As you may already be aware, from the 1st of July accounting degree graduates require an IELTS 7 to receive a positive skills assessment for PR purposes. We are pleased to announce that there is now a choice. Students who are unable to achieve IELTS 7 in all bands can enroll in the SMIPA program to gain a positive skills assessment for General Skilled Migration.
On July 1st the Professional Accounting Associations as a result of discussions with the Department of Immigration & Citizenship confirmed the following: Graduates of Australian accounting degree programs will continue to have the option to complete the Skilled Migration Internship Program:
Accounting (SMIPA) and gain an assessment that can be used to apply for General Skilled Migration (GSM). Completion of SMIPA will continue to provide successful graduates with 10 bonus points under the General Skilled Migration points test. From 1st July, 2010, graduates of Australian accounting degree programs who receive an assessment showing that they have a formal qualification assessed as being at least comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree with: • Completion of at least 9 out of the 12 core knowledge areas at tertiary level and;
• IELTS Academic or General Test Report Form (TRF) showing they have a band score of at least six (6) on each of the four (4) components – speaking, reading, listening and writing; will be able to use their assessments to apply for a 485 visa.
Graduates will be able to use the 485 visa period to either:
gain an IELTS Academic band score of at least seven (7) in all 4 components
OR
complete the Skilled Migration Internship Program: Accounting (SMIPA)