The Qualifications Conundrum

Right, we're not even at the stage of completing our EOI for the Skilled Migrant category yet, but I want to straighten this out in my head first.

I have looked at the NZQA list of qualifications exempt from assessment, so I guess that means that they automatically give you the bonus points? I have a BSc (Hons), a Postgrad Diploma and an MSc.

From what I can figure out, my BSc (hons) is exempt because it was from Brunel University, which is an exempt institution, and any Bachelor (Honours) degree from there is exempt.

My MSc is in Corporate Communication. It is from Leeds Met University, which is also an exempt institution, but I can't tell if this particular Masters is exempt or not.

My Postgrad Diploma will not be exempt.

Now, if I include all of my qualifications on my EOI and my MSc is not exempt, will they want it assessed by the NZQA? Or, seeing as it is only worth 5 points, can I just ask them to use the points from my BSc (Hons) to save time?

Thanks in advance.

I will throw an answer up here from what I think is correct and hopefully someone else will come along and give you more/better info. (just seeding :D)

If you have a post grad diploma and you want to count it as a qualification (or use it in NZ), you will have to send to NZQA.
If you don't have any use for it, you won't.
If you do send it, you can send all 3 for one price. They will assess multiple qualifications at one time (I forget how many but someone else knows I am sure)
We counted all the points on our EOI but we had to prove it on the ITA. In fact, we sent off OH's qualifications that needed assessing at the same time as we submitted our EOI. We had the successful assessment completed before the ITA went in though.
My bachelors degree was on the list so it was never assessed by anyone. I sent that to our CO (transcripts and a certified copy of the degree itself) and she was fine with giving me the points.
Hope that helps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GrumpyGoat

I will throw an answer up here from what I think is correct and hopefully someone else will come along and give you more/better info. (just seeding :D)

If you have a post grad diploma and you want to count it as a qualification (or use it in NZ), you will have to send to NZQA.
If you don't have any use for it, you won't.
If you do send it, you can send all 3 for one price. They will assess multiple qualifications at one time (I forget how many but someone else knows I am sure)

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Thanks GrumpyGoat. I'm not that bothered about my Diploma, more my Masters.

But I guess my question really is, if my Masters is not exempt, and I'm not bothered about the extra 5 points, do I declare it anyway just to demonstrate my skills? Or will declaring it mean that it will HAVE to be assessed? Similarly for the Postgrad Diploma. All of my qualifications are in the same subject area (Communications/PR), plus I have 10 years' experience in this field in December. So will it benefit me at all to declare my Diploma and Masters if they are not exempt and I don't need them for the points?

They changed the rules by mistake on 30 March this year. Look at the other countries, or the previous policy (on the NZIS page) and you'll see there is a paragraph at the top that talks about Masters. However, in the update they missed this off, and so although it is supposed to be re-ammended then it hasn't been yet. May be by the time you apply though, I was promised August.

I don't have a Batchelors, 'just' a MEng and an MSc, but that gives me no points as a result of the new rules. Hence the above....

As for the declaration, then if I was in your position I'd not bother, but as my points would drop to 105 then I have to. Oh, but bizarely I still get the 10 points for a bonus qualification in a LTSS area as the MEng is valid for that! Talk about conflicting policy.