EOI declined...My bad.

[Matematica84]

As promised I share my sad experience:
My Expression of interest has been declined. This is my story:
EOI Lodged 15/12/2017
EOI Selected 24/01/2018
EOI Declined 01/02/2018
We are writing to advise you that you will not be invited to apply for residence in New Zealand at this time.
The following table summarises the points you have claimed and the points we have awarded following the credibility check:
- Age 30 - Skilled employment 50 - Outside Aukland 30 - Qualification 40- Work experience 20 - NZ Work experience 10 TOTAL 180
While checking the details you provided in your EOI, we determined that the following points were claimed in error:
English language requirements
You claimed to meet English language requirements via citizenship from Canada, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America and have spent at least five years in work or education in one or more of those countries or Australia or New Zealand. However, you have not declared citizenship from one of the aforementioned countries. Therefore, you do not meet our English language requirements as per SM4.5.
Applications under the Skilled Migrant Category must be declined if the principal applicant has not met the minimum standard of English as per SM4.5.a. Therefore, your EOI must be declined.
Skilled Employment
You have claimed 50 points for skilled employment as a Chef.
Immigration instruction SM6.10.5.a.i states that employment in New Zealand under skill level 2 in the ANZSCO will be assessed as skilled if the remuneration for that employment is $24.29 per hour. You have declared that the remuneration for your current employment is $24 per hour; we have calculated your hourly rate to be $23.35, based on your salary and hours of work. Therefore, it appears we are unable to award you points for skilled employment.
Outside Auckland
You have claimed 30 points for skilled employment outside Auckland. SM6.50 states that current skilled employment outside the Auckland region qualifies for 30 points. However, as we are unable to award points for skilled employment, we are consequently unable to award points for skilled employment outside Auckland.
Qualification
You have claimed 40 points for your Diploma in Food and Beverage Services from Ipssar Maffioli. However, as your qualification is not on Appendix 3, the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment, we are unable to award you these points. Please see Immigration Instructions SM8.5.e.ii for further information.[/CENTER][/CENTER]
I have applied as a chef with a diploma in Cookery obtained in Italy level 3 as per recognition by NZQA.
On the skilled EOI I did two mistakes, i have to admit it, and I accept the result.
1-My qualification has been contested by INZ because is not included on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment. If it is Level 3 it has to be on the list. ( SM8.5.e.ii )
2-I have insert the wrong salary, in stead of 24.29 i typed 24.
Shame on me.
I did two mistakes and I'll pay the consequences. I just don't understand why my English has not been accepted despite I have double citizenship, Italian and Canadian. Is it because i have applied using the Italian citizenship?
And i have one more question. I also have a diploma in Accounting. If this diploma is recognised level 4 could I use it to gain points as recognised qualification despite it is not relevant to my job as Chef ANZSCO 351311? Does the recognised diploma need to be related to the job? I though i could maybe use the diploma in cookery level3 for my skilled employment and the diploma in accounting for the points of recognised qualification.
Hope to get some of your experiences similar to my case.
Ciao!

[JandM]

I am sorry for the disappointment you must be feeling.

Did you mention your Canadian citizenship (dual with your Italian citizenship) on the form or in a covering letter? The fact of Canadian citizenship should be enough to show your English proficiency, but attention needs to be drawn to it, or the clerks checking for the basic evidence will just see "Italian". As the notes have said, no English proficiency proof = no possible residence.

I THINK that the qualification you submit would have to be relevant to the skilled job that is part of the application. ChrisMwn, am I right?

[diallta]

Do I misinterpret the response he posted INZ, or does it not imply that in addition to holding the citizenship, you must have lived in one of the approved countries for at least 5 years?

[ChrisMwn]

I am sorry for the disappointment you must be feeling.

Did you mention your Canadian citizenship (dual with your Italian citizenship) on the form or in a covering letter? The fact of Canadian citizenship should be enough to show your English proficiency, but attention needs to be drawn to it, or the clerks checking for the basic evidence will just see "Italian". As the notes have said, no English proficiency proof = no possible residence.

I THINK that the qualification you submit would have to be relevant to the skilled job that is part of the application. ChrisMwn, am I right?

yes qualifications need to be relevant. EOI is not declined, just not issuing ITA at this stage. EOI needs to be amended , including showing all countries of citizenship, (and 5 years of residence) so that if criterea for issue of ITA are met, it can be issued.

INZ are clearly indicating , that based on the information you have currently entered into your EOI, you do not meet the selection requirements. They cant guess that you might be eligible, so you need to enter information fully and correctly.,

[Juniper]

Here is what the current Long Term Skill Shortage list says about their requirements to claim points as a Chef:

"Chef (Chef de Partie or higher) (351311)A certificate at NZQF Level 4, or a higher qualification, which includes the credit and knowledge requirements of a New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4) AND a minimum of five years' combined experience in establishments offering a la carte/ banqueting or commercial catering, with a minimum of two years at Chef de Partie (Section Leader) level or higher"
http://skillshortages.immigration.go...rtage-list.pdf

I recently contacted INZ about the LTSSL to verify that qualifications must exactly match what's on the list, and they verified that YES both degree and experience needs to match what you see in the pdf linked above^^, or your can't claim LTSSL points for that job. If you have more than one degree however, it might be worth calling INZ to see if you can get any additional points for that. If you can get over 160 without it, I personally wouldn't make my application any more complicated, since it would just take more time and money to process everything. I imagine both degrees would need to be assessed by NZQA (which costs something like $800 each), since really there are very few schools that are "exempt" from assessment.

After talking to INZ about your degree and finding out whether it's worth getting assessed for points, I believe your next step is to get in touch with NZQA to start the assessment process. You are supposed to have an IQA number (that is to say, your application number provided by NZQA) for your EOI so that INZ can see that your degree is being assessed. (I am not sure whether you have to wait until NZQA finishes assessing your degree or not...and it can take months just for that step. Another question for INZ).
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualificatio...ualifications/

[Juniper]

Actually I think I misunderstood something - you don't seem to be claiming "shortage skill" points after all. However the part about getting your degree(s) assessed should still apply to your situation :-)

[Gaida]

Matematica84
I don't know if it matters which citizenship you apply with. Perhaps others know. However, in addition to Canadian citizenship, you must prove you WORKED or STUDIED in Canada for 5 years or more. (Not just lived -- so if you lived there as a child, it doesn't count. If you lived there as an adult, but didn't work or study, it doesn't count. They want specifically work or study -- and I believe the study must be tertiary [not high school].) I'm not sure if you can claim knowledge of English in another way, like through an IELTS score.

I imagine you can demonstrate that you made a mistake on the application with your salary by sending paychecks that prove you earn at least $24.29/hour.

If your specific qualification (for the specific instution and year) are not listed in Appendix 3, I believe you must do a NZQA evaluation. Their decision is what INZ uses to award you points if your qualification isn't pre-approved. It's expensive, but many people must do them. Everyone doing LTSSL must do them, so this is a very common thing.

I believe your qualification and job have to be related to claim the points.

It seems you made 3 mistakes: 1) You did not submit proof of 5 years work/study in Canada; 2) You put in the wrong salary; 3) You did not make sure the qualification was exempt. There is no shame here - nothing to feel bad about. Just correct the mistakes and follow the instructions down to the tiniest details. That's all that is needed. I don't know about fixing and resending applicatinos, but if you are still interested and met the criteria, you can keep going. Everyone makes mistakes.

[JandM]

Have a look at the regulation INZ quoted: SM8.5.e.ii. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/66806.htm This is different in the most recent regulations, therefore different from the experience of most of you. There apparently is not any longer the option to get NZQA to check a qualification that isn't on the exempt list, if it's Level 3 or below. (What you have said was my first thought, then I looked at the Operational Manual and found that this had all been changed.)

[Juniper]

There apparently is not any longer the option to get NZQA to check a qualification that isn't on the exempt list, if it's Level 3 or below. (What you have said was my first thought, then I looked at the Operational Manual and found that this had all been changed.)

Ohhh well now what he said here makes sense:
"-My qualification has been contested by INZ because is not included on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment. If it is Level 3 it has to be on the list."

Bummer! How the heck does a chef use their matching qualifications then? Only chefs from certain schools need apply?

I would definitely call INZ before getting too discouraged, but that does sound like a sticking point.

[Matematica84]

Thanks guys for all of your answers.

About the English I think is a INZ mistake. I have checked on the EOI form and on the English requirements section the only thing i can choose is: [I]Citizenship of Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland or the USA and 5 years in work or education in one or more of those countries or Australia or New Zealand/I].
There is no room for me to say how long I have been studying or working in one of the Commonwealth countries. I guess they will check this once the ITA has been lodge. I have anyway sent a email to the CO of my EOI asking about this section and hopefully i will get an answer soon. I will let you know once i have an answer.
I have been living and working in Australia for 4 years and now I am working in NZ since 3 years ago. On the EOI there is no room on the English requirements section to explain by words if i was working or studying in one of the Commonwealth countries. You can just choose one of the 5 options on section D1.

About my qualification, well, now they are very strict. JandM mentioned the SM8.5.e.ii and this is the point that I have missed while filling up the EOI. I am a bit upset. I have been studying cooking in Italy for 3 years with a final vocational diploma. The diploma has been recognised level 3 by NZQA. What makes me angry is that in Nz after one year of Cooking studies you get a Level 4. My diploma in Italy is a 3 years full time course and is just recognised as level 3!
Furthermore i don't understand why a qualification level 3 need to be included in the list of qualification exempt from assessment? Why immigration have decided this?! I think it would have been more fair if with a Level 3 you get less point then level 4 and not any inclusion in the list of qualification exempt from assessment.
I am a Chef with 6 years experience and a qualification obtained in Italy after 3 years of studies, but apparently I am still not enough qualify for NZ despite my salary is 24.30/h. It is a big salary for a Chef in NZ!

Anyway, I still have one year left on my 3 years Essential skill work visa. I hope immigration will review their strict politics because i have the feeling that with the current immigration rules the NZ hospitality businesses will struggle a lot to find workers keen to work for them if they have no guarantee to get the residence one day. My employer is desperate to have me and he is trying his best to help me with the residence. He will struggle a lot before finding another qualify chef. I am training kiwi at work to help the business to reach high standard food.

Thanks guy for your support!!!!