Spouse proof of functional English?

[Nikita93]

Hi there

me again. We are in process of State Sponsorship 167 Visa on my husband's IT skills.

As the spouse I have to prove that I have functional English skills. Since my high school (was dual-medium) classes were all in English - do you guys know if my Senior Certificate will suffice? Needless to say my English grade itself wasn't that great.

I have studied further but not continuous for 2 years or more.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Cam

[miraclebabycaw]

Hi Cam

No it won't be. You will need either a letter from your school stating that your Matric and high schooling was done in English, or alternatively you should do the IELTS. For us it was the easier route to do the IELTS as my hubby and I matric'd in 1988, so he wrote that rather. Means more money but for us it was the most practical rather than trying to get a letter from the school.

HTH

Shona

[Nikita93]

Hi Shona

Thanks for the reply. Yes I think you may be right. I matriculated in 1989 and the school has even changed names since. May be easier to just do the IELTS route. More $$ but less stress. How far are you with your application now? What IT skills are you/hubby in?

[miraclebabycaw]

Nikita, I'm an analyst programmer. Hubby is in Forex in the bank. We are going on my skills.. Visa is approved so we are just sorting out and getting house on the market. Hoping to be over by the end of the year all going well.

Good luck with everything. It's a roller coaster but so worth it

[Werns]

Hi,

I hope you don't mind me adding my question in here.

My wife has a 4 year bachelors degree studied in English. We simply uploaded her degree as proof of English.

Does anyone know if that will be enough, or do we need more than that?

Somewhere I saw someone mentioning a letter from the University stating that the course was in English, but we have had no luck getting a letter out of them.

We are not in South Africa so we can't just go in to the university, and they don't answer any of the emails we send.

[Cramer]

We got a letter on a letterhead from my wifes high school stating she was taught in English and DIAC were happy with that

[miraclebabycaw]

Werns, afaik that should be enough, but if you have asked the university they might just get around to it sometime this year LOL. I know I have asked UNISA for things in the past. Often I get no answer and then a couple of months down the line I get something in the post that resembles what someone on that side thinks I am asking for. I have asked for these items to be emailed..doesn't happen.Oh and be aware esp if it is UNISA, they just send to your last address on record, don't bother to find out if you are still there.

[Nikita93]

Hi Werns

From what I understand the four year degree should be sufficient.

Functional English

An applicant required to demonstrate they have at least functional English can provide any of

the evidence described above or any one of the following:

• holding an award, being a degree, a higher degree, a diploma or a trade certificate, that required

at least 2 years of full-time study or training; and all instruction (including instruction received

in other courses for which the person was allowed credit) for that award was conducted in

English;

• successful completion, in Australia, at least 1 year of full-time study or equivalent part-time

study towards a degree, higher degree, diploma or associate diploma at an institution or institutions

where all the instruction was conducted in English

• completion of all their primary education and at least 3 years of secondary education at an

educational institution where all instruction was conducted in English;

• completion of least 5 years of secondary education at an educational institution where all

instruction was conducted in English;

• achievement of an IELTS average band score of at least 4.5 in a test conducted not more than

12 months before lodging their application or at the time of processing the application;

• evidence of having achieved an ACCESS test score of at least 15 with a minimum of 3 for

each of the 4 test components of listening, reading, writing and oral interaction in a test conducted

not more than 12 months before lodging the relevant application to migrate; or at the time of

the processing of the relevant application to migrate; or

• worked for 2 years or more in either Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand,

the United States of America or the Republic of Ireland.

Functional English and the 2nd Visa Application Charge (VAC)

Applicants who are included in the application on the basis of their relationship to the main

applicant and who are at least 18 years of age at time of application must provide evidence of

their current level of English language ability. Applicants who cannot provide evidence of having

at least functional English will be liable for the payment of a second

[Werns]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, I know that a degree is all that is required, but the things is that they add on to that: and all instruction (including instruction received in other courses for which the person was allowed credit) for that award was conducted in English.

Now will we have to prove that? That is my question.

Well, we are going to SA for a visit in a month's time, so a that time we could go into the University and hopefully get the letter from them.

If that fails (highly likely unfortunately - it's UKZN we're dealing with) we could always get a letter or something from her high school.

Is there anyone here that has had to do that? What exactly is needed? Just a statement that person X went to School Y for x number of years and that all teaching was done in English?

Thanks

[deroche]

I was told if you can't meet any one of the following requirements than you have to sit the IELTS as well.

• has a degree, diploma or trade qualification that required at least 2 years of full-time study or training, and all instruction was conducted in English

• completed all their primary education and at least 3 years of secondary education at an educational institution where all instruction was conducted in English

• completed at least 5 years of secondary education at an educational institution where all instruction was conducted in English

[Jaytee]

If you are fortunate to still have all the school reports from Sub A to Standard 8, this is also sufficient proof.

[Werns]

Well, we finally managed to get the letter from the university - AMAZING!

So, now it shouldn't be a problem.