UktoNZ2016

Hi All pretty new to this.

Background -

My Partner is a registered Nurse here in the UK as a deputy Sister (8yrs). She hits the Skilled Migrant Category and has something like 180 points. So getting that visa for her should look good. She is using a recruitment agency and a few jobs seem possible after her medical registration that she has already applied for. So a job for her is really likely.

I on the other hand have no degrees or other higher education as i joined the Police at an early age and have only what certs i have gained in this employment. I have alot of part time experience in general work and mechanics so i assume i can pick up any job in the unskilled category after we arrive. I dont mind what i do for a job as eventually id prob apply for the police after a few years unless i get something investigations related that i like.

Questions!!

My first question is has anyone went to NZ in similar circumstances in that they have used their partner/wife to support them for their visa and if so how did this go.

Im aware of the hurdles of medicals/proof of relationship etc its more of a general question about the process and times

My second question is a harder one!! how long in general does it take to get her visa under SMC if everything works well eg job offer, medical etc. are we talking 6 months, 1 year or more?

fazza16

Hey UktoNZ2016

I am a UK midwife with 15 years experience. I am using this to get a SMC visa for myself and my family (husband and 3 kids). I will be granted a SMC visa which includes the 4 of them.

It is a long and protracted business that has taken up about 5 months of thinking and planning and I am currently just about to lodge our ITA (invitation to apply). Very roughly the process so far has been

1st thing - sat my english language test (REALLY!) in APril 2015

2nd - achieve registration as a midwife in NZ - (this process involved A LOT of paperwork - transcripts of university degree, notification of registration with the NMC in the UK and I also had to write 5 essays in support of my application and lots of other stuff). I started the process in April and registration as a midwife in NZ was granted July 2015

3rd - Police vetting for my husband and I (took about 3 weeks) June 2015

4th - From around May 1st I used an agency to help me set up and get an interview for a job in Hamilton NZ. Lots of to-ing and fro-ing resulting in job interview and offer mid June.

5th - lodged (EOI) expression of interest August. Also booked medicals in June as there was a 3 month wait for an appointment!

6th - received ITA around 1st september so I now have 4 months to supply them with everything they now need for my application to be successful.

From when they receive my ITA application, I will then wait to be assigned a case officer and as long as I have sent all the correct stuff to them, I hope to have our visas by february. (this stage in the process is a lot quicker when you have a job offer, as I do). So we should all be done and dusted within a year...... then we just have to get on with selling the house and shipping all we own to the other side of the world!

It has been very full on and I have had to learn A LOT along the way. At times it has been very stressful trying to juggle 3 young kids, a full time job and a visa application/ job interview/ professional registration all at the same time. It is, however, all doable without an immigration dude that will charge you around £2000 I think.

I hope that makes sense an helps you along the way.

Shout if you think I can help you further?

Take care

UktoNZ2016

Hi,

Thanks for the info.

Am I not right in saying tho the smc visa is just for you and then you will support the visas for the rest. In essence it will not be just the one fee then.


Lol the English exam took me to the fair! And it's actually hard! People who have an degree from an English speaking country should at the very least be exempt!

How come you had so much bother with the registration?

Do you mind if I ask what agency for the job offer?


Can you do a medical before you apply or is there a shelf life on them., I never actually thought of that before!


Yea I suppose using an immigration agency is expensive but if your busy or not good with paperwork it can be better in the long run than getting refused because of an error.


We are happy to try without one. I'm pretty good with paperwork and writing applications from my job but I'd bet if the shoe was on the other foot she would use one!


Good luck!

MrsFychan

Immigration advisor just collate the information you have to source and give them so you might as well do it yourself.

You are right the additional family members will come off the back of the skilled visa and yes you have to pay for them as well as medicals for them, as you say medicals have a shelf life so no point doing until you have a ITA.

UktoNZ2016

Thanks for the replies folks.

Anyone else?

Timmy Chch

"People who have an degree from an English speaking country should at the very least be exempt!" Yeah nah (I mean nah yeah!). There are loads of conditions to spare you from having to sit the English test...

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/skilledmigrant/caniapply/english/

See "However, you may not have to take the IELTS test, if you can show us that you:
have a recognised qualification from a course taught entirely in English"

UktoNZ2016

Sorry I meant for her nursing registration oops!

But yea I agree and can see both sides of the argument for the regulations

RobDon

You can have a look through posts that have a timeline underneath to give you a rough idea of how long the visa process took.
Ours was roughly 12 weeks from start to finish, this was with a job offer.

Persephone

Your wife would be the principal candidate and you, the partner would be the non principal candidate. Under the SMC you all [including any children] go on the one EOI/application and the cost is per EOI, ITA etc not per person. As long as you have lived together for more than 12 mths then you can go on the same application as a partner [you don't need to be married].

There are only separate costs for each person on the application right at the very end when it comes to the migrant levy.

However costs such as medicals, police certs etc are priced per person.

UktoNZ2016

Cheers thanks

UktoNZ2016

Update. IELTS results today and passed. Overall score of 7.5. We are well pleased now she has everything for her nursing registration etc.

Reading 7
Writing 7.5
Listening 7
Speaking 9

escapedtonz

Hopefully she did the right IELTS test unlike my Mrs who did the wrong one first time round then had to do the Academic one a few months later when she realised Doh!

UktoNZ2016

Oh dear oh dear. Hope all went good.

Yes almost but it's definitely the academic test she done thanks.