6 ms·

Here's my experience with the Australian Computer Society. Having studied abroad (Ireland), I was required to send in all of my exam results for my B.Sc, H.Dip

by beilabs 14y ago

Here's my experience with the Australian Computer Society. Having studied abroad (Ireland), I was required to send in all of my exam results for my B.Sc, H.Dip & M.Sc. as well as a reference from each employer that I worked with in my field (Software Engineering). For the visa I was applying for at the time it required that I was certified by the ACS, have a minimum of 5 years experience. The process took 6 months for a single sheet of paper saying I was qualified for my profession! Due to this, my visa was submitted quite a while later than I initially planned and that took a further 12 months. 18 months all up waiting for my residency. They took $600 for what was an open and shut case. They never contacted any of my references or colleges enquiring about my past experience or grades. The whole thing is a complete sham and is just another way of grabbing money off those who need visas. The entire visa system in Australia is in bad need of restructuring and left a very sour taste in my mouth.

ghshephard 14y ago
Compare that to a Canadian coming into the United States as a "Computer Systems Analyst" - Show up at the airport 20 minutes earlier than you normally would, give them a one-page letter describing your employer, what you'll be doing, where you'll be working. Include a either a 2 year diploma + 2 (3?) years of work experience or a 4 year degree. 10 minutes later you have a Visa good for three years. Normally one expects lots of bureaucracy when dealing with the government, but the US/Canada have really streamlined their NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) down to next-to-no hoops to jump through.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- moondowner 14y ago
  Off topic, but 'nafta' means petroleum in a good deal of languages, e.g. http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B5%D1%84%D1%82%D1%8C http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B5%D1%84%D1%82%D1%8C
  - phreeza 14y ago
    In English, too. Except for the spelling: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naphtha https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naphtha
- murbard2 14y ago
  TN's all fun and games until you find an asshole immigration officer who decides you've been working for to long in the US. It happens.
  - ghshephard 14y ago
    I've been here since 1995, and have renewed 18 times, always at YVR. Approximately 20-30% of the time I run into a guy taking that position with me. (100% male TN inspectors over 17 years - that's some weird gender bias in a job which really doesn't have any particular need for men vs women) Sometimes, they go so far as to say, "I don't think there's anything temporary about your stay, you're planning on renewing again next year, right?" [note - I love how they try to close me on that. ] Regardless of what they say, you always calmly reply with the following mantra, "My period of employment is for a period of up to 3 years [note: used to be one year]", at which point my plan is to return home to Canada. Every statement you make with immigration must be some variant of that, and you must never, ever, suggest that there is the slightest thought/plan of staying past your limited visa, even if you plan to do that by re-applying. With the exception of the first couple years (where I was rejected twice), I've never had to spend more than 10 minutes at immigration. I will admit the confrontational attitude does get your heart racing...
Nursie 14y ago
I went through the same process. Yes it took longer than I would have liked, but in general it went very well. Australia is very restrictive on immigration because so many people want to go there. I'm not really sure why they would restructure the system when this is the case, they have a relatively small population and extend a variety of state benefits to immigrants, so they don't want to be swamped.
- jpatokal 14y ago
  Please read this, then come back and tell me that Australia's visa system is sane: http://gyrovague.com/2012/08/10/notarizing-your-fingerprints-for-fun-and-profit/ http://gyrovague.com/2012/08/10/notarizing-your-fingerprints...
  - Nursie 14y ago
    That guy has - moved all over the world - applied for a visa while inside the country in question - some expectation that having an employer vouch for him means anything - most of his trouble with getting a COC out of Singapore Oz basically want to know you have skills, education and no criminal record. They ask you to go to some length to prove this. I really don't see a problem with this. As I say, they are in the unusual situation that they are swamped with applicants from all over the world, they can afford to be picky, and in fact need to be.
    - JoeAltmaier 14y ago
      That explains the delay. What explains the money? Thousands of dollars line their pockets for each immigrant, successful or unsuccessful. That's just greed.
      - Nursie 14y ago
        What government doesn't like money? Yes, the processing fees are enormous, especially considering you don't get it back if you fail.
    - 14y ago
sc0rb 14y ago
Quick questions. Is it possible to migrate to Australia (Sydney) if you only have a DipHE (didn't finish last year of uni) and have around 2 - 3 years full time Software Engineering experience or MUST you have a BSc? Also, I am potentially doing this through my current employer rather than as a skilled independent migrant. Thanks Edit: I'm from London
- beilabs 14y ago
  Your employer should be able to get you on a 457 visa fairly easily; they just need to prove that you are qualified to do the job and they can't find a local to undertake it. The 457 binds you to that employer for the term of that visa unless you find another employer to take it over. You would have issues getting a different visa than the 457 though, they require 5 years experience if you do PR by yourself.
  - sc0rb 14y ago
    Thanks for the info. I plan on doing an MSC at some point anyway so could always get PR (if I wanted it) later down the road. Does the 457 visa mean that there is no requirement to meet the educational requirements for a Software Engineer on the SOL? Effectively, my lack of BSc won't stop me if I can get on a 457?
    - rufus_t 14y ago
      After two years (IIRC) on a 457, you can apply for a permanent visa, and that's also easier - and more expensive, of course - with a nominating employer. At least at the moment, there doesn't seem to be any education requirement for the nominated permanent visa (but they have a tendency to change the rules quite often). The 457 requires you "have skills, qualifications, experience and an employment background which match those required for the position". I never finished uni and got a 457 in 2008 (I'm Swedish). I did have ~10 years of experience though. The Department of Immigration have lots of information on their site, http://www.immi.gov.au/ http://www.immi.gov.au/.
      - 14y ago
cromulent 14y ago
It sounds like they are not following their own code of ethics. "You will place the interests of the public above those of business, personal, or sectional interests". http://www.acs.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/7835/Code-of-Ethics_Final_12.6.12.pdf http://www.acs.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/7835/Code-...

by beilabs 14y ago

ghshephard 14y ago

Compare that to a Canadian coming into the United States as a "Computer Systems Analyst" - Show up at the airport 20 minutes earlier than you normally would, give them a one-page letter describing your employer, what you'll be doing, where you'll be working. Include a either a 2 year diploma + 2 (3?) years of work experience or a 4 year degree. 10 minutes later you have a Visa good for three years. Normally one expects lots of bureaucracy when dealing with the government, but the US/Canada have really streamlined their NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) down to next-to-no hoops to jump through.

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
moondowner 14y ago
Off topic, but 'nafta' means petroleum in a good deal of languages, e.g. http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B5%D1%84%D1%82%D1%8C http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B5%D1%84%D1%82%D1%8C
- phreeza 14y ago
  In English, too. Except for the spelling: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naphtha https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naphtha
murbard2 14y ago
TN's all fun and games until you find an asshole immigration officer who decides you've been working for to long in the US. It happens.
- ghshephard 14y ago
  I've been here since 1995, and have renewed 18 times, always at YVR. Approximately 20-30% of the time I run into a guy taking that position with me. (100% male TN inspectors over 17 years - that's some weird gender bias in a job which really doesn't have any particular need for men vs women) Sometimes, they go so far as to say, "I don't think there's anything temporary about your stay, you're planning on renewing again next year, right?" [note - I love how they try to close me on that. ] Regardless of what they say, you always calmly reply with the following mantra, "My period of employment is for a period of up to 3 years [note: used to be one year]", at which point my plan is to return home to Canada. Every statement you make with immigration must be some variant of that, and you must never, ever, suggest that there is the slightest thought/plan of staying past your limited visa, even if you plan to do that by re-applying. With the exception of the first couple years (where I was rejected twice), I've never had to spend more than 10 minutes at immigration. I will admit the confrontational attitude does get your heart racing...

Nursie 14y ago

I went through the same process. Yes it took longer than I would have liked, but in general it went very well. Australia is very restrictive on immigration because so many people want to go there. I'm not really sure why they would restructure the system when this is the case, they have a relatively small population and extend a variety of state benefits to immigrants, so they don't want to be swamped.

jpatokal 14y ago
Please read this, then come back and tell me that Australia's visa system is sane: http://gyrovague.com/2012/08/10/notarizing-your-fingerprints-for-fun-and-profit/ http://gyrovague.com/2012/08/10/notarizing-your-fingerprints...
- Nursie 14y ago
  That guy has - moved all over the world - applied for a visa while inside the country in question - some expectation that having an employer vouch for him means anything - most of his trouble with getting a COC out of Singapore Oz basically want to know you have skills, education and no criminal record. They ask you to go to some length to prove this. I really don't see a problem with this. As I say, they are in the unusual situation that they are swamped with applicants from all over the world, they can afford to be picky, and in fact need to be.
  - JoeAltmaier 14y ago
    That explains the delay. What explains the money? Thousands of dollars line their pockets for each immigrant, successful or unsuccessful. That's just greed.
    - Nursie 14y ago
      What government doesn't like money? Yes, the processing fees are enormous, especially considering you don't get it back if you fail.
  - 14y ago

sc0rb 14y ago

Quick questions. Is it possible to migrate to Australia (Sydney) if you only have a DipHE (didn't finish last year of uni) and have around 2 - 3 years full time Software Engineering experience or MUST you have a BSc? Also, I am potentially doing this through my current employer rather than as a skilled independent migrant. Thanks Edit: I'm from London

beilabs 14y ago
Your employer should be able to get you on a 457 visa fairly easily; they just need to prove that you are qualified to do the job and they can't find a local to undertake it. The 457 binds you to that employer for the term of that visa unless you find another employer to take it over. You would have issues getting a different visa than the 457 though, they require 5 years experience if you do PR by yourself.
- sc0rb 14y ago
  Thanks for the info. I plan on doing an MSC at some point anyway so could always get PR (if I wanted it) later down the road. Does the 457 visa mean that there is no requirement to meet the educational requirements for a Software Engineer on the SOL? Effectively, my lack of BSc won't stop me if I can get on a 457?
  - rufus_t 14y ago
    After two years (IIRC) on a 457, you can apply for a permanent visa, and that's also easier - and more expensive, of course - with a nominating employer. At least at the moment, there doesn't seem to be any education requirement for the nominated permanent visa (but they have a tendency to change the rules quite often). The 457 requires you "have skills, qualifications, experience and an employment background which match those required for the position". I never finished uni and got a 457 in 2008 (I'm Swedish). I did have ~10 years of experience though. The Department of Immigration have lots of information on their site, http://www.immi.gov.au/ http://www.immi.gov.au/.
    - 14y ago

cromulent 14y ago

It sounds like they are not following their own code of ethics. "You will place the interests of the public above those of business, personal, or sectional interests". http://www.acs.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/7835/Code-of-Ethics_Final_12.6.12.pdf http://www.acs.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/7835/Code-...