Disappointed - EOI dropped from 140 to 120 points

[stevenh]

Hi All

Just got an email back to say that our EOI will not be selected automatically on 140 points as they are dropping 20 points from the application for the following reasons;

Bonus points for qualification being in an area of absolute skill shortage
– ICT Professional
10 points removed

Bonus points for work experience being in an area of absolute skill shortage
– ICT Professional
10 points removed

The explanation from the skilled migrant administrator was that;

You are claiming points for your qualification:

o Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Business Information Technology

· The Long Term Skill Shortage List states that ICT Professionals must have a degree-level (Level 7) qualification majoring in computer science, information science or information technology AND three years of relevant work experience

· Based on the information you have provided in relation to your qualification, we are not satisfied that your Bachelor of Science in Business Information Technology is comparable to a degree-level qualification majoring in computer science, information science or information technology awarded by a New Zealand tertiary institution

I was asked to submit an academic transcript for my degree which I did. I am a little confused about how they class "majoring" - surely Business Information Technology can be classed as majoring in IT (admittedly, the module breakdown does show a 50/50 split between IT and Business). Surely they can't discount my degree & work experience (5 years as data manager) as not being applicable to the absolute skills shortage area. Is it worth me challenging the decision?

So I guess we go into the pool Looking at the current selections we might fall into, it appears to be All those claiming 15 points for work experience in an area of absolute skill shortage and with a points total between 120 and 135 points for most of the selections this year - which I guess we don't meet at present.

My question is - does this criteria change and how likely are we to be selected with 120 points? Our application is based on the following points;

Age - 25 points
Qualifications - 50 points
Work Experience - 25 points
Bonus Points for partners qualification - 20 points

I know it is not the end of the world and 120 points is still good but at the moment we're a little disappointed. Thanks

[kejktfc]

For what it is worth, and having no knowledge of the IT sector etc etc, I would await he next selection and if not selected challenge the above decisions, nothing to lose if not selected.

kejktfc

[Typer85]

Wow, I have a very similar degree as yours, except my degree is titled Technology Information instead of Business Information Technology. If you do not mind, I would greatly appreciate it if you let us know how things work out if you do challenge them because I could probably be put in the same situtation.

Good Luck.

[Margarita]

Could you get your degree NZQA assessed? If they came back saying your degree was "comparable to a degree-level qualification majoring in computer science, information science or information technology awarded by a New Zealand tertiary institution" then you would be able to claim those points back.

Either way I would be putting in an argument stating why you think your degree should be counted to gain you the points. Maybe you could find transcripts of a NZ degree which you think matches your own and state how your own degree covered all those modules. It is what I did for the NZQA to help with my Early Years degree.

[Duncan74]

The points for work experience are also reliant on the qualification, and hence those points lost are linked.

[colsy]

Stevenh - My points total and structure is more or less the same as yours.

I am confident it will be pulled from the pool, but may take a few selection pools to get there.

[rizjunior]

You will most probably be selected with 120 points. If you want to claim the points they denied, get your degree assesed by NZQA. It has to be assessed at Level 7 (neither level 8 nor 6 but precisely 7), only then you can claim those points.

[stevenh]

Thanks everyone, your views have certainly given me renewed optimism . I followed Margarita's advice and started looking for comparable NZ degree courses. I found the following, which does seem similar.

http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/study...grad/bbis.aspx

I looked on the NZQA website but couldn't find the course. I think my plan is to email the degree course leader at the uni and request a transcript, and also the NZQA to see if they can provide an assessment and classification for the course.

If I get favourable information do I then send this to my skilled migrant administrator or do I contact the NZQA and ask them to assess my own degree?

[ulto]

You will most probably be selected with 120 points. If you want to claim the points they denied, get your degree assesed by NZQA. It has to be assessed at Level 7 (neither level 8 nor 6 but precisely 7), only then you can claim those points.

Thats interesting, surely a level 8 Degree is better than a level 7 so would that also claim the bonus points? With a masters or a postgrad I understand this is not so but that is fairly understandable but with the primary degree someone has then surely this would be the case.

On the website it says "must meet the criteria" so a level 8 meets it and exceeds it..

[rizjunior]

Nope! This is strange. If degree is Level 8 you can not claim bonus points, it has to be Level 7. With Level 8 you can claim points towards qualification but not the bonus points.

Thats interesting, surely a level 8 Degree is better than a level 7 so would that also claim the bonus points? With a masters or a postgrad I understand this is not so but that is fairly understandable but with the primary degree someone has then surely this would be the case.

On the website it says "must meet the criteria" so a level 8 meets it and exceeds it..