KirstyMc Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 Hello all, Has anyone completed a TAFE Bachelor Early Childhood Education and Care, and been successful in getting a 189/190 Early Years Teacher visa? Or any other visa? Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southlander Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 Hi there. Will try assist, but not sure exactly where you are in the process. (though tafe does not apply to myself) If someone was a qualified EY teacher, through AITSL, they have absolutely acquired visas in the past. They are in demand immigration wise, when open. Just checking first that you have a positive skills assessment from AITSL?There is no point investing in the process unless you can obtain this. They usually require 4 years F/T of University education, which includes your initial teaching education qualification. If you are already in oz, teaching registration or acecqa won't help you to get a positive skills assessment but is a requirement to teach in oz going forward. Should you have a positive skills assessment from AITSL, most states require you to have post work experience to apply fir a visa, eg Qld 3 years exp for 491 and 5 years for 190. You also have to have teaching registration before putting in your eoi. So it's not just a case of can you get a visa, which is highly provable but all the prerequisites you need to obtain before applying. I'm sure others will be replying shortly providing more advice. All the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirstyMc Posted December 8, 2020 Author Share Posted December 8, 2020 Thanks for the quick reply. My plan is to enrol in Tafe Randwick to study a Degree in Early Childhood studies if this would enable me to get PR in the future. I visited an immigration agent before and she gave me the info attached below. I am confused as to why Tafe isn’t on the list of accredited degrees, I thought since I would be studying in Australia it would be fine? All the universities that are mentioned on the website cost over $100,000 which is a lot compared to $56,000 at Tafe. Does that mean the Tafe isn’t a “real” degree. I don’t want to work in a primary school, just a preschool. I appreciate all your help! This is the feedback from my agent: As discussed, the occupation of Early Childhood Teacher is currently on the long-term occupation list and has broader visa options and PR pathways. Should you wish to become an Early Childhood Teacher, you would need to study an accredited Bachelor’s degree. In NSW, applicants need to complete at least 4 years of tertiary study in an accredited teacher education program. The list of accredited programs are listed on the NESA and Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership websites: https://www.aitsl.edu.au/deliver-ite-programs/apl https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/teacher-accreditation/how-accreditation-works/higher-ed-providers-ite/accredited-teaching-programs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 7 hours ago, KirstyMc said: Thanks for the quick reply. My plan is to enrol in Tafe Randwick to study a Degree in Early Childhood studies if this would enable me to get PR in the future. I visited an immigration agent before and she gave me the info attached below. I am confused as to why Tafe isn’t on the list of accredited degrees, I thought since I would be studying in Australia it would be fine? TAFE is a college, not a university. If the course is not accredited, it's useless for the purposes of PR. Which country are you from? If you're British, then studying in Australia is a very expensive idea. You'll pay a fortune in international student fees. You'll be allowed to work 20 hours a week, but try finding an employer who's willing to fit round your studies - chances are you'll get nothing like that. And at the end of 4 years, having earned very little and spent over $400,000 in fees, you still won't be able to get PR, because you need experience too (and only experience after your degree award counts). So you'll have to shell out for a graduate visa and hope you can get a job quickly, so you can gain enough experience during its validity to then apply for PR. Whereas if you stay in the UK and do a suitable degree (remember, it has to be a 4 year degree or equivalent), you'll have no work restrictions, you'll be charged domestic fees and you'll be eligible for student loans etc. You can then get some experience and then apply for PR from the UK. You're not disadvantaged by applying from overseas. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southlander Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 Having a quick Google on TAFE, it seems the gap has been bridged a bit with universities however is not quite there and unfortunately not considered equal. Costs are also significantly different, whereby TAFE has more funding and is job ready (training and further education) so is traditionally more aimed at trades and more hands on. Tafe also consider applicants who were not academic whereas universities require certain grades etc. Courses also are between 6 months and 2 years. University is 3 years minimum and for AITSL you need 4 year degree course. If you want to work with children, early years and need a visa to go in hand, Marissa is right saying studying at home for the 4 years will be a cheaper option. Or you bite the bullet and and enrol with a credited University as advised by your agent, should living in Australia at the time outweigh paying cheaper back home. All the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirstyMc Posted December 9, 2020 Author Share Posted December 9, 2020 Thank you again. I’m in Australia on my third year, on a student visa studying my diploma of early years. I’m trying to work out a way to stay longer. I know it is free to study back in Scotland for me but I haven’t lived there since 2008, and the thought of going back for 4 years would be too much! I’ll have another appointment with the immigration lawyer and discuss more options. Thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welljock Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 56 minutes ago, KirstyMc said: Thank you again. I’m in Australia on my third year, on a student visa studying my diploma of early years. I’m trying to work out a way to stay longer. I know it is free to study back in Scotland for me but I haven’t lived there since 2008, and the thought of going back for 4 years would be too much! I’ll have another appointment with the immigration lawyer and discuss more options. Thanks for your help! Hate to burst your bubble but it wouldn't be free, you have to have resided in UK for the 3 years prior to the course starting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirstyMc Posted December 9, 2020 Author Share Posted December 9, 2020 Oh no don’t worry, you aren’t bursting my bubble, going back to live in the UK isn’t an option for me. Thanks for all your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 10 hours ago, KirstyMc said: Thank you again. I’m in Australia on my third year, on a student visa studying my diploma of early years. I’m trying to work out a way to stay longer. I know it is free to study back in Scotland for me but I haven’t lived there since 2008, and the thought of going back for 4 years would be too much! I’ll have another appointment with the immigration lawyer and discuss more options. Thanks for your help! Surely a university will give you credit for the diploma so you won’t have to do the full 4 years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirstyMc Posted December 9, 2020 Author Share Posted December 9, 2020 There is an option at Tafe for 2.5 years with diploma I don’t know about the universities. My diploma course is only 1 year which would make my studies 3.5 years here in Australia if I did that, making me just short of the 4 year requirement. I’ll find out more with the immigration lawyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 34 minutes ago, KirstyMc said: There is an option at Tafe for 2.5 years with diploma I don’t know about the universities. My diploma course is only 1 year which would make my studies 3.5 years here in Australia if I did that, making me just short of the 4 year requirement. I’ll find out more with the immigration lawyer. Your best bet would be to apply to one of the universities and see what they offer you. If you get recognition for the full year's study, you'll still have 3 years left of the university degree so that will take you up to the 4 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirstyMc Posted December 9, 2020 Author Share Posted December 9, 2020 I’m looking into them now. Fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 1 hour ago, KirstyMc said: I’m looking into them now. Fingers crossed! One of the annoying things is that you probably won't get a definitive answer until you actually apply, because every case is different - but you can only ask, I guess. It sounds like your only option is the university degree anyway, if you want to continue in that occupation. Whether you have to do the full 4 years or you're able to get credit for some modules won't make any real difference to your strategy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 @KirstyMc, another thing I'd recommend: do your own research into future long-term employment trends in Australia. Your agent will tell you what visas you can get based on today's occupation list. That's useless, because what matters to you is, "What occupations will be on the list in 5 years' time?" Occupations are removed from the list every year, so 5 years is a long time. Sadly, it's very common for people to take a student or employer-sponsored visa, with a plan to get PR at the end - only to find, when they're finally eligible to apply, that (a) the criteria have changed or (b) their occupation has been removed entirely. The bottom line is that, even if you do thorough research, you are taking a gamble - and considering the money and time involved, it's a very big gamble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirstyMc Posted December 10, 2020 Author Share Posted December 10, 2020 Yes this is definitely good advice. I have chosen early years as I have worked on the childcare industry for 14 years with my UK Cert 3 qualification. So even if I am unable to stay in Australia permanently in the future I will have gained a valuable qualification that I can use to work in other fabulous places too. Australia is my number 1 choice but luckily for me there are plenty of other options out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monster Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 On 10/12/2020 at 18:20, KirstyMc said: Yes this is definitely good advice. I have chosen early years as I have worked on the childcare industry for 14 years with my UK Cert 3 qualification. So even if I am unable to stay in Australia permanently in the future I will have gained a valuable qualification that I can use to work in other fabulous places too. Australia is my number 1 choice but luckily for me there are plenty of other options out there. ACECQA has a list of Australian Universities/education providers with accredited Early Childhood Teacher courses. You have to finish an accredited ECT degree from one of the listed uni. AITSL has its own requirements for you to get a positive skills assessment as an ECT. Most accredited ECT providers are Universities and not TAFE. Best of Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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