Bewildered from Southampton
 

Hi all, I feel really cheeky asking for this help when I have only just joined the board but I cant seem to find anything relevent to my situation even though it must have been asked a million times.
I am 43 my wife 42 with 2 children aged 12 and 10. We are really hoping to make the move to Wellington within a 12 month timeframe. The problem is neither of us have any wanted skill or any skill of note :unsure: to help us. My background is bus and coach driving and my wife works in a referal position for cancer patients but its clerical. So if we were to take the plunge and just move over on a long holiday how long could we stay and could I try to gain employment while there. Hopefully accomodation is sorted already and we would have a large chunk of money with us to see us safe. Any help would be usefull.

Re: Bewildered from Southampton
 

Hi
Im not im expert but someone will be along to give you the answer im sure! I think you can go out on a holiday visa for up to 6 months but you cant work on this visa. You would need to get a job offer then change your visa to a working visa. I think you would also have to pay for schooling until your visa was changed over.

I would email some companys and check out the job situation before jump straight in just in case threre arent many jobs available. Im sure you would find something, good luck!!! :thumbsup:

Re: Bewildered from Southampton
 

Hi Wimpy,

Here Comes The Sun has given you pretty much the straight scoop. You can arrive on a visitors visa (you will then be stamped in with a visitor's permit. The visa/permit thing confuses a lot of people.) and if you have a British passport you will get six months. While you are on a visitor's permit and if you put your kids in school you will be liable for international school fees.

There is nothing to stop you from looking for work. To switch your visitor's permit over to a work permit would mean that you need to get employment with someone who is pre-approved to hire foreigners or otherwise your prospective employer needs to show New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS) evidence that you have the skills needed and no local Kiwi could be found to fill the vacancy. If that is all systems go then you or your partner (it will depends on who is the main applicant) will get a temporary work permit tied to the sponsoring employer. Your partner, or you, will get an open temporary work permit allowing employment at whatever for whomever. Your kids will get student permits allowing them to attend school with no fees other than what local Kiwi kids are charged.

Good luck Wimpy and family.

Re: Bewildered from Southampton
 

Thanks for the advice guys, we have decided to take the plunge as we really have nothing to lose and we dont want to be sitting here in 20 years thinking we should have at least tried.

Re: Bewildered from Southampton
 

Hi there,
could you tell me how many times the work permit can be renewed.
My youngest son went out on a 12 month working holiday visa- this was changed to a 12 month work permit, which has just been extended for a further 12 months until end of Sept 08.
Our eldest son who has been there since 2003 cannot sponsor him until August 2008- I can't see his application for residency being granted in 2 months. Would it be possible to have his permit extended whilst his application is being dealt with?

Re: Bewildered from Southampton
 

Hope this helps!!

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...workpermit.htm

Has your son begun his residency application already? he may qualify for residency in his own right without being sponsored by another family memeber.

Try the points indicator http://www.immigration.govt.nz/pointsindicator/

if your son has over 100 points and has employment in NZ, and can prove it, he may be eligible.

Good Luck

Re: Bewildered from Southampton
 

Yes, it is possible to extend work permits as long as one fulfills the requirements for being employed, i.e. relevant skills, employer having pre-approved permission to hire foreigners or evidence that no local Kiwis could be found for the job. Under the current scheme of things one could theoretically do this indefinitely.

Good luck.

Re: Bewildered from Southampton
 

Thank you all.
I feel a lot less anxious.
I won't bore you with my imaginings- suffice to say I shall sleep more soundly tonight!
Bless you!:)

Re: Bewildered from Southampton
 

We came out here last month on a six month's visitors visa, but if you can show to immigration you can support yourself, you can get it extended for upto 1 year. When we came out here i had 115pts for my EOI, which wasn't enough to get selected from the pool even though the minimum is 100. I needed a job offer to secure it and have just got that (but i work in IT). I haven't been able to get my son into school as yet as i have no permit to work, hopefully this will change soon. Very few schools take international students and those that do charge about $300 per week. From other threads and other forums there does seem to be a need for HGV drivers in NZ, do you have that class of qualification or could you easily get it? Otherwise you will need to come over and try from this end if you really want to come to NZ.

Re: Bewildered from Southampton
 

Hi

Sounds like we have something in common. My partner and I are hoping to take the plunge in a few years time. The whole EOI is really confusing to us. We also feel as a couple that we have a lot of experience and skills to offer but not sure if what we have between us would qualify. My eyes are so red and sore thorugh reading so many websites. When you look at many jobs basically you can do anything in NZ but as you say it is getting there. We wish you all the luck as it sounds like you are determined.