Book Now We were recently contacted by a visa applicant (who incidentally had lodged his own application) whose SkillSelect visa had been refused on the basis that he did not meet the points test because the work experience he claimed to have had in Australia couldn't be counted for points purposes because he did not hold a licence at the time of the employment. At the time he lodged his EOI and subsequently his visa, he believed the work experience he gained in Australia would count. It didn't.
He is a plumber and he was pretty unhappy as you can imagine. Unfortunately this is another example of false economy in not using a registered migration agent for expert advice and visa preparation.
Legitimate Australian work experience can add 5 to 20 points to your points score for SkillSelect visas. However, if you have worked in Australia without a licence or registration at any stage, when you should have held a licence/registration to do the work, you will be unable to count the unlicensed/unregistered employment as Australian work experience when calculating your points score for SkillSelect visas.
Of course most occupations don't require licensing or registration, but some do and you should have some idea as to whether you need one or not. Some examples of occupations that do require a licence or registration in Australia are Nurses, Doctors, Dentists, Teachers, Electricians, Plumbers, Structural Engineers. This is not a complete list. If you are unsure whether you need a licence or registration we suggest you check with your professional or trade organisation in your state to find out whether you should be registered or licensed.
If you believe that you should have have held a licence but didn't at the time, and you're short of points because of it, you may need to take another path to permanent residence.
We can help you explore your options. Contact us on +61 3 9573 5200
