LinaBean

Hi there,

I have just come to NZ a couple of weeks ago on a working holiday visa. I was lucky enough to already get a great job as a project manager for a construction project as a selfepmployed contractor. (2 years contract) I have a bachelor of engineering and a master of arts but no work experience so far.
Unfortunately my employer is not accredited and he as well hasn't advertised the job at all.
All visa option I was looking at were just not right for my case...but there must be a way???
Would love to hear any advice.

Cheers

Catchafire

Hi LinaBean

Welcome to BE and the NZ branch on the forum.

Yup, as you are self employed, this role does not fit any of the work visa options. Your best bet is to see if you qualify for residency first.

Have a look of what you are doing falls under any of these categories

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rd...30July2012.pdf


Then have a quick look at the EOI points indicator

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/pointsindicator/

Let us know what you come up with.

LinaBean

Hi chatchafire,
thanks so much for your quick reply.
The Occupation " Construction Project Manager" is on the long term skills shortage list. I as well have the right qualification (bachelor of engineering). Unfortunately I don't have 5 years working experience.
So just with my degree bachelor of engineering and no working experience I would meet the requirements if I would get employed under "Structural Engineer" or "Industrial Engineer" etc. Hmm if I could convince my empolyer to employ me under that title instead of project manager would that be totally illegal and would the immigration office probably think that something is not right if someone with no experience gets contracted as an engineer?

Cheers

MrsFychan

I think the Company would have to be accredited as well ? or apply for accreditation or show that they cannot fill the post with existing NZ employee

Caz8NZ

Hi and welcome.
I would recommend that you hold off on visa applications at the moment. If you have only just arrived and you have a valid work visa that you can continue on for the time being - then just carry on with that and get settled in. Although some of us on here love new zealand and living here (there are a few moaners) you may find that actually it doesn't suit you. There's a lot to get used to. I'm recommending waiting for a few reasons. (although you may just be enquiring for future reference!)

1. residency is an expensive process - if you are here already - your costs to go through it will probably be around $2,500.
2. if you do apply for residency and/or another type of work visa these will be linked with the job - your residency would likely require you to stay in employment for a further 3 months at least. As you are new to the job and the country if the job didn't work out you could get stuck with no work visa. You cannot hold 2 visas at the same time so even if your WHV would not have expired, its cancelled as soon as you are granted a new visa.


Congratulations on the job front - i have to say i'm quite surprised that you seem to have been offered a senior position with no work experience - very interesting i must say! (just a bit jealous on that and quite curious really)

Now for the next bit - your job title - well if you apply for residency, and actually any other type of visa - you will have to give them details of your employment and job description - the job description also needs to meet what the ANZSCO say they recognise as duties that are part of the job. So its not quite as easy as just getting your employer to give you a different job title - everything needs to match up.

Also on that bit - i'm not sure that they would recognise it as employment - someone may correct me here - but as you would be self employed on a 2 year contract i don't think it counts. I assume you would need to do some sort of invoicing for payment and set yourself up as a business? I'm also not too sure how that works with being on a WHV??

Mrs Fychan - i don't think every employer has to be accredited in order to offer a job?? Or show that they cannot fill the post with a kiwi - that's only for certain types of visas isn't it? Like Work to Residence or a standard work visa.

LinaBean

Hi Caz8NZ,

thank you so much for your response. Hmm so it all doesn't sound to promising? Well, I probably take your advice and just stay here for a couple of months on a WHV and see how it all goes.
Am I as a contractor as well just allowed to work for a max. of 6 month for the same employer?

As far as my job offer goes: I was just really really lucky to be at the right time on the right spot and met the right people...

Thanks and enjoy your sunday evening

Caz8NZ

I have to admit - i don't think it is promising but someone else may have other ideas. the plus of waiting as well is you will have experience to put down on your application :-)
As far as I know - WHV for brits allows you to work for a period of 12 months - for anyone and for any length of time. You can work for the same person for that entire period. Its the one in Oz that you can only do 6 months at an employer.

Oh and enjoy your sunday evening too!

LinaBean

Ohhhh, because I have been on a working holiday visa in Australia two years ago I somehow thought I can just work for a max. of 6 months as well. Thank you so much for that information. So I have a whole year to see if I like New Zealand and my new job. That should be enough. Great!!
I was just checking my visa and it says I can work in any employment as long as it is not permanent. So would it be illegal to sign a 2-years contract and just to have a visa for one year??

Caz8NZ

not sure on the "illegal" front - but your employer should only offer you work that meets the requirements of your visa. you shouldn't be signing a 2 year contract as you don't have a visa that allows that. I'm not sure what would happen if anyone was to find out and or check.

Bear in mind that residency can take a few months to go through so you should start thinking about in after 6 months or so.

LinaBean

Hmm I think just to be sure I will ask my employer to just give me a one-year-contract and maybe after that year I will get a position that would allow me to apply for residence.
But great. It is really good news that I can work for 12 months for one employer. Thanks Ca8NZ. So I have 6 months to earn some money I then can spend on my visa if I decide to do so

Caz8NZ

No problem! Oh - just a thought - it might be worth doing the EOI points calculator to see what you get points wise without a job offer. I'm assuming you are fairly young if you haven't got much work experience....that gives you extra points. If you aren't planning on being in Auckland, that also gives you extra points, and if your work/degree stuff is on a skills shortage list i think that gives you extra points too. you might be able to apply for residency without a job/offer

LinaBean

I have 140 Poins on the points indicator. How high would be my chances to get granted a visa with those points?
But anyways, I will just see how it goes in the next 6 months. Maybe everything looks completely different then anyways.

Caz8NZ

140 points or more means you are automatically selected to apply for residency :-) it should all go through!

LinaBean

Oh really? Because when I finished the test it told me I scored 140 points but it said as well "Unfortunately, it may not be worthwhile for you to complete an Expression of Interest at this time" ??

MrsFychan

140 is instant pull on the next pick (done fortnightly) but I would make sure you have got the points right because you have to submit payment with application and they can always throw it back if the points are worked out wrong.