Spouse Teacher Qualification

[GoingRural]

Hi All

 

I am planning on going on a 189 Visa and would like to use my wife's qualification for an extra 5 points. I have a couple of questions:

 

1. Is the Academic IELTS a prerequisite for the assessment of her teaching degree (Early Childhood Development) even though she will not be the main applicant?

2. English is not our home language, but both of us completed our schooling and Varsity in English. She is very anxious about the IELTS exam. If we decide that I will forfeit the 5 points, will she be able to work as a Teacher or even a Teacher's Aide in Australia even though her skills were not assessed by AITSL?

 

Any answers or comments would be appreciated.

[RYLC]

Points aside, she will have to get her qualifications assessed by AITSL to be able to work in a school as it is a requirement of the Teachers' Association in each state and you have to be registered with them to even be able to apply for a teaching role.  She will have to do the English test (IELTS or Pearson). There is no way around it. Best to just get it over with. 

[LouiseMark]

Hi. I am a teacher and my husband was the main applicant. I did not get my skills assessed. Once we arrived in Sydney I contacted the relevant teaching board (NESA). I had to complete the Academic IELTS ( they would only accept this) and submit all my transcripts and certificates as well as the Working with Children Check which can only be done once you land in NSW. I had to provide them with a list of my previous teaching experience and a letter from the college stating I had done the required teaching practical days (teaching prac during the 4 years of studies). Once you have all this submitted and accepted you can then apply to the Department of Education and attend a suitability interview and from there you are approved to teach. 

Please note this is for NSW. Other states different processes and bodies you must contact. 

[RYLC]

3 hours ago, LouiseMark said:

Hi. I am a teacher and my husband was the main applicant. I did not get my skills assessed. Once we arrived in Sydney I contacted the relevant teaching board (NESA). I had to complete the Academic IELTS ( they would only accept this) and submit all my transcripts and certificates as well as the Working with Children Check which can only be done once you land in NSW. I had to provide them with a list of my previous teaching experience and a letter from the college stating I had done the required teaching practical days (teaching prac during the 4 years of studies). Once you have all this submitted and accepted you can then apply to the Department of Education and attend a suitability interview and from there you are approved to teach. 

Please note this is for NSW. Other states different processes and bodies you must contact. 

 

The bits I've highlighted in bold are the same steps for getting your skills assessed from offshore as a main applicant.  So no difference in the process on-shore to get work ready.  Each state teachers' association/board then has a few additional requirements. They all have a "working with children" type certification process. For instance it's called a "Blue Card" in Queensland. Some states also require you to attend a first aid course.

 

Your wife may as well get the assessment process done ahead of time whether you need the points or not so that she only has the final state specific steps left when she gets here.

 

 

[LouiseMark]

@RYLC agreed. But, and I stand under correction if i have misunderstood, you pay for skills assessment whereas I only paid for the IELTS ( I didn't need IELTS for visa) and then $100 registration for NESA which is a yearly fee one has to pay.

If time is of the essence and you are watching every penny then wait. It took only a few days for NESA to approve my qualifications and then about 9 days for the Department of Education to give me final approval after my suitability interview. So all in all a much quicker process. This was for teaching K to 6. This was my experience and I am sure not everyone has the same. I came prepared with all the paperwork I knew I would need and posted it off to NESA (yes they still like snail mail) as soon as I was ready. We were fortunate that we didn't need the extra points so didn't worry about my skills at the time of visa application. One skills assessment was all we could deal with at the time!. 

[Aneldari]

Hi

 

It takes approx 10 weeks after the AITSL applic has been received, for an outcome to be received, so it is truly a very expensive and loonngg process before the EOI for 189 can be submitted. If you are not too worried about the 5 points, I wouldn't have bothered...

 

As a teacher she most definitely will have to do an English test for teacher registration. If you do AITSL, she must do the Acad IELTS.
The fact that her secondary schooling has been done in English, is GREAT! She wouldn't have to do any English test for 189. She has to get a letter from the high school she attended to state that all of her secondary schooling was in English. Few prerequisites for letter such as being on school's  letterhead. You should ask around for examples or templetes. 

 

If she only wants to register as a teacher when you are already in Aus, there is another test available which focusses on the subjects you teach! Which I believe, is better... 

Almost all the states accept this test, except, I think, WA (list is on the test website).

 

Test: http://islpr.org

 

A family member recently did this test in Sydney. Sy is an English high school teacher. Her test was personalised and it focussed on English teaching. Will attach examples of her practice test questions.

 

Like the previous posts mentioned, she first have to apply to work with children. Different names for each state.  In Canberra, ACT it is called Working with Vulnerable People.  Unfortunately it takes about 8 weeks in ACT. During that time, she can do the English test. After receiving all the outcomes, she can register for teacher registration. 

 

Bit of a schlep, but all of it is most definitely worth it!

 

Good luck!
 

 

Edited May 5, 2018 by Aneldari

[Nallan]

Im not sure how the process has changed in the last few years...this was 2 yrs ago

 

NSW Specific

Key parts

Academic IELTS- Pvt Schools, registration with Botes

Peat Exam - Government Schools, reg. with  Botes

Certain min days in degree.

 

I am registered to teach in NSW but there isnt any jobs if you dont have suitable Aus experience or put in the casual time.Perm jobs are in the regional areas.