Audiologist is one of the professions that are in a high demand in Australia and South African audiologists are sought after.
ANZSCO is the Australia and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations. It’s a skills-based classification system used to classify all occupations and jobs in the Australian and New Zealand labour market.
From ANZSCO you’ll learn:
- The different skills shortage lists.
- Which occupations appears on the skills shortage lists.
- The qualifications and experience you need to perform specific jobs.
- What your tasks would be in your occupation.
The skills shortage lists are lists of occupations that Australia needs to fill market labour gaps. In other words, Australia wants to attract talent from abroad for these occupations. This means if your occupation appears on these lists, you are in a good position to emigrate to Australia.
The ANZSCO code assigned to speech therapists is 252711. This code gives us more details as to the criteria audiologists has to meet in order to qualify to emigrate to Australia.
The first thing we look at is the group that audiologists fall under:
Major Group: 2 - Professionals | Sub-Major Group: 25 - Health Professionals | Minor Group: 252 - Health Therapy Professionals | Unit Group: 2527 - Audiologists and Speech Pathologists Therapists
As you can see there are four groups showing how the code is made up – we are mostly interested in the code (252711) which is specific to audiologists.
This part of the ANZSCO criteria lays out a broad description of what an audiologist is supposed to be able to do:
Provide diagnostic assessment and rehabilitation services related to human hearing defects, and assess and treat people with communication disorders and physical problems associated with eating and swallowing. .
Audiologists are an occupation at Skill Level 1, which means it has a level of skill equal to a bachelor degree or higher qualification.
In the absence of a formal qualification, at least five years of relevant experience may serve as a substitute. In some instances, relevant experiences and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.
When applying for emigration as an audiologist, you must be able to demonstrate or prove that you can perform the majority of the tasks below:
- Administering and interpreting a wide range of audiometric tests to determine hearing efficiency and locate sites of detected hearing problems.
- Interpreting audiometric test results alongside other medical, social and behavioural diagnostic data.
- Evaluating total response pattern and acoustic tests to distinguish between organic and non-organic hearing loss.
- Planning, directing and participating in counselling, speech reading and other rehabilitation programs.
- Prescribing appropriate hearing aids and instructing patients in use.
- Administering tests and observing patients to determine nature and extent of disorders.
- Planning and conducting programs of remedial exercise to correct disorders such as stuttering and abnormal articulation.
- Administering individual and group therapy for rehabilitation of patients with communication problems caused by defective hearing, cerebral palsy, surgery and injury.
- Advising on treatment for children with difficulties in learning to speak.
- Counselling and guiding language-handicapped individuals, their families, teachers and employers.
You must have your skills and experience assessed for immigration. This is the most important step in the process – you cannot work in Australia if you don’t meet the requirements.
Many people mistakenly think that finding a job is the first step when immigrating.
In fact, the first step should always be an immigration assessment to see if you’re eligible for a work visa.
Our reasoning is two-fold. Firstly, as you may be able to guess, you won’t be able to immigrate without qualifying for a visa. Secondly, it enables you to job hunt with confidence if you are eligible for a work visa. Employers are much more likely to extend job offers if they know that you can work in Australia. .
The golden rule? Do an assessment, then find a job.
Want to know if you're eligible to emigrate to Australia as an audiologist?
PART 1 – Age
|
18 – 25 |
25 |
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25 – 32 |
30 |
|
32 – 39 |
25 |
|
40 – 44 |
15 |
|
45 – 49 |
0 |
As you can see audiologists in the right age bracket can achieve as much as 50% of the required 65 points just by being in the right age group.
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Superior English - IELTS 8 or more in all 4 components or OET ‘A pass’ |
20 |
|
Proficient English - IELTS 7 or more in all 4 components or OET ‘B pass’ |
10 |
|
Threshold English: Competent English (IELTS 6 or more in all 4 components or certain passport holders) |
0 |
The English language test is very important in scoring points. As you can see it can be as much as 20 points but be warned if you are not a native speaker it can be a challenge.
PART 3 – Overseas employment experience
|
36 months (3 years) in the last 10 years |
5 |
|
60 months (5 years) in the last 10 years |
10 |
|
96 months (8 years) in the last 10 years |
15 |
Overseas means employment not in Australia and as per the table above we are looking for at least 3 years in your occupation as an audiologist to make emigration to Australia possible.
PART 4 – Australian employment experience
Points are available if an applicant has worked in Australia in their nominated occupation or closely related skilled occupation as follows:
Years |
Points |
|
1 year |
5 |
|
3 years |
10 |
|
5 years |
15 |
|
8 years |
20 |
Note that a maximum of 20 points can be awarded for a combination of Australian and overseas work experience
.
PART 5 – Australian professional year
5 points are awarded if you have completed a professional year in Australia, in your nominated occupation as an audiologist or closely related occupation.
PART 6 – Educational qualifications
Points are awarded for the completion of qualifications either through an Australian educational institution or an overseas qualification for which the Minister is satisfied is of a recognised standard:
|
Doctorate (PhD) – Australian institution or recognised overseas institution |
20 |
|
Bachelor degree or higher – Australian institution or recognised overseas institution |
15 |
|
Diploma – Australian institution |
10 |
|
Trade certificate – Australian institution |
10 |
|
Qualification or award recognised by the relevant assessing authority for the applicant’s nominated occupation |
10 |
Applicants only receive points for their highest single qualification – it is not possible to claim points for more than one qualification under this part.
PART 7 – Australian study
Applicants who have met the two-year Australian study requirement can obtain 5 points.
PART 8 – Credentialed community language
NAATI-accredited translators and interpreters at the paraprofessional (level 2) or higher are eligible for 5 points. A list of languages is not specified, so by implication any language assessed by NAATI at the paraprofessional level or higher should be acceptable.
PART 9 – Study in a regional or low-population growth metropolitan area of Australia
Criteria are:
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Applicant meets the 2-year Australian study requirement;
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Studies were conducted at a campus in regional Australia or a low-population growth metropolitan area;
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Applicant lived in in regional Australia or a low-population growth metropolitan area during the study;
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None of the studies was via distance education.
The relevant regional areas are all parts of Australia, excluding: greater Brisbane area, the Gold Coast, Newcastle, the Central Coast, Sydney, Wollongong, Melbourne metropolitan area, Perth and surrounding areas and the Australian Capital Territory.
.
PART 10 – Partner skill
Applicant’s spouse or defacto partner:
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Is an applicant for the same GSM visa subclass;
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Is not an Australian permanent resident or citizen;
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Was under the age of 45 at the time of invitation to apply for the visa;
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Nominated a skilled occupation at the time of invitation to apply for the visa;
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Had a suitable skills assessment in their occupation at time of invitation to apply for the visa; and
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Had competent English at the time of invitation to apply for the visa.
PART 11 – State or Territory nomination
One way of gaining extra points as an audiologist seeking to emigrate to Australia is to look at state or territory nomination. Whilst this commits you to living in a certain state for or territory for 2 years it can mean those vital extra points are earned.
If you are able to look at the 190 visa option the following factors apply in order to gain 5 additional points.
-
The applicant has been invited to apply for the visa by a State or Territory government; and
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The nomination has not been withdrawn by the State or Territory government.
If you are able to look at the 489 visa option the following factors apply in order to gain 10 additional points.
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The applicant has been invited to apply for the visa by a State or Territory government; and
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The nomination has not been withdrawn by the State or Territory government.
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The applicant has been sponsored by a relative usually resident in a designated area; and
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The sponsorship has been accepted by the Minister.
As an audiologist looking to immigrate to Australia, you’ll have your skills assessed by VETASSESS. VETASSESS is Australia’s leading vocational education and training (VET) assessment provider.
VETASSESS will assess your qualifications and employment against the suitability of your nominated occupation.
Qualification assessment involves assessing the educational level comparability of your qualifications on the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and determining the relevance of your qualifications for your nominated occupation. Employment assessment entails determining whether your work experience, whether obtained in Australia or overseas, is at an appropriate skill level and relevant to your nominated occupation.
You’ll need a positive assessment of both qualifications and employment for a successful skills assessment for migration purposes.
It is important to know that skills assessments are costly and should thus only be done once you have had an immigration eligibility assessment done.
This means a formal assessment and a written report that does all of the following:
- Make clear recommendations.
- Confirms that you meet all the requirements.
Outlines all the costs. - Includes a step-by-step process for the way forward.
Neglecting to do the eligibility assessment first could jeopardise your visa application and cost you a lot of money.
All applicants for permanent and provisional visas must meet Australia’s health requirements to ensure a successful immigration. This includes the:
- Main applicant;
- Spouse; and
- Any other members of the family unit.
The Department of Home Affairs or the migration medical services provider will evaluate the completed health exam reports to decide if applicants meet Australia’s health requirements.
Please note: In certain cases, non-migrating family members will also be assessed against the health requirements.
Everyone who wants to enter Australia must be of good character and will be assessed against the character requirements. As part of your visa application, you might be required to provide a police clearance certificate or other evidence to satisfy the character requirements.
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You will not pass the character test if:
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you have a substantial criminal record, meaning you have been sentenced to 12 months or more in prison, or multiple sentences that add up to more than 12 months in prison. A suspended sentence is considered a prison sentence.
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you have been convicted of escaping from immigration detention, or convicted for an offence that you committed:
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while you were in immigration detention,
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during an escape from immigration detention,
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after an escape, but before you were taken into immigration detention again.
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You are or have been a member of a group or organisation, or had or have an association with a person, group or organisation that the Minister for Immigration reasonably suspects of involvement in criminal conduct
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The Minister for Immigration reasonably suspects that you have been involved in people smuggling, people trafficking, genocide, a war crime, a crime against humanity, a crime involving torture or slavery, or a crime that is of serious international concern, whether or not you have been convicted of such an offence
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Your past and present criminal or general conduct shows that you are not of good character
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There is a risk that while you are in Australia you would:
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engage in criminal conduct,
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harass, molest, intimidate or stalk another person,
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vilify a segment of the Australian community,
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incite discord in the Australian community or in a part of it,
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be a danger to the Australian community or a part of it.
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You have been convicted of, or found guilty or had a charge proven for one or more sexually based offences involving a child,
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You are subject to an adverse security assessment by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
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You are subject to an Interpol notice, from which it is reasonable to infer that you a direct or indirect risk to the Australian community, or a segment of the Australian community.
In order to immigrate to Australia, you must score an IELTS 7 in all four components of your test. However, your immigration agent should advise you on which English language test would be best for you.
Emigrating to Australia as an audiologist will only be possible if you achieve a points score of at least 65.
While there is a general emigration pathway, each person’s emigration journey is unique to their circumstances. No two applications are ever exactly the same.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is assuming your emigration should happen the same as that of a friend or family member's. It would only be the case if you’ve lead identical lives, with identical qualifications and experience – which is highly unlikely.
The key to unlocking the secrets to your emigration journey lies in an immigration assessment, done by a licensed immigration agent, that outlines your tailored emigration plan.
Continue reading to find out more.
It’s like we said above – each person’s circumstances is unique, which makes it important to have a plan that’s tailored to your situation.
Let’s look at a couple of examples as illustration:
Situation 1:
You’re Afrikaans and your English is okay. However, you haven’t had to sit a test for a number of years. The thought of having to do an English exam and having to achieve a certain points score is daunting.
In this case, our recommendation would be to tick off the English test before spending money on a skills assessment.
Situation 2:
Your English is superb and of no concern. In this case, our advice would be to start with the skills assessment, as there is little chance that the English exam score will prohibit you from doing a visa application.
You can now see why it’s important to get a tailored emigration plan, outlining all the steps – based on your circumstances.
Our team of licensed advisors can assess your eligibility to work in Australia - so that you know for sure if you can go ahead with your immigration.
If you meet the requirements to work in Australia as an audiologist, our licensed advisors will discuss your visa options with you, work out a personalised immigration plan, and share the costs and process involved.
If you choose to work with us, our advisors and our admin department will work with you to submit a complete visa application.
Ready? Click 'GET STARTED' below to get in touch with our team.