Lady_mol

Hello, I’m new to the NZ forum, and I’d appreciate advice from anyone who has been rejected at the EOI stage as to whether there is any appeals route at this stage.

Briefly, I’ve claimed points for work experience in an area of long-term skills shortage, for which I have recognised qualifications. NZIS London have come back and said my work experience is not relevant. However, a previous case officer was the one who advised me to claim the points – unfortunately he has now left NZIS. The current case officer was flippant and unhelpful on the telephone when I called to press my case, said they had “asked another colleague in the office” and they both agreed. They also said there was no appeals route at this stage of the process.

Is this the norm? Surely decisions like this should be based on clearly defined criteria, not on the subjective opinions of individual case officers.

Has anyone else had this experience and made an appeal to any higher authority within NZIS?

I’m happy for anyone to pm me.

simonmarkellis

Can i ask out of curiosity who your case officer is? It's just i'm in a similar boat, yet haven't had it rejected yet (hopefully won't). In fact i haven't heard anything yet. I submitted my EOI in november and got selected straight away for having claimed points for work experience in an area of absolute skills shortage, yet initially they said my qualifications weren't high enough but that got sorted and i've been waiting ever since. Contact with my case offier has proved fruitless and i wondered whether we might have the same guy.

Lady_mol

I'd rather not name names. It's not really fair to the case officer on an open forum. I guess you could always keep e-mailing, and if you're really desperate use the premium-rate numbers! As far as I'm aware, people under the 140 point threshold are not priority and slip back down the list in favour of those with job offers.
Having said that, four months does seem a very long time to wait. Have they lost your file?

simonmarkellis

They better not have done... i'll PM you with our case officer, that'll keep his name out of the papers...

phil01

Hi we are in NZ and going through applying for PR (here on work visas) anyone over 100 points with a job offer is likely to get selected according to our migration agent...his words where over 100 with a job will walk in we are so desperate for migrants...but the key is the job!
Debbie

Lady_mol

That's nice to hear, but to be honest it's not the impression being given by NZIS London. My problem with going the WTR route is that I have to give a significant notice to my current employer, which makes it almost impossible to take up a job offer from here before I go. I'm applying for one today where they have already said they want people to start quickly.

Which Island are you currently in?

simonmarkellis

For me the last option is selling up going out on a holiday visa and applying for work when i get there.

Lady_mol

We've considered that, but the risk in giving up my (highly paid) career and moving the family out there is too much without at least a smidgen of encouragement from NZ that we would be able to stay. We want to move and contribute to their economy, but it has to be a two-way thing to some extent. If it did not work out and we had to return, I would not be able to take up my job again in the UK.

We would prefer to have PR before we go. Has anyone had any experience of arguing against EOI points decisions that would be of use to us?

simonmarkellis

I don't know if this is any help but a general google search found this link...

http://www.residencereviewboard.govt...s/RES_FAQ.aspx

Lady_mol

Thanks. It looks as if there is no appeal at this stage. At least that's useful to know in itself!