Recognition of Prior Learning

[fazinaz]

Hi
Would you please guide, what does mean by Recognition of Prior Learning? If one gets Recognition of one’s Prior Learning by some Trade Testing Authority NOW and is recognized as tradesperson will that Certificate be sufficient to get positive skill assessment from TRA, while the job experience is definitely prior to this Certificate?

Fozinaz

[kaz101]

As I understand it Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is submitted when migrating if you don't have the right qualifications to immigrate. RPL assesses your skills and knowledge in your profession. For example when I was moving with my husband I'm an IT professional with many years experience but I don't have a degree so if I had been the main applicant then I would have filled out the RPL. As it was the agent we used thought we had a better chance if my husband was first applicant so I didn't have to do RPL.

I couldn't find it on the immigration website either. If you need further help I suggest you ask an agent since they would have more details about it.

Regards,
Karen

[fritzie]

Hey Kaz, I was just wondering about that. I'm in a similar position - IT professional with 10 years experience, and have been working independently for the past few years as well. When I moved from california to germany, I provided a 10 page business plan along with my visa application; I treated it as if the immigration authority were a potential investor. Later I realized it was a sledgehammer approach, but it worked, so it was worth all the work.

I wonder how the ozzies go about verifying your skills if you don't have a degree. I do have 3 bachelor degrees, but not in IT... one of them is in Art, by the way, so the deal for me in Germany is that I can work as a graphic artist, web designer, or IT specialist. (which is pretty broad....)

Any suggestions on how I might present myself to the folks down under? If I want to get permission to work independently, would it help to find some potential clients in oz, who would write a letter of intent to hire me and then I can include with my app? I provided 2 of those with my application to germany.

[kaz101]

Originally Posted by fritzie

I wonder how the ozzies go about verifying your skills if you don't have a degree. I do have 3 bachelor degrees, but not in IT... one of them is in Art, by the way, so the deal for me in Germany is that I can work as a graphic artist, web designer, or IT specialist. (which is pretty broad....)

People in IT are assessed by the Australian Computer Society. I was already in the British Computer Society because I knew that would work in my favour

Originally Posted by fritzie

Any suggestions on how I might present myself to the folks down under? If I want to get permission to work independently, would it help to find some potential clients in oz, who would write a letter of intent to hire me and then I can include with my app? I provided 2 of those with my application to germany.

I got clients to give me references to prove what I had been doing.

If you come in via the skilled independent visa then the visa won't care what you are doing in Oz, they assume that you will do the same thing but it's not written in visa. It's more about proving what you have been doing rather than what you will be doing on a skilled independent visa.

Regards,
Karen

[fritzie]

Oh, that sounds good - with the skilled independent visa, one can work freelance or as an employee for anyone in oz, in any field of work.

The ozzies are concerned not that someone will come along and take away precious jobs from the locals (like in Germany where unemployment is higher), but rather that the people who do come have proven themselves competent enough in their field so as to have a good chance of survival and contributing to the economy. I'm assuming it would help to provide additional information about ongoing client work from outside of oz, so that I can show I will be making income from the beginning, without any ozzie clients.

Do they want to see financial statements as well, indicating how much one has earned in the past several years?

Thank you so much for the information.

[kaz101]

Originally Posted by fritzie

I'm assuming it would help to provide additional information about ongoing client work from outside of oz, so that I can show I will be making income from the beginning, without any ozzie clients.

Do they want to see financial statements as well, indicating how much one has earned in the past several years?

Thank you so much for the information.

I wouldn't mention where your clients came from since that may prejudiced them against you if they thought that you did NOT have Aussie clients.

I don't remember them asking about financial statements for the visa at all, at least not for the skilled independent one.

Regards,
Karen