Opinions and advice needed for SMC and Essential Skills

[winlittlepig]

Hi there, I've recently gotten a permanent job offer as a Laboratory Supervisor in a kiwifruit packhouse. My roles and responsibilities include mainly collection of data, calibration of lab equipment, preparing fruit test reports for growers etc. I wouldn't exactly be managing any permanent staff but more of seasonal staff as required for collection of samples. I have a few concerns which I would appreciate any opinions or advice provided:

1) My degree is Bachelor of Business Administration. In this case, I am unsure if my degree is relevant to the job offered which relates to whether I am able to get my essential work and/or SMC visa. My employer has said they had previously advertised for the role but could not get any locals to do it. I have no prior relevant work experience at all.

2) I would like to apply for residence using SMC eventually and the closest ANZSCO I can match is Laboratory Manager (http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@....ist%20Managers) but still I am not entirely sure because according to the website, a Laboratory Manager "Plans, organises, directs, controls and coordinates the operations of a research or production laboratory." So I am unsure if a packhouse laboratory which mainly tests kiwifruit is considered to be a "research or production laboratory". And also, if my role as a Laboratory Supervisor fits the ANZSCO brief description as above.

3) My degree is from one of the listed institutions here (http://onlineservices.immigration.go...nual/47117.htm). HOWEVER, mine is one without honors and it says "** All Bachelor degrees must be awarded with honours." Does this mean that my degree is no longer recognised as level 7 or even recognised? And I would probably have to go through IQA? Prior to June 2016, the requirement was that "Bachelor degrees may be awarded with or without honors".

4) Say IF my BBA degree is recognised or have been assessed by IQA to be level 6 or 7, then back to 1), would they still approve my applications of SMC and/or Essential skills given the possible irrelevance of degree to job offer?

I hope I managed to phrase my questions clear enough and really appreciate any views/advice given. More willing to clarify further if needed. Many thanks in advance!! =)

[winlittlepig]

Any help rendered will be greatly appreciated please..thanks a lot!! ><

[JandM]

My employer has said they had previously advertised for the role but could not get any locals to do it.

That sounds as though it is relevant to the Essential Skills visa, perhaps. Here are the instructions to employers about that. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/empl...al-skills-visa

As to SMC, the job held has to fit with the requirements in the regulations. http://onlineservices.immigration.go...nual/46411.htm Your questions are looking at needing all sorts of bends in interpretation, aren't they?

This http://onlineservices.immigration.go...anual/6954.htm is the complete set of rules about SMC points, in case it's helpful for the future.

[winlittlepig]

Thanks JandM. Actually my main concern is really the relevance of my degree to the employment itself because I am looking at working towards PR. And if it's irrelevant, then I wouldn't be able to try for PR because my employer is not an accredited one.