simonsi

Hi all,
OH's job offer has turned up, the employer is accredited AND her occupation is on both ISSL and LTSSL.

Timeline dictates Work to Residence (our preference) under the Talent stream (as the employer is accredited) OR Essential Skills work permit.

We intend to apply for residence, suspect that with the stipulated start date AND two weeks until the next draw we wouldn't make a PR route before the start date.

Question is there ANY difference as far as the student visas are concerned for our three girls (12, 10 and 4yrs), do either WTR or ES work permit give them Domestic Student status???

Tried searching etc and the NZIS guides but they are clear on that specific point

TIA

HunnyB

I have been searching for this too, for my 5 year old daughter..

It is difficult to come across but i got information of a school website
which shows that if you have a valid work visa/permit then your children are classed as domestic students, entitiling them to free education in NZ state schools:

http://www.silverdale.school.nz/Enro...5/Default.aspx

hope this is right, if not let me know.

Woodpigeon

Yup hunnyb that's how I remember it. However do be aware that they would be deemed international students for tertiary education unless you have PR or citizenship by the time they reach that stage (if that's where they would head after high school).

Although I have some vague memory of someone once tellng me that it is up to individual schools as to whether they treat overseas pupils as domestic or international - though I've yet to meet anyone whose kids were treated as internationals whilst the parents were on work permits.

simonsi

I have just received an answer from NZIS, if you have PR or a work permit, inc WTR then your dependant children have domestic student status and no International school fees. They do need a student visa though (as expected).

Yes that is my understanding of the tertiary education position, fortunately we have enough time before that becomes an issue for us (eldest is currently 11)

simonsi

Just to add...

The Student visas we have just received for our girls (on the back of OH´s WTR) state "domestic student" for primary, intermediate and secondary, establishment is "unspecified"

BEVS

Sorry, sorry, sorry Simonsi . You give all this help here on the Immy forum, where some fear to tred and I become a slacker and don't even answer this.

As you now know, your children are fine to be treated as domestic students on either the WTR and/or the temp work visa. They just need their student visas.

Sometimes a school will allow an overseas pupil to start at a school as per a domestic student if a PR or work permit application is proved to be pending with a likely positive outcome. This is a school by school decision though.

I would agree that a WTR is currently preferable than any temp work visa . if you have the points and then $$, then convert to PR when you can.

Good news in any case.

simonsi

LOL! No worries...