richard aa

hi good people out there i was just wondering what your thoughts were on the new nz immigration policies, is it going to be easier to get in or harder ?will it be good or bad for nz ? i went back to colledge for 2 years to get the relevent quals required now it seems you dont need to be qualified at all , this looks to me as though it could now be easier to get in in might be wrong your views would be greatfully received

theguitardoctor

How on earth do you work out that you don't need to be qualified to get into NZ?

Rich

Gra.B

...I was wondering that myself!

Gra..

BritboyNZ

Definitely not getting any easier, the opposite in fact. In order to get permanent residence, you now need to have a job offer (or be working) with a NZ company, and meet all of the other requirements (eg must pass medical & character tests, have qualifications & work experience). NZIS are introducing a new category of residence later in the year (skilled migrant category) which will have the same requirements as above, however applications will go into a 'pool' and if not selected are automatically declined after 3 months. Information a bit patchy about it at the moment, although I expect we'll be hearing more soon...

There is nothing to stop you coming over as a visitor (given 6 month visitor permit on arrival) or for 1 year on a Working Holiday visa (must be under 30), looking for employment then appying for a work permit/visa once you've got a job followed by residence afterwards.

Have a look at the NZIS website if you haven't already: www.immigration.govt.nz

Russ

ps I used to live a mere 7 miles away from lichfield, in Tamworth

southerner

Richard,
It will be easier for some, and more difficult for others. That is the intention. The policy is aiming to attract the applicants that NZ wants, not just those who want to move to NZ.

I think that in general for people from English speaking countries it will be easier to pass the hurdle to get in. This is because the new rules will encourage applicants who are confident of getting work to start the process. And at the present time the job market in NZ is pretty good and for certain vocations they are crying out for people. The points system will obviously be refined and they may for example be giving more bonus points to those in particular vocations and moving to particular areas. eg not Auckland.

The overall quota will not be changed, so for those who gain from the changes there will be those who lose out. Those who will have difficulty are those whose English is not great as it is notoriously difficult to get a job from abroad without this. Those without 'in demand' skills may also find it harder but not impossible to find work; eg. IT is oversupplied at the moment.

I haven't personally studied the changes in too much detail, but I think logically in certain cases (maybe yours is one) the requirement to have formal qualifications is lessened. If you have work experience, can get the minimum points required without formal qualifications, and can get a relevant job offer then you would be half way there.

What is unknown about the changes is whether they will work in practice, and whether they are good for NZ. In theory I think they are good changes, and if they improve the success ratio of skilled immigration (the so-called successful outcomes where skilled people find useful, rewarding work and become good little kiwis).
The press in NZ have generally accepted the merits of the overall change in policy, and the real criticism has been about how it has been brought in and how it affects those who are already in NZ and those who are in the throes of applying. There is some politics behind it too.

There is also unease about the discretion that is given to NZ Immigration to invite people. This subjectivity may put some people off, but I personally would think that the new system may in the fullness of time encourage applicants. This is because the amount of paperwork and cost to do the initial 'expression of interest' will be less than currently is the case. If you fail, you walk away but without losing too much. If you get invited to apply in full, the chances are very high you will get in.

Not sure how the new policy will work in the future if the following happens:
a) the NZ economy goes badly compared to elsewhere; or
b) the current pull to the South Pacific reverses itself, say if there was world wide peace and no terrorism, and America and Europe actually did something about pollution, overpopulation, etc.

Would immigration then dry up? And would that really matter - does NZ need a lot of immigrants? Some would say not.

jecrossfield

e.g. IT oversupplied - tell me it's not true?

We're planning on going to NZ with me on a working hols visa and my partner, Tony, on a holiday visa (as he's over 31) with a view to Tony obtaining a job offer (he's in IT Server/Network Support/admin) and then applying for a workvisa/PR. We are hoping to be able to locate to the South Island.

Where did you get the info/evidence that the IT job market is oversupplied? I guess it's probably just the same as in the UK at present. Any advice or guidence would be appreciated as we're risking alot on the probability of Tony obtaining a job offer in IT once we're out there.

Kind Regards,

Jenn

southerner

I think NZ is like everywhere else at the moment - IT projects are not really happening since the tech bubble burst. That is all I meant. If you are confident that you could get a job in UK then you should probably be as confident of getting something in NZ. My point was that relatively speaking you may be affected worse by the announced changes, than say builders, nurses and teachers.
Because there is a bit more risk that IT professionals will not find suitable employment, the new policy has transferred the risk to the candidate; ie. you need to research the job market either before you apply, or while on your working holiday.

I personally also work in IT related fields (I do project management/business analysis within a UK bank) so keep an eye out for these types of roles. There is work available, and both Christchurch and Dunedin have a few along those lines.

Here's one job site for the Otago province:
http://www.workotagonz.com/workotagonz/?pageid=9

You should share notes with GetMeOutofHere who is also looking for IT work in the South Island.

Where are you looking at living? Christchurch, Dunedin and Nelson are the more popular parts of South Island based on this forum, but there are other immigrants scattered about too.


Regards,

Blair

Gra.B

Hi,

I know the full details haven't been anounced yet but I'd have thought that qualifications were still a big part of the system. You'll still have to meet whatever the points are before lodging an interest and this could still include the mandatory points from quals. To be a skilled migrant you'd have to be qualified in your field otherwise it could become too easy to get in.

Only time will tell though,

Gra..

Don

Tradies might get an easier ride in future.