Skilled Migrant Visa - English Language Requirement

[mjharavind]

Hi group,

English Test Requirement for Skilled Migrant Visa – Studied Level 6 NZDE Civil Engineering qualification from 2017 and 2018. Then pulled up a job. Continued studying part-time while working full-time and completed Level 7 BEngTech Civil Engineering from 2019 and 2020 (2 years). Do I still require English test due to part-time study which involved 2 academic year? Here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/#66777.htm it states nothing about full time / part-time.

Thank-you very much in advance🙏

[JandM]

Just to be clear - you studied/lived in which country during this time period?

[mjharavind]

Hi JandM - Thank-you very much for your response. I studied & lived in New Zealand from February 2017.

Detailed timeframe as below if needed:-
2017-2018 : NZDE Level 6 Civil Engineering.
2018 November : Graduated & accepted a job offer.
2018 December : Started full time job as Graduate Engineer (Substantial ANZSCO match is Civil Engineering Technician 312212).
2019 mid-February : Received post study work visa until February 2022.
2019 end-February : Started part-time BEngTech Civil Engineering Degree Level 7 while working full time. Note - I did this as a part of study required during my employment and therefore INZ didn't require student visa.
2020 November : Completed BEngTech Degree.
Now : Looking to apply for EOI and waiting for it to reopen for selection - hopefully sometime before end of 2021.

Thank-you again.

[JandM]

Notice that SM4.5 d says that a CO CAN require a test to be done. As SM4.5 makes no mention of the studies having to be full-time, it's not possible to be certain that yours would stand as proof of English. However, I think you have a good case to argue. (Notice - I'm nothing official. I'm just a member of the public who has read hundreds of people's experiences with INZ on these threads. This is just my opinion.)

I think the reasoning behind the regulation that a NZ Level 7 qualification after two years' study can be proof of English competence may have two strands. One: someone who gets a Level 7 qualification, studying and being tested in a language not their own, must be functioning at high level, at least within their specialism. Two: someone who spends two years in a foreign country, living there, doing their shopping, spending their leisure time, dealing with everyday formalities, is necessarily interacting with native speakers in a wide range of contexts, and is bound to have expanded their knowledge of the language just by living in it and among its users. It seems to me that your story would show you have done all that.

Good luck.

[mjharavind]

Thank-you very much JandM for sharing your thoughts.
Much appreciated.