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Today's issue covers the release of the new Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and the changes to the definition of Competent, Proficient and Superior English used in the GSM applications. Keep posted for our future newsletters for there are other changes to be occur on the 1st of July.

Just when you thought it was safe to lodge your application DIAC is about to thwart the attempts of hundreds of international students to apply for permanent and temporary residency in Australia.

The new SOL was announced today and there will be a few Vocational colleges in particular (mostly TAFE) which will not be happy. 

It is widely known many cooking and patisserie (and some hairdressers) students moved out of their courses and began the Bricklaying courses at TAFE and a number into Tiling programs. This occurred when cooks, hairdressers and pastry cooks were removed from the SOL. The new SOL is removing these two occupations. The bricklaying and tiling courses became the new favourite trade occupation for international students.

Occupations to be removed;

• ANZSCO 234211   Chemist
• ANZSCO 252711   Audiologist
• ANZSCO 331111   Bricklayer
• ANZSCO 333411   Wall and Floor Tiler

• ANZSCO 133513   Production Manager (Mining)
• ANZSCO 234912   Metallurgist
• ANZSCO 251411   Optometrist
• ANZSCO 263111   Computer Network and Systems Engineer

The complete new list can be found here.

Those international students who held a student visa on the 8th February 2010 will still be able to use the old SOL that was in use on that date for their graduate 485 visa applications. This will only be until the end of 2012.

However that is now more than 2 years and four months in the past. It is likely that hundreds of students who came to join these Tiling and Bricklaying courses in the July of 2010 and now due to complete their two years of study in June/July 2012 will most likely not be able to apply for even the graduate 485 working visa they were hoping for. 

On the 1st of July the definitions of Competent, Proficient and Superior English are going to change.

Unfortately DIAC is still insisting the IELTS result can only be used from one test. Yes they are still crazy.

However in a rare event of concession they have extended the validity of and IELTS result used after the 1st July 2012, to three years instead of the current two.

Keep in mind however that if you lodge applications before the 1st of July 2012, the IELTS must be not more than two years old. You cannot use the benefit of these changes after the 1st of July to your benefit. Those who have already lodged their applications do not need to be concerned by these new changes.

The new definitions beginning on the 1st July will be as follows;

[12] Regulations 1.15B to 1.15D

substitute

 

1.15B Vocational English

(1) A person has vocational English if:

(a) the person undertook a language test, specified by the

Minister in an instrument in writing for this paragraph;

and

(b) the test was conducted in the 3 years immediately before

the day on which the application was made; and

(c) the person achieved a score specified in the instrument.

Federal Register of Legislative Instruments F2012L01105

Amendments commencing on 1 July 2012 Schedule 1

2012, 82 Migration Amendment Regulation 2012 (No. 2) 7

(2) A person has vocational English if the person holds a passport

of a type specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing

for this subregulation.

 

1.15C Competent English

(1) A person has competent English if:

(a) the person undertook a language test, specified by the

Minister in an instrument in writing for this paragraph;

and

(b) the test was conducted in the 3 years immediately before

the day on which the application was made; and

(c) the person achieved a score specified in the instrument.

(2) A person has competent English if the person holds a passport

of a type specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing

for this subregulation.

 

1.15D Proficient English

A person has proficient English if:

(a) the person undertook a language test, specified by the

Minister in an instrument in writing for this paragraph;

and

(b) the test was conducted in the 3 years immediately before

the day on which the application was made; and

(c) the person achieved a score specified in the instrument.

 

1.15EA Superior English

A person has superior English if:

(a) the person undertook a language test, specified by the

Minister in an instrument in writing for this paragraph;

and

(b) the test was conducted in the 3 years immediately before

the day on which the application was made; and

Federal Register of Legislative Instruments F2012L01105

Schedule 1 Amendments commencing on 1 July 2012

8 Migration Amendment Regulation 2012 (No. 2) 2012, 82

(c) the person achieved a score specified in the instrument.

 

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