Important questions before lodging ITA

[Ghayoor]

Hi all,

I need to lodge my ITA application ASAP (within 2 days) to retain my age points but I am very confused by few things and want to clarify them ideally before I lodge my application. I would appreciate your prompt responses. I will try to keep my post short and to the point.
In my ITA letter it states that

You are required to submit a full NZQA International Qualification Assessment (“IQA”) of your qualification when you submit your application in order to be eligible for qualification and / or bonus points in an area of absolute skills shortage. Your specific NZQA requirements are:
Comparable qualification - One of the following qualifications:
ICT Professionals (261111 to 263312)
Please note that your IQA must be returned with a result stating that your qualification is comparable to a specific degree as stated above. If your IQA report is returned stating that your qualification is comparable to “A qualification at level 7”, you will no longer be eligible for bonus points as this result does not meet the requirements of the LTSSL, and therefore you will NOT be able lodge your application with us.

My IQA Assessment from NZQA states the following

The most appropriate benchmark for your Bachelor of Science from xxxx is to a bachelor's degree at Level 7 in New Zealand, and your Master of science from xxxxx is to a master's degree at Level 9. These are generic outcomes.

As your qualifications are not a Washington Accord accredited degrees, a comparison to a specific New Zealand Engineering degrees is more appropriately made by IPENZ, alongside the other occupational competencies. IPENZ offers assessment services to overseas engineers specifically seeking bonus immigration points under lmmigration New Zealand's Long Term Skill Shortage List.

So, I did not get specific degree assessment result from NZQA as stated in my ITA letter; ICT Professionals (261111 to 263312). I contacted IPENZ to get specific assessment for my qualifications as per suggestions by NZQA in my IQA. IPENZ told me that it will take 6-8 weeks to complete my assessment (KA02) which was a worry for me because in 6-8 weeks my ITA will expire. So, I contacted INZ for my concerns and forwarded them a scan copy of my IQA report and I got the following response via email

You have claimed bonus points in AASS as an ICT Professional. An assessment completed by IPENZ is NOT a requirement on the LTSSL for ICT Professionals.

Your qualification has been assessed as comparable to a Bachelor degree level 7. As it matches the type and level required by the LTSSL, a comparability assessment of your qualification will be conducted by a Technical Advisor at application stage - should you decide to submit your residence application. However, please note that there is no guarantee of favorable outcome. You should be aware that if you do not meet the requirements of the LTSSL you would not be eligible for bonus points and your application may be declined at application stage.

Now, INZ said that my qualification assessment matches the type and level required by LTSSL. This is very confusing. My assessment is generic not specific (bachelor's degree at Level 7 and master’s degree at Level 9) and LTSSL have only specific degrees with their names, LTSSL do not have generic degrees.

LTSSL link is http://skillshortages.immigration.go...014-08-06-.pdf

After all this, I wonder……

Q1) Am I still illegible to lodge ITA without having specific outcomes of my qualifications as stated in my ITA?

Q2) What is the difference between “A qualification at level 7” and “bachelor's degree at Level 7”.
If my IQA states that I have “qualification at level 7” then my application will be simply rejected as it’s written in my ITA letter (see above). Luckily, my IQA states that my qualifications are equal to “bachelor's degree at Level 7” and I am able to lodge my ITA application as per response from INZ.

Q3) If I lodge my application, only then comparability assessment of my qualification will be conducted by a Technical Adviser. Isn’t this the job of NZQA or IPENZ? What different Technical Adviser will do?

Q4) since my assessment outcome is generic only; a “bachelor’s degree at Level 7” and “Master’s degree at Level 9” which is not in LTSSL. Now, if I lodge my ITA application; is it still possible that comparability assessment will turn out positive with generic outcomes by NZQA?

Q5)Should I apply for IPENZ assessment now or I should lodge my ITA and then wait for the assessment by Technical adviser?

I hope someone will be able to help me soon and kindly correct me if I am wrong somewhere in understanding the process. Thank u in advance. Waiting for your comments and suggestions. Thanks again.

[ambaloch87]

Hi all,

I need to lodge my ITA application ASAP (within 2 days) to retain my age points but I am very confused by few things and want to clarify them ideally before I lodge my application. I would appreciate your prompt responses. I will try to keep my post short and to the point.
In my ITA letter it states that

You are required to submit a full NZQA International Qualification Assessment (“IQA”) of your qualification when you submit your application in order to be eligible for qualification and / or bonus points in an area of absolute skills shortage. Your specific NZQA requirements are:
Comparable qualification - One of the following qualifications:
ICT Professionals (261111 to 263312)
Please note that your IQA must be returned with a result stating that your qualification is comparable to a specific degree as stated above. If your IQA report is returned stating that your qualification is comparable to “A qualification at level 7”, you will no longer be eligible for bonus points as this result does not meet the requirements of the LTSSL, and therefore you will NOT be able lodge your application with us.

My IQA Assessment from NZQA states the following

The most appropriate benchmark for your Bachelor of Science from xxxx is to a bachelor's degree at Level 7 in New Zealand, and your Master of science from xxxxx is to a master's degree at Level 9. These are generic outcomes.

As your qualifications are not a Washington Accord accredited degrees, a comparison to a specific New Zealand Engineering degrees is more appropriately made by IPENZ, alongside the other occupational competencies. IPENZ offers assessment services to overseas engineers specifically seeking bonus immigration points under lmmigration New Zealand's Long Term Skill Shortage List.

So, I did not get specific degree assessment result from NZQA as stated in my ITA letter; ICT Professionals (261111 to 263312). I contacted IPENZ to get specific assessment for my qualifications as per suggestions by NZQA in my IQA. IPENZ told me that it will take 6-8 weeks to complete my assessment (KA02) which was a worry for me because in 6-8 weeks my ITA will expire. So, I contacted INZ for my concerns and forwarded them a scan copy of my IQA report and I got the following response via email

You have claimed bonus points in AASS as an ICT Professional. An assessment completed by IPENZ is NOT a requirement on the LTSSL for ICT Professionals.

Your qualification has been assessed as comparable to a Bachelor degree level 7. As it matches the type and level required by the LTSSL, a comparability assessment of your qualification will be conducted by a Technical Advisor at application stage - should you decide to submit your residence application. However, please note that there is no guarantee of favorable outcome. You should be aware that if you do not meet the requirements of the LTSSL you would not be eligible for bonus points and your application may be declined at application stage.

Now, INZ said that my qualification assessment matches the type and level required by LTSSL. This is very confusing. My assessment is generic not specific (bachelor's degree at Level 7 and master’s degree at Level 9) and LTSSL have only specific degrees with their names, LTSSL do not have generic degrees.

LTSSL link is http://skillshortages.immigration.go...014-08-06-.pdf

After all this, I wonder……

Q1) Am I still illegible to lodge ITA without having specific outcomes of my qualifications as stated in my ITA?

Q2) What is the difference between “A qualification at level 7” and “bachelor's degree at Level 7”.
If my IQA states that I have “qualification at level 7” then my application will be simply rejected as it’s written in my ITA letter (see above). Luckily, my IQA states that my qualifications are equal to “bachelor's degree at Level 7” and I am able to lodge my ITA application as per response from INZ.

Q3) If I lodge my application, only then comparability assessment of my qualification will be conducted by a Technical Adviser. Isn’t this the job of NZQA or IPENZ? What different Technical Adviser will do?

Q4) since my assessment outcome is generic only; a “bachelor’s degree at Level 7” and “Master’s degree at Level 9” which is not in LTSSL. Now, if I lodge my ITA application; is it still possible that comparability assessment will turn out positive with generic outcomes by NZQA?

Q5)Should I apply for IPENZ assessment now or I should lodge my ITA and then wait for the assessment by Technical adviser?

I hope someone will be able to help me soon and kindly correct me if I am wrong somewhere in understanding the process. Thank u in advance. Waiting for your comments and suggestions. Thanks again.

Dear Ghyoor,

Yes Realy Long Post

Anyways, no one can tell you, weather you should lodge your ITA or you don't. It's you who need to take decision and decide what's best for you.
As far as my PERSONAL understanding from different forums and other sources, in order to claim points for LTSSL, yes IPENZ Knowledge KA02 assessment is needed. NZQA already indicated your level , and it CLEARLY mentioned bachelor's/Master degree at Level 7/9 which are NOT specific but a General (Generic), that means these outcomes doesn't satisfy what's written/required in column 3/4 of the LTSSL requirement table for claming points for LTSSL. So i believe you do need letter from IPENZ . Rest you need to assure what's best for you and wait for others to comment on your post.

I hope this helps you

Regards

[ambaloch87]

Sorry forget to Write, Claiming LTSSL point means, Bonus Points for LTSSL. I missed word BONUS

[JandM]

You need not hang back from submitting. Your latest reply from INZ (quoted in red) is telling you that they will take your application and consider it DESPITE the fact of neither one of your degrees having been declared equivalent in the IQA.

Equivalence means they are declaring that a foreign qualification has more or less the same content as some current NZ degree course. Not finding that such a course exists does not mean any disrespect for the foreign institution or qualification(s) - it is just saying, 'There isn't one like this in NZ right now.'

However, because you have your two degrees, stated to be at Level 7 and Level 9, INZ are telling you that they are willing to have one of their specialists (the Technical Adviser) check out the entirety of the content of your studies (not just one degree for equivalence, then the other degree for equivalence) to see if the necessary for you to have the bonus points is there, between the two of them. This is what the TA can do, which NZQA is not required to. You won't find any mention of this in the regulations, because, thanks to your having contacted INZ and explained your situation, they are offering you something that goes beyond the regulations. This very rarely happens.

If you decide to go ahead and submit your ITA, I strongly suggest that you include a copy of this latest communication from INZ, and mention it, highlighted, in your cover letter. Your ITA will not show the ordinary requirements for bonus points, and you don't want some clerk in INZ rejecting it on that account, when this letter has told you to submit anyway for this unusual check to be made.

[Ghayoor]

Thanks ambaloch and JandM for your valuable comments. I am thinking positive to lodge my application soon. In between I am still curious to know What is the difference between “A qualification at level 7” and “bachelor's degree at Level 7” for INZ?

[nitsam]

Thanks ambaloch and JandM for your valuable comments. I am thinking positive to lodge my application soon. In between I am still curious to know What is the difference between “A qualification at level 7” and “bachelor's degree at Level 7” for INZ?

In order to claim bonus points in AASS, your qualification must be an exact match to the qualification listed on the Long Term Skills Shortage List (LTSSL). INZ are unable to compare qualifications of different types.
If your qualification matches the type and level (e.g. Bachelor level 7 or Graduate Diploma level 7) required by the LTSSL then a comparability assessment of your qualification will be conducted by a Technical Advisor at application stage - should you decide to submit your residence application. However, please note that there is no guarantee of favourable outcome. You should be aware that if you do not meet the requirements of the LTSSL you would not be eligible for bonus points and your application may be declined at application stage. If the outcome is “A qualification at Level 7”, a comparability assessment cannot be conducted.

What I get answer from INZ.

[laxgr]

Hi Ghayoor,

Which INZ email id did you choose to email and send your scanned IQA report? How quick was their email response? And which number did you phone in?

Regards,
laxgr

[rsaleh]

Hi Ghayoor,

Which INZ email id did you choose to email and send your scanned IQA report? How quick was their email response? And which number did you phone in?

Regards,
laxgr

Hi, did you manage to contact inz via email, if yes one which address? I have the same issue with Ipenz and ict professional

[laxgr]

I emailed the below 3 email ids and received a response from one of them within 1-2 days stating that INZ may offer my case for a TA assessment post ITA lodgement, despite I receiving no specified outcome on my Bachelor's degree in Science (Computer Science). Based on their response, I chose to submit my ITA, waiting to hear further from INZ, not sure where my case will head. B/w, since I'm a BSc /MCA, IPENZ doesn't apply and so to that extent, your case seems different than mine.

immigrationonline@mbie.govt.nz
eoiteam@dol.govt.nz
eoiteam@mbie.govt.nz

[arnz]

I emailed the below 3 email ids and received a response from one of them within 1-2 days stating that INZ may offer my case for a TA assessment post ITA lodgement, despite I receiving no specified outcome on my Bachelor's degree in Science (Computer Science). Based on their response, I chose to submit my ITA, waiting to hear further from INZ, not sure where my case will head. B/w, since I'm a BSc /MCA, IPENZ doesn't apply and so to that extent, your case seems different than mine.

immigrationonline@mbie.govt.nz
eoiteam@dol.govt.nz
eoiteam@mbie.govt.nz

Dear ambaloch87/ laxgr,

My case is also similiar as yours. Were you able to get a successful outcome from TA?

Please find my details below:

1. EoI selected with 145 points.

2. My qualification is BTech ( Bachelor of Technology) in Electronics and communication Engineering, but not Wash or sydney accord. So, IQA report is Bachelor's degree at level 7. This info is provided in Eoi.

3. Now waiting for the ITA.

4. All my 6 years of work experience is as Telecom Engineer.

5. I am claiming bonus points for Skill shortage -Telecommunications Engineer which is in ICT field.

6. My question- Should I get an IPENZ Letter. I read in some posts that, IPENZ not required for Telecom Engineer.

7. Is there any telecom Engineer in this forum who had gone through these process or any other way to claim bonus points?

8. I have also heard about comparibility assessment by a Technical Advicer at INZ if the applicants IQA report is as I mentioned above.

Is there an option for me to apply with nZQA for a comparibility assessment directly to save time to retain points for my age.

Please advice.