Professional Year

The subclass 485 skilled graduate visa can be used to accumulate 10 points by doing a ‘professional year’ which is defined in Reg 2.26AA as a:

a course specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing for this definition

[Two professional year programs have been approved by the minister via IMMI 08/011 (dated 1.4.08) as follows:

1.      Professional Year Program provided by the Australian Computer Society which is available to IT graduates;

2.      Professional Year Program provided by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, CPA Australia and the National Institute of Accountants which is available to accounting graduates.

The first program is in place and in late May 2008 with 16 students to take part in a Professional Year (PY) in computer sciences, which has evolved as result of close collaboration between the Australian Computing Society (ACS), DIAC and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)’ (see www.acs.org.au/index.cfm?action=show&conID=pyp).  There are no actual programs are yet in place for accounting, but plans are underway to approve programs in association with various education institutions. The significance of completing an approved professional year program is that the student can gain an extra 10 points under Part 6B.5 Australian employment qualifications of the points test.

Students 10 points short of the 120 points necessary to obtain the subclass 886 skilled independent visa can use the subclass 485 skilled graduate visa to do the professional year or meet the Australian employment qualifications also worth 10 points.]