Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Skills Assesment - AACA

Disclaimer: I am NO FINAL AUTHORITY on AACA assessments. I only intend to help others like myself. My below post should be in no way considered the final say on positive or negative assessments outcomes.   I can speak from personal experiences, AACA might have other parameters to consider as well, that frankly, I might not be aware of. 



What is Skills Assessment? 

 ‘A skills assessment should not be confused with licensing or registration. A skills assessment helps you to determine whether your skills and experience is relevant to Australian standards in your nominated occupation while registration or licensing means you hold a license or registration and have permission from the relevant authority to practise in Australia’.

What did I do? 


My below post is only with regards to assessments for Migration purposes only. AACA conducts other assessments in order to practice as an Architect and use the title of Architect in Australia.
I have had a lot of queries on AACA skills assessment for migration purposes.
As most of the enquirers may know, it is one of the hardest professional bodies to get positive assessments for migration purposes.
When I heard of this, naturally, i was worried and embarked on a search of what it was the AACA was looking for.
First things first,

1)  Read the requirements on the form itself. From what I gathered, they look for 4 core subjects of learning - History, Communications, Technology and Design.
2) Ask yourself if you were these 4 subjects were in your course? Maybe, there were called differently, but still catered to these 4 streams.
3) Do a little background search from past students of your own University based in Australia and currently practicing there. they had to have gone through this step for them to be practicing there now.
A good place to start would be social networking sites. I contacted quite a few of them through Facebook and Linked. All of them replied in the affirmative, and i took courage from that fact.
4) All  I submitted were my CERTIFIED Copies of Mark Sheets of every semester of my B.Arch course. In my case, these were 10 mark sheets for 10 semesters. That's all - I did not include registration to any country. It was not required and I did not see the need.
5) The form itself also asks a few questions that should be an indicator of what they are looking for such as
studying the core subjects mentioned above, Preparation of a Thesis, Practical work experience during the 5 year course and the length of course itself (ideally 5 years)

In my opinion, if you have had positive replies to all my 5 points above - the chances of you getting through is rather good.

For your further information, please find below the list of subjects mentioned in my Marks sheets (all 10) and not in any particular order :

Technical English, 
History of Architecture (all semesters)
Structures (all semesters)
Graphics (all semesters) 
Design (all semsters) 
Priniciples of Architecture
Modern Architecture
Building Construction (all semesters)
 Professional Architecture
Interior Design 
Climatology
Computer Programming
Computational Practice
Computer Applications in Architecture
Applied Mathematics
Free hand drawing & rendering
Architectural Model Making
Surverying & Levelling
Architectural Photography
Sociology
Estimation
Building Services 
Building Specification
Building Economics
Working Drawings
Architectural Seminar
Architectural Acoustics
Human Settlements
Professional Practice
Urban Design
Landscape Architecture
Principles of Building Conservation
Structures Thesis
Building Technology & Management
Architectural Theory & Research (recent trends)
Rural & Traditional Architecture
Advanced Structures



I hope this helps all of you'll in any way. I do really wish you'll the very best!!!


Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Brisbane - in consideration

For all the hummmsss and ooooos - we are now wondering if Brisbane might be the place we need to go....

What with all the floods and all ...we really have to have lost it to even contemplate Queensland !!!

But then, name one place in all the wide world that has NO Problems whatsoever...

So , WHY BRISBANE?

1) Weather...lovely, fabulous, not cold - ever....(oh well may be a teeny weeny bit)
2) Tropical weather
3) Widlife
4) Theme Parks (Gold Coast/ Surfers Paradise)
5) Not too far from Sydney or Melbourne - if we ever felt the need or urge to do more sightseeing....




WHY NOT BRISBANE?

1) Fear of floods.....
2) Jobs maybe not as plentiful as Sydney or Melbourne.






Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Where do we go from here??? ?????

If getting,
 all our documents in place -
applying-
nerve wrecking waiting -
was not enough ....the next hurdle we need to somehow get through is WHERE do we go now??

Since the Visa Grant - I have been having dreams about different places in Australia.

To be honest, my first choice is:

PERTH


WHY? 
The weather sounds fabulous - not as cold as Melbourne or Sydney.
Its not as "big" as Melbourne or Sydney - yet sufficiently big.
Sounds like the perfect place to raise a family.
Lots to see with regards to the great outdoors and nature.

WHY NOT? 
Its just too far away!! far away from Melbourne or Sydney.
Should the need ever arise - it would be an adventure on its own to travel the distance to meet family!


Second choice is:

MELBOURNE





WHY? 
Lost to do, and see
Family Friendly
Compared to Sydney -  Affordable
Lots more Job opportunities than Perth

WHY NOT? 
Too cold!!!!!!


Third Choice is :

SYDNEY




WHY? 
Well, just because....
It's Sydney - besides it being multi-cultural , it is a tad warmer than Melbourne
Lots more job ops
Loads , loads happening

WHY NOT? 
Too expensive to make a home.
Too much of a city -  feel "lost" in the midst of so much and so many!



And we have till Summer (Winter in Ozzie land) to make up our minds!!!!



Visa labels



Australian Visas are essentially electronic and technically Label Free.
That means, you do not need a Visa label in your passport to travel to Australia. All you need is your Visa Grant letter (with the IMPORTANT Visa numbers in it) and the airline will check your validity and let you board the flight.

That said, i have heard too many cautionary messages to let this pass. I intend to get my Visa Label on my passport. After all the money, time and effort spent - I would really hate some ill informed airline staff refuse me boarding access!!

So I will be playing it safe and get my Visa label on my passport!!!

Here is an excerpt from immi.gov.au

 " Expansion of Label-Free Travel
Note: Each person travelling to Australia will still need to apply for and be granted an appropriate Australian visa before travelling to Australia.  " 
From 1 October 2012, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Mongolia and Nepal have been included in the list of countries that will be able to travel to Australia without a visa label in their passport. This is known as 'label-free' travel, making travel to Australia simpler and more secure. 
Label-free travel means people travelling to Australia will not require an Australian visa label as evidence of the grant of an Australia visa. Instead they will receive a grant letter that clearly explains the conditions of their visa. A visa label is not required as Australia's electronic system enables visa status to be confirmed electronically.   "






I really dont know which other countries figure in their "list" - if anyone does know - please be most helpful and educate me!!!
All the best!!


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Benefits of Australian PR

After the initial excitement on gaining an Australian Permanent Resident Visa. 
I think its only fair - i educate myself (and you)  on its advantages. 
Here's what i learnt so far - courtesy the internet and good friends : 
First of all, 

Who is a Permanent Resident? 
A PR is a non-Australian citizen - who has been granted permission to live indefinitely in Australia. 

Benefits of permanent resident status include:


  • You can work in any field in Australia , under any employer . Some  Government & Defence jobs a re however restricted to citizens.
  • You may apply for Citizenship after fulfilling some criteria.  (normally about 4 years  stay and some others)
  • You may sponsor relatives for permanent residence, subject to fulfilling residence criteria and assurance of support requirements.
  • All Children born inside Australia (to PR Parents) will be Australian citizens by birth.
  • Access to medical and social security benefits, though there is a 2-year waiting period for some benefits.
  • You may  travel to New Zealand without applying for a New Zealand visa. (this right is not "inherited" - it depends on New Zealand government policy) 
  • Unrestricted rights to live, work and study in New Zealand. (This right is granted by the New Zealand government.)
  • On the Education front - access to Free primary & secondary education in Public Schools.
  • Tertiary Education has "domestic" fees as opposed to International Student fees. 
  • Real Estate , an incentive (financial )is normally awarded as a First Home Owner Grant. Stamp Duty is waivered on the same grant.
  • Security Benefits include: 
  1. Loss of one's job , does not mean having t leave Australia
  2. In case of ill health / loss of job/ death etc. the individual and other dependent members of the family can continue living as permanent residents
  3. Children who grow older and get independant do not need a fresh application process to continue living in Australia. They are already Permanent Residents and can continue being so. 
There are certain responsibilities to fulfill for all the benefits received: 
  • You must pay tax. You are part of their system. (once you actually start to reside in Australia) 
  • If you do leave Australia - you will not have automatic access to "retirement" / superannuation finances set aside. You need to wait till you have reached retirement age
  • While you can use an overseas obtained Drivers license for upto 3 months, you MUST obtain an Australian Drivers license within that time to continue driving.
Information Courtesy : Britsh Expats  /   Wikipedia  /  DIAC