1505526 (Migration)

[2015] AATA 3446

1505526 (Migration) [2015] AATA 3446 (25 September 2015)

DECISION RECORD

DIVISION:Migration & Refugee Division

APPLICANT:  Miss LI WEI FOO

CASE NUMBER:  1505526

DIBP REFERENCE(S):  BCC2015/79785

SENIOR MEMBER:  Antoinette Younes

DATE:25 September 2015

PLACE OF DECISION:  Sydney

DECISION:The Tribunal remits the application for a Skilled (Provisional) (Class VC) visa for reconsideration, with the direction that the applicant meets the following criteria for a Subclass 485 visa:

·cl.485.223 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations; and

·cl.485.224 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations.

Statement made on 25 September 2015 at 12:33pm

STATEMENT OF DECISION AND REASONS

APPLICATION FOR REVIEW

1. This is an application for review of a decision made by a delegate of the Minister for Immigration on 21 April 2015 to refuse to grant the applicant a Skilled (Provisional) (Class VC) visa under s.65 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act).

2. The applicant applied for the visa on 8 January 2015. Visa Class VC contains Subclass 485. (For visa applications made before 1 July 2013, there is also a Subclass 487, however that subclass is not relevant to the present matter.) The criteria for the grant of a Subclass 485 visa are set out in Part 485 of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Regulations). The primary criteria must be satisfied by at least one applicant. Other members of the family unit, if any, who are applicants for the visa need satisfy only the secondary criteria.

3. The delegate refused the visa because the applicant did not satisfy cl.485.224 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations because the applicant did not have a Skills Assessment for the nominated occupation of Child Care Centre Manager 134111.

4. For the following reasons, the Tribunal has concluded that the matter should be remitted for reconsideration.

   CONSIDERATION OF CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE

5. The applicant is seeking to satisfy the primary criteria for a Subclass 485 visa in the Graduate Work stream which include cl.485.223 and 485.224 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations. These criteria are concerned with the applicant’s skills in relation to their nominated skilled occupation. The issue in the present case is whether the applicant meets those requirements.

   Had the applicant applied for a relevant skills assessment?

6. Clause 485.223 requires that when the visa application was made, it was accompanied by evidence that the applicant had applied for an assessment of the applicant’s skills for the nominated ‘skilled occupation’ by a ‘relevant assessing authority’.

7. ‘Skilled occupation’ has the meaning given by r.1.15I of the Regulations (r.1.03). An occupation is a skilled occupation if: it is specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing as a skilled occupation; and, if a number of points are specified in the instrument as being available — for which the number of points are available; and that is applicable to the person in accordance with the specification of the occupation. ‘Relevant assessing authority’ means a person or body specified by the Minister in an instrument under r.2.26B of the Regulations (r.1.03). The relevant instrument is Legislative Instrument IMMI 14/048.   

8. On the evidence before the Tribunal, the applicant nominated the occupation of Child Care Centre Manager 134111 which is a specified skilled occupation. For that occupation, the relevant assessing authority specified is TRA.

9. There is evidence in the Departmental file, namely a copy of a receipt dated 19 January 2015 from TRA referring to the lodgement by the applicant of a skills assessment which accompanied the application for the visa.  As the visa application, when made was accompanied by evidence of an application for a skills assessment for the nominated skilled occupation by a relevant assessing authority, the applicant satisfies the requirements of cl.485.223.

   Has the applicant been assessed as suitable for the nominated occupation?

10. Clause 485.224(1) requires that the applicant’s skills for the nominated skilled occupation have been assessed, during the last 3 years, by a relevant assessing authority as suitable for that occupation. In addition, if the assessment is expressed to be valid for a particular period, that period must not have ended: cl.485.224(1A).

11. There is an additional requirement if the skills assessment was based on a qualification obtained in Australia while the applicant held a student visa.

12. On 6 May 2015, the Tribunal received from the applicant a copy of a TRA Provisional Skills Assessment dated 29 April 2015 indicating that the applicant has been assessed as successful for the occupation of Childcare Centre Manager, 134111. Therefore the requirements of cl.485.224 are met.

    How and where was the qualification obtained?

13. If the applicant’s skills were assessed on the basis of a qualification obtained in Australia while the applicant held a student visa, the qualification must have been obtained as a result of studying a registered course (cl.485.224(2)). ‘Registered course’ is defined to mean a ‘course of education or training provided by an institution, body or person that is registered, under section 9 of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, to provide the course to overseas students’ (r.1.03).

14. Movement details in relation to the applicant indicated that at the time of lodging the application, she was the holder of a subclass 573 student visa. In support of the visa application, the applicant provided evidence that she has obtained her qualifications of Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies, Diploma in Children’s Services, Certificate IV in Children’s Services, and certificate III in Children’s Services in Australia, namely from the Queensland University and Technology and the West Coast Institute of Training.

15. On the basis of the available information, the Tribunal is satisfied that the applicant’s skills were assessed on the basis of a qualification obtained in Australia while the applicant held a student visa and that the qualification was obtained as a result of studying a registered course.  Therefore, the applicant satisfies the requirements of cl.485.224(2).

16. It follows that the applicant meets the requirements of cl.485.224.

17. On the basis of the above findings, the Tribunal finds that the applicant meets the requirements of cl.485.223 and 485.224 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations. The appropriate course is to remit the visa application to the Minister to consider the remaining criteria for the visa.

    DECISION

18. The Tribunal remits the application for a Skilled (Provisional) (Class VC) visa for reconsideration, with the direction that the applicant meets the following criteria for a Subclass 485 visa:

    ·cl.485.223 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations; and

    ·cl.485.224 of Schedule 2 to the Regulations.

    Antoinette Younes
    Senior Member