Bananadude

Hi all. I have completed the points test indicator on the NZ immigration website, and I come in at 110 points. I have over 8 years experience in the film industry, which is identified as an area of future growth in NZ, although my area isn't on the Skills in Demand list. I do not have a job offer either and have not worked in NZ before so I don't know what my chances are. I have travelled around NZ a few years ago, hence my wish to return, but when it comes to the work situation I know nothing.

It perhaps seems a bit premature for me to apply for the Visa when I know so little at this stage. Is 110 points good? The whole 'selection pool' thing all seems quite random, and I don't know what my chances would be of being selected.

I am planning on attending the NZ Expo in Birmingham in March, where hopefully I will find out some more info. Just wondering if anyone has been through the whole process and can shed any light on things for me. Many thanks...!

Persephone

Hi

I can't help you on the job front but 110 points may be a little low and it may be best to start looking for jobs to get yourself a few more points. The NZIS website is very good though a little maze like at times but all the info is on there.

The selection process is in a set order, it isn't random. They select around 700-800 each fortnight and work through the categories until they reach that number.
So all those with more than 140points or those with over 100pts and a job offer are automatically selected each draw. If they have got around 700 then no more are picked.

If they haven't got 700-800 then the next picked are those with 15pts for work experience in an area of skilled shortage.
Next will be those with 10pts work experience in an area of skilled shortage
then those with a qualification in an area of skilled shortage
then those with 115-135pts, no job offer or work experience or qualification in an area of skilled shortage


Look under "latest news" on the website and they list what is picked at each draw so you can see whether you have a chance.
I presume NZIS will be at the expo as well so you can ask them lots of questions there, or just ask on here of course!

Good luck
Sue

getmethere

we got selected with 105 points because we had 10 points for a qualification in an area of absolute skills shortage and total points between 100 and 140.
but i must add that this was in the middle of last year.

in january (i assume because of the christmas delay and the postponement of a few of the draws) there are always more people in the pool, so the people with lower points don't seem to get selected but this seems to get better as the year goes on. towards the end of last year they seemed to be picking people with lower points so I think you may have a good chance, but you might have to wait a while and sit in the pool for a few months before you get there.

I would suggest that you get your skills assessed first and find out if you qualify for bonus points because lately bonus points seem to be the key to being selected.

otherwise, i say go for it!! we did!!!
when we first embarked on this adventure, we just thought - to hell with it - we could use a little adventure in our lives - and we just pressed submit. ok, I realise that sounds a little flippant - but we really weren't sure if we even stood a chance because we had so little points and we didn't know the first thing about the immigration process,and we just took it one step at a time. when we got selected, we thought 'ok cool, let's just wait to see if we get decision successful' and we did!!

Good luck!

Jo-Chris

Hi,

We have 120 points husbands qualification is in the skills shortage list. We got picked really quickly out of the pool which was a surprise to us as neither of s has a job offer.

We just bit the bullet and put our EOI in and thankfully its going through smoothly at the moment.

Good Luck with what you decide to do.

Jo

Stoof

"I come in at 110 points. I have over 8 years experience in the film industry, which is identified as an area of future growth in NZ"

OH has experience in future growth area too... no nz experience and no job offer.... we came in at 125 points and submitted last summer - picked at first chance and now two months into our ITA being with INZ, so dunno how we're doing - but we DID get picked! (i would echo what others have said though - there seem to be a lot of people with 140 points at mo, so maybe hang fire with your EOI or increase your points first)

we did have to provide much more detail about OH's jobs and experience though before they gave us ITA...

Bananadude

Thanks for replies. All interesting! There does seem to be quite a mix of people selected without job offers, and others not so lucky. Down to luck, timing and what your skills are I guess!!

Thing that confuses me a little bit though is that my area of work (film industry) is listed as being a 'Future Growth Area', but I can find virtually zero jobs on any NZ job sites in my field!! Seems a bit odd to me, but then I guess it is fairly specialised work, but still it is puzzling (and a bit concerning too!)

I hope to find out a bit more info at the NZ Expo in March anyway, and take things from there.

getmethere

you might find that for such a specialised field they rely on networking or specialist recruiters. It would do well to maybe find someone with a similar background to ask for advice. I bet the jobs are out there, it's just knowing where to look!! Have you checked out http://www.wetaworkshop.co.nz/
don't know if it's applicable, but worth a try