Diversional Therapist is a gem of an occupation that leads to Permanent Residency with little investment in a short time. If you are someone with no hope of Subclass 189 and 190 with your current occupation like Accounting or IT and, most importantly, you are working or passionate in Aged care setting with the potential to land a job within the following domain:
» Recreational Therapist specialising as an Activities Coordinator » Activities Officer.
This could be your pathway to 190 from NSW or other states like South Australia and many more.
So what is a Diversional Therapist?
Diversional Therapy is a client-centered practice that recognizes that leisure and recreational experiences are the right of all individuals. Diversional Therapy practitioners work with people of all ages and abilities to design and facilitate leisure and recreation programs. Activities are designed to support, challenge and enhance the psychological, spiritual, social, emotional and physical well-being of individuals.
A diversional therapy assistant who works in the aged care sector designs manages, and facilities leisure and recreational programs that enhance the lives of elderly residents in his or her care. These activities are designed to provide opportunities for individuals to participate willingly and, in so doing, promote their own self-esteem and personal fulfilment.
Why is it so in demand?
Australia is facing a shortage of at least 110,000 direct aged-care workers within the next decade unless urgent action is taken to boost the workforce, a new report by CEDA has found.
The report, Duty of care: Meeting the aged care workforce challenge, finds that the shortage will balloon to more than 400,000 workers by 2050 unless we take dramatic action now.
How can you become a Diversional Therapist?
You must meet the Qualification and Employment Criteria to become a Diversional Therapist, which is skill assessed through VETASSESS.
Study Certificate IV in Leisure & Health to meet the QUALIFICATION Requirement
Undertake a job as a Recreational Therapist for at least 20 hours per week for a minimum of one year to fulfil the Employment Criteria
In a nutshell, a combination of Certificate IV in Leisure and Health with highly relevant work of at least one year as a: Recreational Therapist Specializations:» Activities Coordinator » Activities Officer will make you eligible to become a Diversional Therapist through VETASSESS.
After which, you can explore 190 from states like NSW, SA and other states.
Here are the proposed course details with one of the providers in Sydney & Melbourne:
Course Name: Certificate IV in Leisure and Health
Multiple Providers across NSW and Victoria
Location: Online for 408/485 Visa holders (On - Campus classes for Sydney & Melbourne )
Course length: 32 weeks
Next intake: Jan, Feb 2023
Course delivered with the combination of Online Module, Face to Face Class and Practical Placement
So what are the options after becoming A Diversional Therapist?
NSW: Points requirements are only 65 points for 190 in NSW for this occupation, but you must work for at least 2 years. While 2 years of work experience is the benchmark, we have seen NSW selecting clients with less than 2 years of work experience in recent times.
The above employment is no longer applicable with NSW nomination as the so-called toughest state has removed its unreasonable and absurd requirements: Below message from NSW Skilled Migration as updated on 09 December 2022.
Previously published points scores and work experience guides for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) have been removed due to the increased availability of the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) by the Department of Home Affairs.
South Australia: Points requirements are only 65, and you only need one year of work experience.
SA 190 requirement for Diversional Therapist at the time of writing this article December 2, 2022
Will this remain an option for years to come?
To answer this question, it may be worthwhile to understand how critical the Aged Care Industry is and how it will be over the next 10 years. Australia’s Aging population needs help, and this is not going anywhere unless Robots start helping us out.
At Koala Solutions, our philosophy is to educate our clients in making informed decisions. With this, I have a final message for you - Permanent residency does not have to be complicated: Remember - People before you got a Permanent residency and people after you will also get a Permanent Residency to focus on how you will get it.
Book online for strategic Immigration consulting or send us an email at INFO@KOALAZ.COM.AU to enroll in this course.
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