHPRA form and I haven't had any difficulties with this.

 

It is now a waiting game till January really and the scary bit of asking my new employer for a reference, 3 months after starting with them!

 

There are plenty of nurses on here to help along the way, with a little bit of research its relatively simple as long as you can meet the points criteria and you aren't about to lose points due to age. As nurses we spend our lives filling in forms, so I may be a little bias but I believe I have the skills to ensure I complete them accurately.

[snaik]

Thought I'd join in here too!! I am nearly there now. Original plan was that we were going because I should get a nursing job relatively easily!!! However I am one of those unfortunate ones that has a diploma , because that was the course mostly available 16yrs ago!! Anyway I did IELTS in jan this year then applied for my skills assessment. I am glad I did it this way because the ANMAC took 16 weeks to send me my LOD and I obviously couldn't submit an EOI until I had this. If I'd have waited to get my registration first then I never would have got my visa as it appears I prob won't ever get registered anyway!!! Well I now have my visa (all done myself with no agent. Very proud of myself!!!) and will be moving to Brisbane in January 2015 with my OH and 2 kids. What job I end up doing remains to be seen, maybe a change of career is what I need along with my new life!!!

Anyway, good luck to everybody

[Captain Roberto]

There's always the bridging course. Not cheap though...

[snaik]

If they offer it I will prob do it, although expensive at least I will get a decent salary after. I am also trying to see it positively as a way of learning the aussie way of nursing without risking my pin my making mistakes!!!

[snaik]

I meant 'by making mistakes'!!

[Captain Roberto]

I read you can pay in stages and get it done in 3

Months. Tough in the short run, but prob worth it in the longer run

[snaik]

Yeh its a 10 - 12 course depending on where you do it I think. Anyway whats 12 weeks after the amount of waiting I've had to do this year. At least I will actually be doing something and know the end is very nearly there!!