Primary School Teacher going back on the Skilled Occupation List

[dowey]

Hello everyone

Do you think the occupation of Primary School Teacher will go back on the Skilled Occupation List, next year July 2016 when the new list is published???

[Mara]

Highly unlikely, I guess! The information I have heard is that locally trained graduate teachers have to be considered first, in order to enable them to repay their study loans.

[joweni]

I think you are right Mara and there are so many unemployed primary teachers at present that it is very unlikely to go back on the SOL for a long while.

[RYLC]

Yes I agree that it will take years and years to get back on the list (if ever). Primary teaching is a VERY popular career choice here.

One of the main reasons for the oversupply of teachers is because of the GFC. Baby boomer teachers who were expected to be starting to retire opted to stay in the workforce because of the drop in value of their superannuation. So the planned training rate of replacement teachers hit a bottle neck. It has specifically hit teaching more than other sectors because teaching has much fewer employers and people don't go off and start their own school if they can't find a job. Unlike say an accountant or lawyer who could opt to go into business on their own if they chose to.

I belong to another Australian forum (not for immigration) and they are having a similar discussion about primary teaching.

Here is part of the discussion:
I am in WA and graduated 3 years ago, in WA there are very few jobs. I was told there was going to be a big shortage in teachers by 2013, this all changed due to the GFC as teachers can no longer afford to retire, add to that the department employment changes and government budget cuts and the chance of obtaining a job are extremely slim.
I am sitting here unemployed, my only income is relief teaching and that is very rare and erratic. I have applied for approx. 30 jobs and have only just got my first interview for a fixed term position of 6 months, should I get it, I will be once again unemployed for the last Term of the year. Most positions advertised have between 100-400 teachers applying, such is the situation in WA.

I'm not trying to be negative - just keeping it real...

Edited November 21, 2015 by RYLC

[dowey]

Hi everyone

Thank You very much for your time in sharing your thoughts and opinions

Do you think there is any chance at all, of Primary teacher going back on SOL in 2016???

[RYLC]

No - no chance of it going back on the list in 2016.

I've done a bit of digging (sorry for the invasion of privacy but I've only looked at publicly available info) and have the following question: why are you not applying with your wife as the main applicant? If I'm looking at the right person then she is an Early Childhood Teacher which is VERY much needed, is on the SOL and there are lots of vacancies for early childhood teacher (what we know in RSA as preprimary).

Edited November 21, 2015 by RYLC

[RYLC]

I see you posted on another thread:

My wife had her Bachelor of Primary Education successfully assessed.

Primary school teacher is not on the SOL.

We are hoping it will be on the new SOL in July 2016.

We want to live in Perth.

I see that primary school teacher is on the CSOL.

Do you know if my wife first needs to secure employment before we can apply for the 190 visa ????

You need to get your wife's qualification re assessed as Early Childhood Teacher with AITSL.

They will assess you according to whichever form you sent in. If you applied as Primary School Teacher then that is what they will assess you on. So you now need to apply as Early Childhood Teacher. When you look at the AITSL forms you will see that they classify teachers by the age of the kids they teach. I think your wife will fit the requirements for Early Childhood. Perhaps see if you can give them a ring on Monday and ask what further information they will need ie just a a new form and fee or all the attachments as well?

Here is a link to an older thread that covers the primary vs early childhood teacher application / assessment. I posted quite a few answers and it's probably best to direct you there rather than repost here:

http://www.saaustralia.org/index.php/topic/44255-not-on-sol-anymore-help-please/

Hopefully you will be able to take the same path and get a visa.

Edited November 21, 2015 by RYLC

[dowey]

Hi RYLC

What is your email address??

I want to send you some documents to see if I should submit an application to AITSL for Early childhood skills assessment.

I have already submitted an application for Early childhood and it was unsuccessful.

I have submitted an application for Primary School teacher and it was successful.

Do you think I should try and send another application for Early Childhood??

My teaching practice was for years 3 to 8.

[RYLC]

Dowey you can direct message me but rather than sending me documents perhaps just answer the following questions and I'll see if I can help. I'm not qualified to give advice. I just went through the whole teacher investigation thing for my sister a while ago so had a good look at some of the requirements back then.

I'm find your posts a bit confusing because I can't work out whether you are the teacher or whether your wife is or whether you both are. So perhaps you can post or message me the following:

• Your current occupation:
• Name of degree:
• Phase if applicable:
• Ages of children when prac teaching and number of days of prac teaching:
• Ages (not year) of children taught currently:

• Your wife's current occupation:
• Name of degree:
• Phase if applicable:
• Ages of children when prac teaching and number of days of prac teaching:
• Ages (not year) of children taught currently:

I'll have a look at the info and get back to you. It might be worth getting a free assessment from one of the agents on here as I am not an agent.

[dowey]

Hi RYLC

My wife is the school teacher.

Below are answers to your questions:

• Your wife's current occupation: Pre- Primary teacher
• Name of degree: Bachelor of Primary Education
• Phase if applicable:
• Ages of children when prac teaching and number of days of prac teaching: Age range was 5 to 8 years and 100 days prac teaching was done during the study of her degree
• Ages (not year) of children taught currently: 4 years old

I hope the above helps you.

[RYLC]

Hi RYLC

My wife is the school teacher.

Below are answers to your questions:

• Your wife's current occupation: Pre- Primary teacher
• Name of degree: Bachelor of Primary Education
• Phase if applicable:
• Ages of children when prac teaching and number of days of prac teaching: Age range was 5 to 8 years and 100 days prac teaching was done during the study of her degree
• Ages (not year) of children taught currently: 4 years old

I hope the above helps you.

Was the Bachelor of Primary Education in the Foundation Phase or not? It is important to know which phase she did please.

There must be part of your application that didn't satisfy Early Childhood teacher criteria.

The split between the levels by AITSL is:

Early Years Teacher: ages of 3 - 8

Primary Teacher: ages of 5 - 12 years

So as you can see Early years and Primary Teachers overlap for the age group of 5-8 years. Your prac teaching seems to be for those overlap years of 5-8 and it sounds like you did enough days.

So perhaps your degree is not in the foundation phase?

Below is the criteria for an Early Childhood teacher direct from their form. You seem to have the degree, the prac in the right age level and English is fine too. I really think it is worth emailing AITSL and asking if you can call an assessor to find out where you "fall short" so that if it is just a case of the paperwork not quite highlighting things correctly then you can correct that.

Assessment Criteria – Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School) Teacher (ANZSCO 241111)

For the purposes of AITSL Assessment for Migration an early childhood (pre-primary school) teacher is degree qualified to teach students between the ages of 3 - 8 years in education programs prior to and in the early years of primary school.

All applicants, regardless of where they completed their training, will be assessed against three criteria: Educational, Professional, and English language proficiency. Applications must meet all three assessment criteria to obtain a successful outcome.

1. Educational

Study assessed by AITSL as comparable to at least four years full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education (university) level study in Australia, that results in a qualification/s comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor degree or higher.

2. Professional

An initial teacher education qualification relevant to the early childhood (pre-primary school) teacher occupation of at least one year full-time study (or part time equivalent) at the higher education (university) level. The qualification must include a minimum of 45 days of supervised teaching practice with students across the ages of 3 - 8 years in education programs prior to and in the early years of primary school.

The professional qualification/s must be assessed as comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor degree or higher.

3. English language

English language proficiency demonstrated by one of the following:

(i) An Academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Test Report Form (TRF) that shows a score of at least 7.0 for both Reading and Writing; and a score of at least 8.0 for both Speaking and Listening.

The IELTS test scores must appear on a single IELTS TRF and be the result of a test undertaken during the 12 month period prior to submitting an application.

Or

(ii) An applicant has completed at least four full years of study in higher education (university) in Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of America. This study must have resulted in award of qualification(s) comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor degree or higher and must include a recognised initial teacher education qualification.

Edited November 22, 2015 by RYLC

[JoByron]

I have written a guide for SA teachers moving to Aus for visa 189. We did the process ourselves and my partner came over as a de facto partner on my visa (ECD teacher).

We only arrived in July 2015 so it will still be valid.

I have attached the file to this reply - I hope it helps!

Jo

A guide for Teachers VISA 189 PDF.pdf

[dowey]

Thanks for your reply Jo.

I will read info in the file

[missj]

Dowey, I have the same qualification as you for foundation and intermediate phase. Did my 45 days prac in junior primary. Did the skills assessment myself and got a negative. Candice Kotze from MigrAte AU applied for me and explained their error. I just got a positive skills assessment. I would suggest contacting Candice and see if she can help you too. 

[Junglejet]

@RYLC Thanks for the great insight above.

I find my wife and I in a similar situation to Dowey. My wife has a Bachelor of Primary Education, qualified in Foundation phase. She has her 6 weeks of practical teaching per year for the 4 years of her degree, teaching grades 1 - 3, thus meets the 45 hours prac teaching easily. She has a number of years experience teaching grade 1 and 3 children.

What I'm interested in asking, is whether to your knowledge the above information, once stated in the AITSL Early Childhood Development application, is sufficient to secure a positive assessment or is it necessary to try provide additional information on the qualification she completed to justify the fact the subjects she taught, in fact pertained to educating children aged 6, 7 & 8 years old?

I'm a little concerned about the fact her degree refers to 'Primary Education', as don't want AITSL thus stating she's actually a Primary School Teacher when in fact her expertise and qualification lie in teaching ages 6 - 8 years old, thus ECD.

We've got past the IELTS successfully so this is the next hurdle, hoping for the best!

[missj]

Hi jungle jet 

 

I also submitted a detailed syllabus of my degree with my application, AITSL then requeSted a letter from my university stating that at least one of year of my studies was focused on ECD. My agent also submitted a letter with my application. Then with a lot of explaining from my agent I eventually got a positive. I honestly believe that without her im not sure if they would have given me a positive skills. When applying on your own there is no contact with them.  That is my experience. I would strongly suggest using candice Kotze from Migraye AU if you want a good chance. She deals with a lot of teachers and has contacts at AiTSL. Good luck!

[Junglejet]

Thank you Olivia,

I'm going to try get more included in a current letter I've requested from the uni, thereby covering the point you're making ito at least one year of study focusing on ECD. I do believe though that due to her degree being focused specifically on Foundation Phase, in fact all 4 years of her qualification had focus on ECD (6 - 8 years old). I am working with a reputable immi agent locally, thus I'm sure the route we'll follow will be similar to what you have mentioned. I was quite interested though to see how others have handled this, so your input really has been welcome. Thank you.

Well, holding thumbs all goes well.

[Junglejet]

On Monday, March 14, 2016 at 1:34 PM, OliviaK said:

Hi jungle jet 

 

I also submitted a detailed syllabus of my degree with my application, AITSL then requeSted a letter from my university stating that at least one of year of my studies was focused on ECD. My agent also submitted a letter with my application. Then with a lot of explaining from my agent I eventually got a positive. I honestly believe that without her im not sure if they would have given me a positive skills. When applying on your own there is no contact with them.  That is my experience. I would strongly suggest using candice Kotze from Migraye AU if you want a good chance. She deals with a lot of teachers and has contacts at AiTSL. Good luck!

Hi Olivia,

We're awaiting outcome of the assessment currently. I wanted to ask, what years were your practical experience, as well as your teaching experience? Which grades did you cover during both of those aspects of teaching?