Education Credentials Evaluation

[Amar9561]

Hello, how are you?

I am a newbie on here, and this is my very first post, so please forgive any errors/inconsistencies in what I am relaying.

Basically, I am a Carpenter in New Zealand with seven years experience under my belt in Residential Construction/Maintenance. Seven years prior, I qualified as an entry level Carpenter (as per New Zealand Regulations) with a Level 3 Certificate in Carpentry which was a one year full-time course. After that, I spent six years building up my experience. Later, down the track, I decided to do another one-year Certification. I did this to upskill myself and progress further in the industry and eventually towards owning my own business. This was a New Zealand Certification In Construction Related Trades (Supervisor) Level 4. Level 4 being the next step up and above Level 3 which was more a trade certificate allowing entry into the industry and certifying that graduates knew what they were doing for employers. By New Zealand law, a Level 3 is requisite for becoming a Carpenter as an individual without this qualification is not legally considered competent to undertake the role of a Carpenter and be employed as such. Even for trainee Carpenters being taught on the job, a Level 3 is a necessity.

In this Level 4 Qualification, I studied full time at an accredited polytechnic (Manukau Institute of Technology in Auckland, New Zealand). The course was not practical based at all but theoretical covering the following four areas of construction theory:

-Time Management
-Employment Law
-Health And Safety Planning
-Recording and Understanding Contracts
-Construction Related Business Administration

These were general concepts geared towards priming us for researching various facets of construction technicalities and running a construction related business both on-site and off-site (office based etc).

A few months back I made the decision to migrate to Canada given that the current Labour government in New Zealand is not exactly Business-savvy and the economy is stagnating wage-wise and tax-wise. I researched lawyers and had consultations with over several consultants before settling on the law firm of Abram & Krochak.

Only recently, we began the migration program. So far it is unclear to both of us (lawyer and I) whether indeed I will be invited to apply for residence under the Federal Skilled Worker Express Entry scheme. However, a facet of that process is to get my educational credentials evaluated through an organization empowered to do so by Canadian Immigration Authorities.

Now obviously the New Zealand Educational Framework-NZQF or NZQA-is quite dissimilar to its Canadian counterpart. This is where I am stumped. The evaluation authorities are emphatic that they do not assess trade or vocational qualifications. I am wondering if anyone else has had a similar dilemma and what the eventual outcome was? I am not even sure whether my Level 4 even falls under the trade/vocational category. I am basing this on the fact that in New Zealand, it is considered a part of the construction industry but not specifically a trade certification on the grounds it does not recognize an acquired trade skill (carpentry, plumbing, electrician etc). Rather, it certifies your ability to supervise in a construction environment.

I guess the worst case scenario for me would be its considered nothing at all. Not even akin to a secondary school qualification.

Naturally, I will be going through an evaluation organization but given the length of time I am wondering whether there is a credible answer which I can then relay to my lawyers so we can find a solution to a problem which we know will arise?

Thank you and I apologize for inconveniencing you.

 

[scylla]

Hello, how are you?

I am a newbie on here, and this is my very first post, so please forgive any errors/inconsistencies in what I am relaying.

Basically, I am a Carpenter in New Zealand with seven years experience under my belt in Residential Construction/Maintenance. Seven years prior, I qualified as an entry level Carpenter (as per New Zealand Regulations) with a Level 3 Certificate in Carpentry which was a one year full-time course. After that, I spent six years building up my experience. Later, down the track, I decided to do another one-year Certification. I did this to upskill myself and progress further in the industry and eventually towards owning my own business. This was a New Zealand Certification In Construction Related Trades (Supervisor) Level 4. Level 4 being the next step up and above Level 3 which was more a trade certificate allowing entry into the industry and certifying that graduates knew what they were doing for employers. By New Zealand law, a Level 3 is requisite for becoming a Carpenter as an individual without this qualification is not legally considered competent to undertake the role of a Carpenter and be employed as such. Even for trainee Carpenters being taught on the job, a Level 3 is a necessity.

In this Level 4 Qualification, I studied full time at an accredited polytechnic (Manukau Institute of Technology in Auckland, New Zealand). The course was not practical based at all but theoretical covering the following four areas of construction theory:

-Time Management
-Employment Law
-Health And Safety Planning
-Recording and Understanding Contracts
-Construction Related Business Administration

These were general concepts geared towards priming us for researching various facets of construction technicalities and running a construction related business both on-site and off-site (office based etc).

A few months back I made the decision to migrate to Canada given that the current Labour government in New Zealand is not exactly Business-savvy and the economy is stagnating wage-wise and tax-wise. I researched lawyers and had consultations with over several consultants before settling on the law firm of Abram & Krochak.

Only recently, we began the migration program. So far it is unclear to both of us (lawyer and I) whether indeed I will be invited to apply for residence under the Federal Skilled Worker Express Entry scheme. However, a facet of that process is to get my educational credentials evaluated through an organization empowered to do so by Canadian Immigration Authorities.

Now obviously the New Zealand Educational Framework-NZQF or NZQA-is quite dissimilar to its Canadian counterpart. This is where I am stumped. The evaluation authorities are emphatic that they do not assess trade or vocational qualifications. I am wondering if anyone else has had a similar dilemma and what the eventual outcome was? I am not even sure whether my Level 4 even falls under the trade/vocational category. I am basing this on the fact that in New Zealand, it is considered a part of the construction industry but not specifically a trade certification on the grounds it does not recognize an acquired trade skill (carpentry, plumbing, electrician etc). Rather, it certifies your ability to supervise in a construction environment.

I guess the worst case scenario for me would be its considered nothing at all. Not even akin to a secondary school qualification.

Naturally, I will be going through an evaluation organization but given the length of time I am wondering whether there is a credible answer which I can then relay to my lawyers so we can find a solution to a problem which we know will arise?

Thank you and I apologize for inconveniencing you.

This is a very specific question. I think you will probably need to get ECA done to know the answer. You are right in understanding that vocational and trade certificates aren't evaluated. It's hard to say how this program will be classified.

Have you looked at your overall points under Express Entry assuming the best case scenario? Best case scenario it seems to me this many be evaluated as a 1 or 2 year diploma in Canada. Unless you know French fluently and/or also have additional education such as a Master's, I'm suspecting you may struggle to reach the point level required to be selected through Express Entry. Right now you need to have in the high 460's or ideally 470 or above to have a good chance of being selected. What have your lawyers said about all of this? Where have they estimated your points?

You can calculate your estimated points yourself using this tool:

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/crs-tool.asp

 

[Amar9561]

This is a very specific question. I think you will probably need to get ECA done to know the answer. You are right in understanding that vocational and trade certificates aren't evaluated. It's hard to say how this program will be classified.

Have you looked at your overall points under Express Entry assuming the best case scenario? Best case scenario it seems to me this many be evaluated as a 1 or 2 year diploma in Canada. Unless you know French fluently and/or also have additional education such as a Master's, I'm suspecting you may struggle to reach the point level required to be selected through Express Entry. Right now you need to have in the high 460's or ideally 470 or above to have a good chance of being selected. What have your lawyers said about all of this? Where have they estimated your points?

You can calculate your estimated points yourself using this tool:

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/crs-tool.asp

Currently, they are awaiting my IELTS, Educational Credentials Assessment and other general framework. At the most desperate, we aim for a PNP or get to Canada on a working visa and then go from there. Would you suggest that I also get my secondary school credentials evaluated as well?

 

[scylla]

Currently, they are awaiting my IELTS, Educational Credentials Assessment and other general framework. At the most desperate, we aim for a PNP or get to Canada on a working visa and then go from there. Would you suggest that I also get my secondary school credentials evaluated as well?

I would wait until you get ECA back for your post-secondary education.

Your lawyer should be able to easily calculate an estimated CRA now to determine if Express Entry is going to be feasible for you assuming the ECA process recognizes your education and you achieve a high score on IELTS - or if your score isn't sufficiently high and need to be focusing on PNP.

Getting a work visa is generally very difficult.

 

[Amar9561]

I would wait until you get ECA back for your post-secondary education.

Your lawyer should be able to easily calculate an estimated CRA now to determine if Express Entry is going to be feasible for you assuming the ECA process recognizes your education and you achieve a high score on IELTS - or if your score isn't sufficiently high and need to be focusing on PNP.

Getting a work visa is generally very difficult.

Ok, thank you for your timely adivse.

I had a talk with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority today. I acquired this Certificate in 2018. In 2016, New Zealand discontinued awarding trade/vocational certificates. This certificate, they reassured me, has some equivalence in Canada given that its based on a globally recognized standard in Construction Supervision. In New Zealand it is a certificate equivalent to a diploma, generally speaking, but specializing in construction. We are awaiting confirmation as to whether it is considered, 'higher learning' or 'technical/vocational' learning. As of now, I have everything set for the ECA process, only awaiting last minute confirmations. Afterwards, we are dispatching everything over to WES by early next week and then focusing on IELTS. I have a time period of 90 days, I aim to cut it down to 60 or less at the most to get the EE file lodged at the very least. Can I please continue picking you brain? All this is quite overwhelming to me as of now.

 

[scylla]

Ok, thank you for your timely adivse.

I had a talk with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority today. I acquired this Certificate in 2018. In 2016, New Zealand discontinued awarding trade/vocational certificates. This certificate, they reassured me, has some equivalence in Canada given that its based on a globally recognized standard in Construction Supervision. In New Zealand it is a certificate equivalent to a diploma, generally speaking, but specializing in construction. We are awaiting confirmation as to whether it is considered, 'higher learning' or 'technical/vocational' learning. As of now, I have everything set for the ECA process, only awaiting last minute confirmations. Afterwards, we are dispatching everything over to WES by early next week and then focusing on IELTS. I have a time period of 90 days, I aim to cut it down to 60 or less at the most to get the EE file lodged at the very least. Can I please continue picking you brain? All this is quite overwhelming to me as of now.

You need to have both ECA and IELTS completed and the results available in order to submit an Express Entry profile. I don't know if your timelines are realistic. Depends when you have your IELTS test booked for. You will also have to wait for your results to be available (same for ECA).

But once again, they key question here is how many CRS points you will have assuming best case scenario for for ECA results and IELTS. You need a CRS score of around 470 points in order for your EE profile to be selected out of the applicant pool for PR. Very fast and easy to calculate your estimated points now to know whether you are at or close to this level.