The Professional Year Program (P-Year) is a job-readiness program that bridges the gap between full-time study and professional employment in Australia.
P-Year Programs are designed for students who have graduated from an Australian university and later want to apply for a PR in Australia. They help students to learn important industry related skills through experience so that they can be prepared for the Australian work field.
It runs for about a year and covers skill fields related to accounting, computer science and engineering in Australia. These skills are targeted more in the Australian labor market since their demand is high.
Is a P-Year Program good?
Yes, it is very good, especially if you plan on applying for a PR later. There are many benefits in completing a PYear Program:
- You will gain significant work experience through internships in an Australian workplace.
- You will be able to have a better understanding of the Australian workplace culture and practices.
- Within the Australian workplace, you learn how to speak professionally.
- When applying for a Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa, you are eligible for an additional five points on the points test.
(Try this self assessment for the points system for free)
In the Professional Year Program, you can expect to gain valuable experience in these key topics:
- CV preparation and interview skills
- Professional training specific to their industry
- Business communications
- Australian work practices
- Professional internship (work experience) for 12 weeks
- Workplace relationships
The recognized Professional Year Programs in Australia currently are:
- CPA Australia Skilled Migration Internship Program: Accounting (SMIPA)
- Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand Skilled Migration Internship Program: Accounting
- Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) Skilled Migration Internship Program: Accounting
- The Australian Computer Society Professional Year Program
- Engineers Australia Professional Year Program
Going In-Depth in one of the P-Year Programs provided by the ACS
The ACS facilitates young graduates to secure their first job. The ACS P-Year helps you by teaching you the how’s and the what’s of the Australian workforce, by providing a relevant internship placement or by building a network for your employment.
The PYear Program is designed to improve international graduates’ employability skills in order to address Australia’s skills shortages in nominated ICT occupations.
Program Structure
- ACS Online Orientation (1 week online)
- Communication and Performance in the Australian Workplace(Week 1 – 32 weeks)
- Entry and Advancement in the Australian Workplace(Week 1 – 32 weeks
- Internship Placement(Minimum 10 weeks)
- Professional Environments (Online Course)(13 weeks)
Participants may receive five (5) points toward skilled migration under an eligible skilled occupation if they complete the program successfully.
Regarding the fees, the education providers themselves set the fees so contacting them will give you more insight. One of the registered ACS Professional Year Programs in Western Australia is NIT Australia. Click here to know more about them.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Professional Year programs, you must have completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree program in Australia. You must also meet each of the requirements listed below.
- Applicants must have finished a Higher Education program in Australia, in a course that delivers two years credit points over a minimum of 18 months, and have graduated from a program that adequately matches the Professional Year program to which they want to apply (IT, Engineering, Accounting).
- Applicants must have a subclass 485 Temporary Residence visa or have applied for one. Engineering graduates with a 476 visa (Skilled-Recognized Graduate visa) and a positive skill evaluation from Engineers Australia are also eligible for an Engineering Professional Year.
- To be considered for a professional year, applicants must have a minimum overall IELTS test score of 6.0 and a score of 6 in each band.
- All applicants must pass their respective assessing bodies’ skill assessments (ACS, EEA, CPA, IPA and ICAA).
If you want a detail about the program, check out the official NIT page.
