navigator Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Hi, I've applied to amsa for immigration Qualification assessment as a Chief Mate and am currently awaiting there reply. Is there anyone who has experience of appearing in CoR oral in SYDNEY?? Plan to give exam there in April if I get a reply to my application by then , otherwise I'll go onboard and appear later in august/September. Any info about orals in SYDNEY will be appreciated. I can see most of the people here prefer Perth... Is there a reason that? Thanks.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggi Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 (edited) Heya Orals are same everywhere. I have been to Australia a number of times. I found Sydney a bit expensive. As my family will be accompanying me, am looking at staying almost about a month. so was just looking for a cheaper place to stay and all. but then thats my thing. baggi Edited January 15, 2015 by baggi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 @baggi, just to let you know that when you copy and paste a users username you are pasting the link to their page. The forum computers are picking up in a new user posting links and are blocking your posts until one of the mods comes and checks it's alright. So you might want to give up on the copy and paste. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggi Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 blossom79... got it. thanx. was wondering the same thing. cheers baggi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainR Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 I have had quite a few messages asking for details on how long AMSA took to process my documents, so here is my timeline in full. 25 Feb 2013 – Started requesting letters from my previous employers 15 Apr 2013 - Submitted AMSA CoR Application by courier 17 Apr 2013 – AMSA Started processing my application 28 May 2013 – AMSA Issued Letter to sit Oral (by e-mail) 06 July 2013 – IELTS Exam 05 Aug 2013 – Arrived Perth/Fremantle 06 Aug 2013 – AMSA checked original documents 07 Aug 2013 – AMSA Medical 08 Aug 2013 – AMSA Oral at Fremantle Office 09 Aug 2013 – Departed Perth 20 Aug 2013 – AMSA Issued Immigration Verification Letter (PDF) 20 Aug 2013 – Submitted EOI 01 Sep 2013 – Invited to apply for Visa 04 Sep 2013 – Applied for 189 Visa 02 Nov 2013 – Grant Notification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer82 Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Thanks all for your messages i am currentlly in india and looking forward to send my application to AMSA with all my certificates and records, but was unclear as to how are these orlas exam held and where can i get the information or the surveyors taking the exam . pls will be kind if all in the form do reply positively on the orals exams as to where and whats all is asked and how difficult are they. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainR Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 I have some orals reports from Fremantle for the Master CoR. Having spoken to a few different people and having passed the oral myself I have found that the type of oral varies slightly, but for the most part it is a full and complete oral following the syllabus for the relevant level of CoC. I am not sure what the examination process is like in India, but the oral is very similar to the UK MCA orals with a focus around Australian regulations, in particular environmental law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer82 Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 (edited) thank you Captain R i am looking for chief mates orals , also so hope u now got ur Aus Pr and hows the job situation there wih getting for coc assesed and all . i Did my oow and mates from UK . Aslo Captian R can i ask you do i have to pay just the assesment fees and and send all my stcw certificates, coc, passport , gmdss, and orignal letters from company . or do i pay to pay seperately for each certificate. i am confused pls reply Edited March 7, 2014 by farmer82 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainR Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 thank you Captain R i am looking for chief mates orals , also so hope u now got ur Aus Pr and hows the job situation there wih getting for coc assesed and all . i Did my oow and mates from UK . Aslo Captian R can i ask you do i have to pay just the assesment fees and and send all my stcw certificates, coc, passport , gmdss, and orignal letters from company . or do i pay to pay seperately for each certificate. i am confused pls reply I do have PR now and have had a few job offers already. There is definately work, but it isn't as abundant as you might expect. The work also favours those who are in Australia and available, and also those with Australian experience. Shoreside work seems much more plentiful. However I have decided that I am not yet ready to swallow the anchor and move ashore. As far as the assessment, you pay online one fee which covers both your CoC and GMDSS. However, when you do your oral you will pay two fees at that point for the actual issue of the GMDSS and CoR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer82 Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 good info guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Ash Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Wow this thread has been incredibly helpful Hi Guys I was in WA last year on a WHV just travelling when on leave. Originally from the UK. I am also looking for a bit of advice for trying to get back. I am a 2nd Officer DPO on Survey vessels and I do have my Full DP and I have got over 1800 hours in my IMCA logbook. My current Headache with this process is that I have completed my mates and masters course and I am waiting to resit my Nav SQA, I did pass everything else Orals and Stability result carried forward. Although I do want to get back as soon as possible is it worth waiting until I have my Mates COC or starting the process with my OOW? Do they really go to town on bulk carriers for the Orals in Freo? I can understand orals for the legislative stuff, but if its bulk carriers aside from the ISMBC code, few M-Notices and the dangers of a few of the Cargoes, I don't think I could take a 3 hour beating on the subject. Any help or Pointers would be much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainC Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Hi Peter, If you contacted AMSA to get your skills assessed then they would only offer the OOW until you have your UK mates ticket in your hand. AMSA examines for a certificate of recognition of the ticket you currently hold. If you get the SQA nailed then you will have a mates ticket, I don't think (but not certain) that you can just ask AMSA for an OOW exam if you hold a recognised Chief mates ticket. From hearing the stories, bulk carriers are the one thing that seems to be focused on in all the AMSA marine offices. Every orals report I've read feature them in varying degrees of depth. It will most likely be a full orals, it's not just learning the Aus regulations. With a full DP ticket your skills will very much be in demand, and there is a lot of money to be made. If I were you I would grit your teeth, suffer the orals ordeal and get there as soon as you can! Also if you get the ball rolling now and do the orals it will be easier as things are fresh in your mind. I did masters over three years ago so I'm going to have to learn it all again.....sigh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainC Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 What I mean by get the ball rolling now is start getting the paperwork together and then once you have your mates ticket then apply for the skills assessment. You'll be expected to have the original UK CoC with you when you present for orals. I think that you'll be selling yourself short if you don't go for the mates orals. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Ash Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Thanks Captain C I think you are right about the mates I am just getting a little impatient with how long between resits we have for these Damn SQA's. I should Pass my Nav In july and have the Ticket in My Hand Early August. And I can hopefully get this pushed through as quick as possible and be back enjoying WA, as much as I love the UK Nothing comes close to life in Australia. At least this process should be straight forward, my mrs who is a Hydrographic surveyor is having no end of grief with her assessment, the only reason her application was rejected was because her Degree course is 6 months shorter than the same degree offered in Australia. As for the Orals still dont see why there should be a full examination, but anything thats worth having, never comes easy. Many Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainC Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Yes I agree, it is a while between sittings, I've known a few people get stressed so much about the current system, it's not ideal. So you are taking the SQA resit tomorrow...or is the Nav on Friday? I can't remember which way round they are. One of the second mates on my ship is resitting nav this week also. The AMSA CoR's are different from CEC's for which (I believe) no oral exam needs to be sat. But In order to meet the skills assessment requirements for immigration they need a CoR orals to be completed as the CoR is as good as an Aussie CoC, if that makes sense. Like you say if it's worth having it doesn't come easy. Shame that your wife doesn't qualify because of some bureaucrat that deems her degree insufficient, it was a British hydrographer that mapped their seas, coastlines etc and indeed the majority of the world, I wonder if they've heard of Captain Cook! ;-) I think that Brits are still world leaders in this, but whatever. After looking into this whole process there are complicated time consuming aspects, but do your research and I anticipate it will be straightforward for you.....apart from the cost for us making an extra trip just for an exam!! Astronomical!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainR Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 Hi Peter, Good luck with the SQAs, I have to admit they are the nastiest exams I've ever done. I am doing a Masters degree at the moment and it seems far easier then those ridiculous exams. I would definitely wait to get your Chief Mates and go in with that. For the Masters you can just get a CEC as CaptainC mentions if you already have PR. Sadly the the oral does tend to be full on, the only guys I know who got a slightly easier ride had a good few years of command experience (probably more than the surveyor/examiner). The benchmark seems to be bulkers without consideration for previous ship types/experience, but most of the info you need is in the MOs. The process is a long one, and harder the most skilled occupations to get assessed, but if it's what you want I am sure you will get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainR Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 As an aside, in the last 10 months only 24 invitations have been issued for Marine Transport Professionals (Engineers, Deck Officers and pilots) . The major benefits for seafarers in australia is the 2012 Coastal Trading Reforms which essentially mean jobs for Australian Citizens and PRs in Australian waters EEZ on Australian employment conditions (Fair Work Act) etc. A good but of protectionism which makes the conditions decent, a bit like in the USA. Unlike the UK and Europe which sadly has no real benchmark or standard.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainC Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Good point, I did notice that on the Skillselect site. I take it that the legislation is similar in structure to the USA's Jones Act? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainR Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 Good point, I did notice that on the Skillselect site. I take it that the legislation is similar in structure to the USA's Jones Act? Yes, quite similar. The Unions seem very strong, but the fees are a lot more then nautilus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doonite Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Hii all, guys myself new into this, i have a querry as stated below: I've cleared my AMSA assessment as Ship's Master fm Melbourne and wud be leaving for sailings shortly, i wonder what what would be the best time to apply for my EOI, as you hv just 60 days to file your application after the invite and i'll not be having net facility onboard. Also if somebody cud tell how long it takes to get an invite after we file our EOI ?? My IELTS is done with an overall bandscore of 8, and I wud be back fm sailings by third week of July. Wud appreciate a response to above, regards, Capt.Amit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainR Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 Hii all, guys myself new into this, i have a querry as stated below: I've cleared my AMSA assessment as Ship's Master fm Melbourne and wud be leaving for sailings shortly, i wonder what what would be the best time to apply for my EOI, as you hv just 60 days to file your application after the invite and i'll not be having net facility onboard. Also if somebody cud tell how long it takes to get an invite after we file our EOI ?? My IELTS is done with an overall bandscore of 8, and I wud be back fm sailings by third week of July. Wud appreciate a response to above, regards, Capt.Amit Its highly likely that you would receive an invite at the next invite round (so within two weeks). It might be easier to wait until July. But do consider that it's normally July when they change the rules, points requirements and occupations so that could be a risk for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doonite Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Thanks Capt. I would in that case file my EOI in mid of May or may be end of May, wifey will be filling up EOI application online. Any how have u an idea of the job market/ shore opportunities available to main fleet guys once we cross the border ?? regards, Capt. Amit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Ash Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Hi I wish I was resiting Nav today I am in Nigeria. The Nav I sat in October was new style exam with a couple of poorly worded questions and only 30% in the country passed . Your 2nd Mate, Is that with Calmac and are his initials EM? Well I shouldhopefully get sorted. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainC Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Hi I wish I was resiting Nav today I am in Nigeria. The Nav I sat in October was new style exam with a couple of poorly worded questions and only 30% in the country passed . Your 2nd Mate, Is that with Calmac and are his initials EM? Well I shouldhopefully get sorted. Thanks Oh that's no good, shame your company wouldn't let you off to resit. I saw the paper and it didn't seem fair and was poorly worded. I did SQA's in 2007 and it was the same then, I was one of the lucky ones that got one of the questions right that half of the students failed, but I nearly fell into the same trap. Even after the exam the discussions went on for weeks with students and lecturers about the correct answer. It puzzled all of us! No it's not the same person, I know someone from calmac but I'm pretty sure he's Master or Mate....or not even there anymore! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navigator Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Hi guys, Cleared my mates COR orals today from Sydney. As mentioned earlier in this topic it was quite a serious exam covering not only aus regs but the complete syllabus for mates COC. Thorough preparations/revision of entire syllabus is required. My orals lasted full 2 hours from 1200 to 1400, becoming the longest I have ever been through so far and definitely was longer than I had expected. I have Only done container vessels so far but was asked questions from containers/bulk/oil Tankers. Anyways all said and done. Finally the major hurdle is cleared. Special thanks to CaptainR and captainC for providing their questions and reference materials. Though theirs was for masters but still very helpful. Highly appreciate the help. Thanks again. The only problem now is that I am boarding ship next week and will return in mid Aug. Will have to appear for Ielts and eventually apply for visa in sept/Oct. Just hoping that the Ships officer stays on the SOL next year as well. Any one has any ideas or info about this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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