Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

Hi all

Well we have been in NZ now for 2months, my partner got offered bricklayer job in Christchurch and since then we have been sorting out all paper work required such as medicals, police certs.

Only issue we are having is obtaining work references from UK from his past employers, 1 company is no longer trading, another company said they would do it and ring back, been doing this and no answer, no email replies so looks like that's not happening, so all in all only managed to get one reference which is for 6months! Been told need to show 3yrs work experience is this right?
It doesn't say on immigration website a specif number of years needed?

Also what else can we do as unable to get 3yrs worth of references? I have requested NI contributions statement from HMRC to be sent over, his mum is going to see if any old pay slips about?

Can you apply for residence instead of skilled migrant visa? As this would give us open work visas (work for anyone) and surely no need for these references?

Sorry this is all mumble jumble but I am getting nowhere with any answers elsewhere and need to get this sorted ASAP

Thanks for any help :)

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

who is asking for the references Immigration of the company offering him work?
if its the company he is going to have the same problem with other companies wanting references.
I don't know if differing visa's require different paper work. If its a work base one I would of thought it would all be basically the same.

the only thing you can do is provide what you can, continue to chase up the firms back in the UK. Maybe not go direct to one person but to the HR dept.

sorry not much help I'm afraid

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

Immigration require work references as it's a skilled job offer, trouble is like I said in earlier post one company no longer trading and another will not get back, they do not have HR dept as builders, family run business so no one else can chase but owner which have been doing for 2 weeks now and getting no response back.
I am wondering if can apply for residence without job offer? Or what else we can do? As we have job offer contract here done everything else but references.
Told to get qualification assessed here but needs to be level 4 which we don't think it will end up coming out at, probably level 3 so this would be a waste of money doing?

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

so at the moment you are missing job references and qualification assessment?

can the owner not give you a reference, I mean it was his company you worked for and he surely should know if there was any problems or not?

As for the assessment if that is a requirement then you can't get away from not doing it.

Personally I would call NZ House and speak to someone and see what they can advise and if there is another visa other than the Skilled one

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

Job references are needed yes, got one but other place went bust so no contacts and the other job not responding to us so unable to get reference.
Qualification assessment is not required it's only needed if can't get references but the qualification would need to equal a level 4 in Nz but we think it will only equal level 3 which won't be good enough.
So I'm wondering if there is another way round all this? As surely if been doing the skilled trade maybe doing a course here or a test in that trade they would accept?
Must be people who have come over here and had same issues?

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

I'm not surprised you feel jumbled.

To be clear, coz my brain cell is easily confused.

You came over as visitors and now your OH has been offered a full time , permanent job as a bricklayer.

From what I read from these posts, NZIS are looking to substitute his UK work experience for trade quals.

What visa have you gone for. THere is a confusion in some of the terms used.

Have you submitted an EOI ?
Have you started a work permit application?

For either you still need to prove that your OH is qualified, trained, experienced in the trade.

What are his trade qualifications please? I'm not sure why you need to have a UK trade qual assessed.

Is this employer an NZIS accredited employer or an ordinary trade firm.

Is the NZ employer prepared to be able to prove to NZIS that there is no NZ resident/citizen person that could take up that job? I guess this is the case and the employer is prepared to supply the supplementary employer forms.

How did your OH learn his trade?

Sorry for the questions but wish to be a little clearer about why things have become a bit sticky for you .

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

Hi Bevs

Basically we are on visitor visa (waiver as uk) OH got job offer thru Tradestaff for company in Christchurch.
We are going thru a immigration consultants (doing all our paper work etc) they told us OH will need to provide 3yrs work references to show he is skilled in this trade (bricklayer) if we can't get them, then we would need to get his bricklaying qualification assessed by NZIS and it needs to come out at a level 4 for immigration to accept. Which all seems waste of money to me when it could only come out as a level 3 in NZ?
They are getting us skilled migrant visas then applying for residence after. But this is my question, can we cut the skilled part out and just go for residence and then that allows both of us to have open work visas? (Forget the job offer) as I'm getting so confused with this whole process now and driving me mad as everything is done but references (which is proving difficult to get from uk and wasting our time) we really want to get visas submitted before Xmas!
Wanted to know if anyone else has been in same situation, have they had to provide all these references or what route did they take?
Only other thing is there a short course or test OH can do here to gain level 4??

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

my advice would be dump the agent and start to do it yourself, they only collate the paper and as in a few cases and yours by the looks of things confuse matters. Go to you local Immigration office and speak to a person there who can give you the relevant forms and advice for the best way forward. We cannot praise highly enough the staff at Wellington office they were always friendly and willing to put us on the right path

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

It is Sunday evening here . Let me come back to this tomorrow.

I think we should take this apart to very simple steps and start again.

You haven't said what trade quals your OH has. NVQ / C&G to what UK level. Also how many years on the tools.

Your agent is asking you to pay money for something that is confusing you. That's not good. Stop with this agent .

First question: Is this employer allowed to offer your OH work? Is the employer on board for doing the paperwork for this please?

So

1 - Tell us the UK trade quals

2 - tell us the trade work experience

3 - tell us about the job offer and if the employer is a trade firm etc

thanks

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

1. Bricklayer level 2/3 nvq
2. Bricklaying work experience plus general building
3. Job offer is for Bricklayer - for Christchurch rebuild, this offer is thru Tradestaff recruitment company there.
We are already in NZ so Sunday for us also

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

Oops. Yes. 'Course you are.
I had to get up at blummin' 5.50 a.m. . That's my excuse for being a muddle head. :p

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

Ho Chezzie. I'll make a few posts to try and help unscramble the options open to you both.


MrsF/Persephone - you see anything I've gone a bit screwy on, let us know.


What is probably being applied for is a temporary 'essential skill permit' to enable your OH to start work.
You can do this yourselves to be honest. You will need the job offer contract in your mitts.
Will come back to this in another post.


I feel this would be a waste of your money. You are best off applying for NZ residency once your OH is working in his trade. It will mean more points and the SMC for NZ residency is a points based system. Most all of the applications that are selected have job offers/already in work attached .

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

Please excuse the manner of my posts. They can seem starchy sometimes I think. It's my way of keeping things clear hopefully.:fingerscrossed:

Trade qualification and an NZ temporary work visa application

From what you have posted your OH has an NVQ3 in the bricklaying trade.
An NVQ 3 should be enough for NZ immigration to see this at an NZQA level 4.

This does depend on who the UK awarding body was though.

1 - Did he do an apprenticeship. As in work on the tools in the trade whilst studying his trade. ?

2 - Do you have his trade certificates? That will tell you who the awarding body was.

If the way the NVQ was gained differs from the norm in the UK, then that would possible mean an NZQA assessment. NZQA would check the modules/units of the UK NVQ3 with their own NZ National Certificate in bricklaying to see that it matched.

If an overseas bricklayer did not have a more formal trade qualification like an NVQ3 / C&G etc, then NZIS would possibly consider 3 years of work experience as a substitute to prove that the person was skilled enough to do the job they were offered.

As your OH has a UK trade qual I am not at all sure why you are being asked to provide an alternative proof of his skill.

This is from INZ1016 . It is the guide to applying for a temp work visa ( permit if in NZ)

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

Work experience proof

Yes. Great idea.

If you can get to Xch Immy office you will be able to get direct help . They will let you know what can be done with regard to defunct trade work references/work experience proof. You will not be the only ones who have had this issue.
My thought would be to go for ANY work experience proof you can lay your hands on outside of the 3 years. Gaps would be filled in by the NIC listing you have applied for.

I'm not sure it is that highly important for a temporary work permit application. Include a CV though. If NZIS wish , they can then try contact or source the company for themselves. Also, they can independently verify the trade firm does not respond. That it exists/no longer exists etc. You will have given them that option.

Re: Work references for Skilled Migrant Visa
 

My own suggestions

Do this temp work visa/permit yourselves.

Get your OH working in his trade.

Have a couple months break to enjoy Christmas and New Year.

Then start the residency application.