bakes

Hi all

Myself (Lindsay), my partner (Paul) and our 3 children would love to start a new life in New Zealand, we are intending to visit later this year and even to get married there. We have looked into the points system and do not meet the criteria, I have heard through various people (like my hairdresser who went to NZ to do the wigs for Lord of the Rings) that you could go on holiday and look for a job and apply for a work permit, and after that apply for residency.

My partner is a carpet fitter and I stay at home and look after the kids, we have phoned quite a few carpet shops in different areas in NZ and they all seem to need carpet fitters (or floor finishers as they seem to call it). I would like to know if it is actually possible to go about it in this way, and if my partner did find a job and was then subsequently sponsored by the employer (possibly on a self employed basis), whether this is the reality, and then how difficult it would be to get residency. Also would our children be entitiled to schooling if my partner were on a work visa?

I have the added problem of my two older children having a different father (who I did not marry, who doesnt pay maintenance and is on the dole), who would not give me permission to take the children out of the country, I realise if it came to it I would have to go to court and prove that the children would have a better life etc, has anyone else been through this scenario? And what was the outcome?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this, and any advice, comments would be greatfully received.

Thanks

Lindsay