SM7.10 Requirements for skilled work experience

SM7.10.1 Skilled work experience in an ANZSCO skill level 1, 2, or 3 occupation

Points are awarded for skilled work experience in a skill level 1, 2 or 3 occupation if an immigration officer is satisfied that:

1. the work undertaken substantially matched (see SM7.10.5) the description for that occupation as set out in the Australia New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) (see R5.7); and
2. the applicant was suitably qualified (see SM7.10.10 and SM7.10.15) for that work prior to the work experience for which points are claimed.

SM7.10.5 Assessment of ’substantial match’

1. For the purposes of SM7.10.1 (a) above, an immigration officer must be satisfied that the applicant’s work experience for which they are claiming points was in employment that is substantially consistent with the ANZSCO Occupation (6-digit) level description for that occupation.
2. If an immigration officer is unable to determine a claimed substantial match to an ANZSCO occupation, they may request evidence of the tasks associated with that employment to assess whether the previous employment displays the characteristics of that occupation in terms of the relevant ANZSCO ‘Unit Group’ (4-digit) level description of tasks for that role.

Note: Where no description is stated at the ANZSCO Occupation (6-digit) level, an immigration officer should refer to the ANZSCO Unit Group (4-digit) description or higher ANZSCO group (3-digit or 2-digit) level as necessary to determine a substantial match with the stated occupation. Similarly, where no ANZSCO core tasks are listed at the ANZSCO Unit Group (4-digit) level, an immigration officer should refer to a higher ANZSCO group (3-digit or 2-digit) level as necessary to locate core tasks ANZSCO associates with the stated occupation.

SM7.10.10 ‘Suitably qualified’

1. An applicant will be assessed as suitably qualified in terms of SM7.10.1 (b) above if they hold a relevant qualification as specified in the ANZSCO for that occupation.
2. For the purposes of this provision, a qualification is relevant to an applicant’s employment in a skill level 1, 2 or 3 occupation for which they are claiming points for skilled work experience if:
   1. the major subject area of the principal applicant's recognised qualification is directly applicable to the employment; or
   2. an immigration officer is satisfied that the qualification was a key factor in the employer's decision to employ the principal applicant in that position.

Note: For the purposes of this provision, 'qualifications' must meet the requirements for recognition set out in SM8 but are not required to be the same qualification(s) that qualifies for points under the ‘Recognised Qualifications’ part of these instructions (see SM8).

SM7.10.15 ’Suitably qualified’ through prior work experience

1. An applicant may also be assessed as qualified through relevant prior work experience, in terms of SM6.10.20 (a) (ii) or SM6.10.20 (b).
2. For the purposes of this provision, prior work experience is relevant to the employment for which an applicant is claiming points if:
   1. an immigration officer is satisfied that it was directly applicable to, or in a closely related field to, the employment for which work experience points are claimed; or
   2. the experience was a key factor in the employer’s decision to employ the principal applicant in that position.

Note: ‘Prior work experience’ is work experience completed before the work experience for which points are claimed. Prior work experience does not have to be ‘skilled work experience’

1. Where an applicant is claiming points for relevant work experience in related occupations that demonstrate career progression, they are only required to show that they were adequately qualified by prior work experience for the first of the related roles for which points are claimed.

   Examples:
   An applicant who does not have a relevant recognised qualification and has worked for a total of 10 years in the related occupations of:
   
   Software Tester (skill level 1) for three years, followed by
   Database Administrator (skill level 1) for three years, followed by
   Analyst Programmer (skill level 1) for four years
   
   is not required to show five years prior relevant work experience for each of these roles.
   
   The three years as a Software Tester and two of the three years as a Database Administrator are sufficient o demonstrate that they are adequately qualified (as per ANZSCO requirements) to claim 20 points for a total of five years of skilled work experience – one year as a Database Administrator and four years as an Analyst Programmer.
   
   An applicant who does not have a relevant recognised qualification and has worked for a total of seven years in the related occupations of:
   
   Waiter (skill level 4) for two years, followed by
   Maitre d’ (skill level 4) for one year, followed by
   Restaurant Manager (skill level 2) for four years
   
   is qualified (as per ANZSCO requirements) by three years of relevant prior work experience to claim 20 points for four years of skilled work experience in the skill level 2 role of Restaurant Manager.

SM7.10.20 Recognition of work experience: other occupations

Points will only be awarded for work experience that is not in an ANZSCO skill level 1, 2 or 3 occupation, or listed at Appendix 7 if:

1. the applicant qualifies for points for skilled employment in terms of SM6.10.5 (a)(ii), SM6.10.5 (a) (iii) or SM6.10.15; and
2. an immigration officer is satisfied that the work experience for which points are claimed was undertaken in the same occupation; and
3. the applicant was suitably qualified by training and/or experience for that work in terms of SM6.10.25; and
4. that qualification or work experience was completed prior to the work experience for which points are claimed.

Effective 30/10/2019