Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

Hi all,

emigrating to New Zealand in Jan 2012, looking over visa's etc and my gosh it's so confusing!
I'm very confussed as to which visa to apply for.

MY thoughts are I'd like to apply for residency if I am able but having a read the working to residence visa sounds brilliant but i don't want to get caught out if they change the rules within the 2 years and decide we cannot do that. (this happened to me in Australia last year took my skill off the list! heartbroken! :( )

Anyway but i understand if i was eligible for the residency this could take over a year???
I have been looking for a points system or a way you can find out if your eligible before paying anything to apply then find out your not able for that visa, god im making this sound very confusing.

The short of it is, i'm very confussed on these visa's, I would like to go for residency but failing that if it takes over a year to do which visa would be the next step? working holiday?if so whats my chances of staying on in nz or the work to residence???How long do they tend to take roughly should i be getting onto it straight away?what's the rough fees?

Please help me out, i only have 2 brain cells and my brain has gone all fuzzy from looking at it all week.

Cheers :)

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

Hi
Yes it can get a little confusing trying to wade through the options. What you apply for may come down to what you are able to apply for rather than what you want to apply for.
I take it you've looked at the NZIS website http://www.immigration.govt.nz/
The main options:
Residency: generally via the Skilled Migrant Category [SMC] though there are other ways eg via relationship. Whether you can apply for this depends on your qualifications, skills, work experience and various other factors. It works on a points system. You can check how many points you will get without incurring a fee via the points indicator: Points Indicator or you can register on the immigration website and start an Expression of Interest [EOI] You do not pay to fill in an EOI, you only pay when you submit it and you can only do that if you have over 100 points. However even if you have enough points to submit an EOI you will not necessarily have a good chance of applying via this route. Best option is to work out your points total first. You do not need a job offer to apply for this visa if you have enough points without.

Work to residence: You need to have a job offer in place first and certain conditions apply. This does not work on points but your job offer would have to fit into one of the categories. You would be issued with a temporary work visa which can then be converted to residency after 24months [or sooner if working gains you enough points to apply under the SMC]Work to Residence

Work Visa: Temporary visa, job offer first. If your job is on one of the skills shortages lists then you can apply for a work visa. If it isn't then any potential employer has to prove no NZer is available to do the jobWork Visa

Working Holiday Visa: Must be between 18 and 30 years old.

Silver Fern Visa: This is a fairly new visa. Follow the link to find out what is requiredSilver Fern Visa

Well I can't come up with any others off the top of my head. A little bit more info would help us point you in the right direction and help determine what you may or may not be able to apply for eg age, qualifications, profession etc
Hope this make sense:)

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

Thank you for that-you make it sound so much clearer! :)

Yes i've looked on the immigration site, lots of other sites, I have registered my EOI and I have done some type of calculator/questionaire but i will have to re do this i think, i haven't yet received any other emails, i registered on tuesday....

Hmmm looking at the options there my only option maybe a working holiday visa to start with...if all goes well job wise could i then apply for a longer/different visa after? Are the NZ working holiday visa's 2 years or one year like oz?

My details, I'm 25 will be 26 when i go in Jan, (bday nov) I am a hairdresser by trade and have 10 years experience in the trade however since returning back to the UK jobs being as dire as they are I have taken a different route which I am pleased about as I wanted to try something new and at the moment i am a medical receptionist.

I have no relatives in NZ, no man waiting for me (shame) and no job offers, yet, but i've been advised to do that about 12 weeks before you leave.

With either of my professions hair or receptionist I'm thinking they aren't going to be top of the list realistically....Although saying that I had a look through some lists on here I believe, and hairdresser was on the skills list but under option 2 part b? don't quote me on that but it was something like that, not sure if that is of any help to me?

Thank you so much for your time and helping me understand my options i really appreciate it :D

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

If you do the points indicator or register and fill in an EOI you will get the result straight away on the screen. The EOI actually lists how many points you have as you fill it in. NZIS do not email you with a result or indeed email you at all. Maybe follow the links I posted and check whether we're talking about the same thing:confused: Was this on an immigration site other than the Government one?

Hairdresser is classed as being a skilled occupation though it is not on either of the Skills shortages lists which means any employer willing to offer you a job has to prove that no NZer is available if you want to apply for a Work Visa. A WTR visa would require the employer to be accredited and I'm not sure how many hairdressers would be accredited...?
I don't know what quals you gained to become a hairdresser. They may be recognised by NZIS or you may need to get them assessed in order to gain points under the SMC. Have a look at the two lists here and see whether your quals are on there: Recognised Qualifications
Without a job offer and with an assessed or recognised qualification then you may well scrape the 100pts needed to submit an EOI. It may not be enough to get you selected though.
So work out points total first and go from there is probably the best advice I can give. It may be that the Working Holiday Visa is going to be your best option though I don't know a lot about it I'm afraid.
:)

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

yeah I must have done it through another site i that i thought was still the government site, i remember i got redirected but anyway i have just gone through your links and done a calculated points test and i came in with 110 points, which is good IF i get chosen.

What I'm wondering about though is if i was to get picked do i need to have a job lined up before i leave the UK and I suppose i will have to stick within my trade job? Just that i'm over hairdressing bait and am enjoying my new job as its different and like having a little bit of hair occasionally but would i be able to get in on a skilled visa but work as something else? probably not right? lol

Do you know how long it takes roughly to know if i would picked or not and whilst i'm waiting can i go on and apply for another visa? say a WH as if it takes a long time i could get on out there try and find work out there actively and then be put onto the skilled visa....?

I'm sorry for the questions, don't worry if you don't know but it's so hard to make sure i choose the right options, i don't want to mess up my opportunities but they make it so complicated! I feel like i need a translator! hahaha

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

Well 110 points is enough to submit an EOI and start the process. However it is very unlikely you would get selected. Link to the history of selection points: historyselectionpoints. I haven't gone all the way through but it is extremely rare that the selection criteria ever get down to 110 pts unless the applicant also has a job offer or work experience in an area of skills shortage. You would need a job offer to up your points total and that would be difficult to come by as hairdressers are not in short supply. In my opinion you need to look at other options as these are more likely to be successful.

Theoretically speaking: if you gain PR without a job offer then you can whatever job you want on arrival, there are no conditions on what you can do. If you gain PR by claiming pts for a job offer then you have to stay in that job for 3 months, you can then remove the conditions that say you must remain in the job and you can do whatever you like. Only reasonable since you only gained PR by virtue of having that job offer! The reason I have stressed the hairdressing part is that that is your skilled employment so that would be your way into the SMC. Receptionist is not classed as skilled. Good for you though for doing something else when you're getting bored of your current job.
Your EOI stays in the pool for 6m at which point it will be withdrawn if it has not been selected. You are free to submit one but you need to balance up how likely you are to be selected, otherwise it is just a waste of money. You can apply for more than one visa at once eg WHV and submit EOI.
It looks like the WHV is going to be the easiest one for you, I do not have any real knowledge about this but others on here have.

Don't worry about asking questions! Someone will answer if they can. The only thing we can't do is give specific immigration advice but can direct you to the right place and give you the information that you need to work it out yourself. The NZIS site can be a bit of a maze which does get confusing-best way to look at it is to take all the possible options eg SMC, WTR, Work Visa, WHV etc and work out which ones you can apply for taking into account how successful an application is likely to be.
Hope this doesn't confuse you more!

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

Hi good luck with it all.The last time 110 was chosen without the bonus points and lack of job offer was 2nd December 2009.It didn't happen at all in 2010 and hasn't in 2011 either.
I am in the same boat with 115 and no bonus points or Job offer.
If you haven't got the bonus points or job offer this is what you need it to say...

2nd December 2009
All EOIs between 110 and 135 points where there is no points claim for a job or job offer, work experience in an area of absolute skill shortage or qualification in an area of absolute skill shortage. These were ranked in descending order of points.
69 were chosen!!

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

Thanks guys for the advice, it really does help me trying to make sense of it all! :)

Right, I've been looking over all my options, very unlikely as you say I'll be picked, but may as well submit the EOI as you never know, but looking at the other visas i don't think i'd be able to get a hairdressing job offer very easily with out being in the country...in fact how does that work? does everyone that has to get a job offer go to NZ then leave again and apply for a visa?
How do they get a job offer before getting the visa?surely a lot of employers wouldn't want to wait all that time???

I think i agree that WHV is my best bet right now. Its what i did before in Oz and worked out fine until they took hairdressing off the skills list.
Now does anyone know if it works similar to oz as in if i get there, find a job get a good 6-10 months working in the desired establishment, if i was to get lucky and say that employer would sponsor me, can they do that? would they do that and is that another option? Is there a limit to only 6 months with each employer like oz?

If i were to be lucky enough would the sponsorship have to be hairdressing or could it be anything? I think that would be the only way of extending my stay once there and my only option really....if they do that.

I hope that makes sense...probably not :rofl:

aw john, good luck to you too! it's such a shame isn't it, so close yet so far.
Whats your next step?

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

Well I just hope they have a week where they drop the bonus points like they did in December 09.Meanwhile trying to find a job offer.Goo
d luck to you though.

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

Let's hope so!!!! :fingerscrossed:

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

Hi Emily85 & a belated welcome to this cosy little Nz forum.

I see Persephone has been showing you the ropes.

Yes. Hairdresser is an occupation that is seen as skilled by New Zealand Immigration service. You need to have the qualifications in place to prove that you have the skill.

* It is not on any shortage list though, so any New Zealand employer offering you a job would need to prove that there is no-one in NZ that could do that work.

Yes. It is easier to get a job whilst here. You would get the job offer first and then apply for a temporary work permit. The employer would fill out a form proving the above.* You would be able to do that from within NZ.

I agree that it is unlikely that you would get an EOI pulled from the pool with 110 points and no job offer so perhaps keep your money for now.

If you gained a full time job offer and the employer is able to prove there is no NZ resident or citizen that could do that job then you would apply to become an NZ resident under the skilled migrant category as you would have ample points.

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

Thank you BEVS :)

I must say it does have a cosy feel about it and so far I've received top notch advice and info so thanks everyone :)

Right ok, well that sounds like my best option then I think, get the WHV get myself out there try to secure a job and hope that they will sponsor me.

Although how could they prove that no other nz hairdresser is available? I mean being realistic there would be other nz'ers that can do that job so how likely is it that i can get in on this?Do immigration question this or just take the employers word for it?

As for my qualifications getting them in place?what exactly do you mean by this, do i need to get photocopies of my certificate for my future employer and immigration...?

Also i was thinking about going to Auckland but after looking through various things I see a lot that they seem to prefer migrants going elsewhere to build up another area more, so again would my chances be better if i went elsewhere?Looking at Auckland its looking like my favourite place but don't want that to be a deal breaker for me if i was lucky enough to get as far as getting sponsored for them to possibly say not in Auckland?.....

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

Just as a footnote and as I am 115 points with no additional points for job, work experience or a qualification in an area of absolute shortage,here are some stats.

As I maybe said before that in December 2009 was last selection of this points group.Here are figures from 2009 and 2010.

Amazing that 1241 EOI,s were selected in 2009 {with no additional points for job, work experience or a qualification in an area of absolute shortage} and 0 were selected in 2010 or 2011 so far!!

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

So just to add to this, as i've been doing more research am I correct in thinking that once you get on to the process of applying for a PR it doesn't actually take that long??

For arguments sake, I get a job within a few months of arriving, its in hairdressing, they agree to sponsor me, do the paper work, everything goes through fine and within what 3-6 months I could possible have a PR visa???

As i say please correct me if im wrong as it sounds rather too good to be true but after reading up a lot of people seemed to do it very fast and easy once they have the job it seems to only take 3-6 months to finalise everything....

Please can someone enlighten me? :)

Re: Another one jumping ship to NZ :)
 

There is no way to know how long a Residency visa would take to process. It is on a case by case basis.

If I could just point out something though. Here in New Zealand an employer doesn't 'sponsor' the overseas person. It doesn't work like that.

Hairdressing isn't seen as an occupation that has a shortage of skilled workers here. In other words, New Zealand feels it has enough hairdressers to fill all it's vacancies. So - any NZ employer offering you a job as a hairdresser has to prove to New Zealand Immigration that there is no NZ resident or citizen that could fill that post. The employer would do that by showing their adverts for the vacancy and their apprenticeship/ training program etc. Not only that, New Zealand would also ask the New Zealand Dept of Labour for that area if they felt there were any likely candidates. That's called a labour market test.

so. The job offer you get needs to be one where the employer can prove without doubt that there is no-one already here that could take up that position.