A Professional Year is a 44-week ‘job-preparedness' program legislated by the Australian government in 2008 to assist former international students with transitioning into the Australian workforce.

With the aim of equipping students with the professional skills needed for a successful career in Australia, the program focuses on employability skills that included working within Australian legislative requirements, EEO and OHS&E processes as well as job seeking skills like effective resume writing and interview techniques. All classes are conducted in English to encourage participant’s continued communication skills.

Yes. Applicants must have studied in Australia or at an officially recognised overseas university. Applicants who have applied for a 485 Skilled Graduate visa must have nominated an Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) code for migration purposes. Other PYear programs are available for former ICT and Accounting graduates. Please refer to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection website for further information on all other PYear programs.

Recent graduates of Australian university courses who have applied for or been issued a Skilled-Graduate (Temporary) 485 Visa, or a Bridging Visa A or B, and nominated an Engineering ANZSCO Code for migration purposes.

Applicants must also have undergone a successful Migration Skills Assessment through Engineers Australia to be applicable for entry into the PYear program.

Other visa holders that are eligible to apply for the PYear are:

• Skilled Recognised Graduate visa (476)
• Secondary visa holder of other visa (457/ENS/RSMS/Labour Agreement)

Applicants must have a minimum of 12 calendar months remaining on their visa from the commencement date of the program. For visa eligibility for the program, please visit the DIBP site at www.immi.gov.au

Australian citizens and permanent residents who are also recent graduates may also apply for the program. Please be advised that the PYear is full-fee paying and HECS does not apply.

All applications for the Professional Year in Engineering are to be submitted with all certified supporting documentation and full payment details to the professionalyear@eeaust.com.au. (For a list of what documents are required, please refer to the application). The application will then be assessed to ensure it meets the Professional Year requirements.

All applicants will be contacted regarding initial acceptance of their application with an application acknowledgment letter. Once payment has been received the applicant will be advised of their progression to the next stage of the process - an interview time with the chosen provider. If an application is not accepted at any stage throughout the process all fees that have been paid will be fully refunded. All successful applicants will be advised of class location and start time details once the interview process is complete.

Applications can be submitted at any time and all successful applicants will be placed in the next available intake with their preferred provider and location. Please refer to intake dates listed above.

If you do not hold any of the visa listed above, please contact the Department of Immigration and Border Protection for further details. The department's website is http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration and contains all the relevant information regarding eligibility for the PYear in Engineering.

The first step would be downloading the application form and putting together the required supporting documentation. Any enquiries regarding the application process for the Professional Year should be addressed to professionalyear@eeaust.com.au.

All supporting documents are to be certified in Australia. Please see below a list ofpeople are authorised to certify documents:

• Health professions: Chiropractor, Dentist, Medical practitioner, Nurse, Optometrist, Pharmacist, Physiotherapist, Psychologist1
• Legal professions: Legal practitioner, Patent attorney, Trademarks attorney
• Court positions: Bailiff, Justice of the Peace, Judge, Magistrate, Registrar, or Deputy Registrar, Clerk, Master of a court, CEO of a Commonwealth court
• Commissioner for Affidavits, or Commissioner for Declarations (dependent on jurisdictions)
• Government representatives(elected): Federal, State or Territory or Local
• Public servants: Federal, State or Territory or Local – employed for five years or more.
• Permanent employees of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
• Bank officer, building society officer, credit union officer, finance company officer – employed for five years or more
• Veterinary surgeon
• Accountant (member of ICA, ASA, NIA or CPA, ATMA, NTAA)
• Minister of religion, or marriage celebrant
• Member of:
  • Chartered Secretaries Australia
  • Engineers Australia, other than at the grade of student (must include member number)
  • Australian Defence Force (an officer; or a non-commissioned officer with 5+ years of continuous service; a warrant officer)
  • Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
• Notary public
• Holder of a statutory office not specified in another item in this Part
• Police officer
• Sheriff or Sheriff’s officer
• Teacher (full-time) at a school or tertiary education institution

The recommended fee for the Professional Year in Engineering is:

• Option One - Full Payment on Application ($15,200)
• Option Two - Three Instalments over 4 months ($15,500)

A PYear Partner is a recognised learning institution authorised to deliver the PYear by Engineering Education Australia. Engineering Education Australia is proud to partner with the following institutions in delivering the Professional Year:

• VIC - Navitas
• NSW - Navitas
• QLD - Navitas
• QLD - ICTE-UQ
• SA - Navitas
• WA - Navitas

The PYear in Engineering provides practical training and workshops as well as access to learning and career development tools and methods. Designed to enhance the participant's ability to obtain employment in their chosen discipline by applying his or her technical skills and knowledge in the Australian workplace, it also includes submission of a Work Placement and Events Report (as part of Engineers Australia's professional development program), mandatory attendance at two technical and two non-technical events as well as ongoing networking opportunities, professional development and further professional credentials as a Graduate Member of Engineers Australia. Importantly, the program includes an invaluable 12 weeks (unpaid) supervised engineering intern placement with a host company.

Communicating effectively in the workplace, participating successfully within a team and implementation strategies to manage your personal career development are just some of the components of the PYear, along with effectively providing service to internal (and as appropriate) external clients. The PYear also looks at the Australian legislative requirements applicable to workplaces and operations as well as occupational safety, health and environment (OSHE) processes, how to work effectively within an organisations requirement, including those for EEO and diversity, and strategies for applying occupation-specific knowledge and skills to complex professional situations.

Assessment is based on Partner learning facilitator reports of work undertaken by the participant. There are no exams, but to be successful all participants must complete all tasks in each component to a satisfactory standard in English (IELTS level 6 minimum). Assessment of the work placement (internship) component will be based on a work placement report by the participant's industry supervisor within the Host Company and completion of an Events Report. All information regarding assessment is available within the Participant Guidelines and Participant Handbooks, available on acceptance into the program.

Please refer to the Department of Immigration Border Protection for all Visa enquiries

It is intended that the PYear will be offered in all states and territories across Australia, but participants may elect to relocate to undertake the PYear program at their own discretion and expense. The deferral request will need to be sent to EEA and elected provider in writing to be approved.

The PYear program occurs over a minimum 44-week, maximum 12-month period. Each PYear Partner will structure the PYear program as they deem appropriate to facilitate the needs of the majority of participants. Some PYear Partners will offer after hour’s classes.

The PYear is a 'job-preparedness' program and as such, the internship component is unpaid.

The industry work placement (internship) component of the program is a key element of a successful professional year; providing participants with workplace experience in an engineering firm or department. PYear partners will make every effort to ensure participants are placed with organisations with relevant engineering work.

Each PYear Partner will determine policy surrounding whether a participant can repeat a component of the PYear program. The objective of the PYear is to adequately equip participants for a career in Australia and each partner will make every effort to ensure that outcome is achieved for every participant, but the program must be completed within 12 months of the original registration and no extension can be granted.

Permanent Residency is not guaranteed. Engineers Australia (EA) and Engineering Education Australia (EEA) cannot comment on immigration policy or decisions.

Whilst the PYear is designed to enhance a participant's ability to obtain employment in their chosen field it does not guarantee job placement. The program will help participants apply for jobs and be 'job-ready' for the Australian workforce, and also provides networking opportunities through participation in Engineers Australia technical and non-technical events, but cannot guarantee employment on completion of the program.