terrier2

Hi,
I hope that some of you can help me with a few questions I have, I supose that what I need is reassurance that everything will be fine, as at the moment we are inbetween a rock and a hard place.
I will start with a bit of background that hopefully wont bore you too much and then ask the questions.
We came to NZ in January 2006 and landed in Wellington with work visas taking up a job that I was offered from a friend of mine that was in Auckland, what this friend wanted me to do was to set up and run a business that was simular to his in Auckland, well I thought he had done all the research and knew that the business was going to work down in Wellington, but after me speanding a lot of money and listening to false hopes it was decided that it wasnt going to work, we fell out and I was left with nearly nothing after about 7 months.
I brought a machine with me over to NZ that we were going to use in the business and after we parted company that was all I had left.
I had a choice, go back to the UK with the machine and no money or try and sell the machine and give it a go here, well I had a bit of luck and managed to sell the machine to a company in Auckland who also offered me a job.
So I took the money and the job and even better the company is accreitited.
So now we live in Auckland and have been working for this company for the last 21 months. By the way we also bought a house here thinking it would make us feel more settled.
I hate the job, it hasnt turned out as they said it would and during the last 21 months have thought of packing it in many times, but now because we own a house and as time is getting closer to the 24 months I have and am still sticking it out.
So to the questions
When I was offered the job I applied for a 1 year work visa, when that visa expired I was granted a 30 month wtr visa, so my 1st question is, will I be eligible for residency after I have worked for them for 24 months? I am working there now under the talent section.
If I am eligible for residency, can I leave my employment as soon as I have it?
I have just recieved the information pack from immigration and Im just starting to worry about it all.
If anyone can assure me it will help no end. There is nothing worse than spending every day dreading going to work, I am not a lazy person, I just want to do something I enjoy.
Thanks for listening.

TeamEmbo

You don't have to wait to apply for permanent residency. We came over last May on WTR visas. OH got job with an accredited company, my visas was just an open spouse WTR visa and kids got student visas.
We put in our EOI before leaving the UK and were picked from the pool just a few days before we flew out. We got our ITA pack a couple of months later and were granted PR a few weeks after that.

The WTR visa tied OH to employment with the accredited company but with PR now he's free to work wherever.

If the rules haven't changed since then you should be able to put in an EOI now to start the PR ball rolling.

Hope this helps

BEVS

From NZIS website HERE
You would be eligible to apply for Residence From Work.

You may be grated an unconditional Permanent Residency visa which would mean you could leave your job & go work for anyone doing anything. However, they may also put in a proviso that you stay with the employer for a 3 month period from the date of the PR. As you have been working for the employer already for two years, I would assume your PR would be unconditional.

Just fill in the forms & put together the paperwork they require. It should be fine if you fulfill the criteria.

Good Luck

terrier2

Hi,
Thanks for your replies, I cant apply for PR under the points system as the job I do isnt worth any points.
Still, I have been told by my employer that I should now start to get the paperwork together ready to apply in September. Im lucky, I just earn enough to meet the new earning rules that come in force in July.
Its been a long hard slogg and completely different to what we were expecting when we left the UK, but still if I do get RRV it will be worth it.
Thanks for the advice, I will let you know how I get on as the prosess starts.

BEVS

You will be applying for a Residence from Work permit not RRV.

RRV is the Returning Residence Visa that you will be given once you have been granted Permanent Residency. That RRV will be valid for 2 years after which you will renew for an IRRV.

For Info:-
Residency from Work is not about points. It is when you apply for PR following having been on a WTR - Work to Residence visa for 2 years.

terrier2

Hi
Yes well thats what I meant, but surely I will get RRV for a further two years.
It wont be PR

BEVS

If you have been on a Work to Residence visa for two years, then you are entitled to apply for Permanent Residency - PR. You do this by applying for Permanent Residency through Work.

A Returning Residence Visa will be given to you once you have Permanent Residency. They are two different things.

Returning Residence visa means that you can leave NZ and will be allowed to return

Permanent Residence means you can stay here permanently to live and work unless the PR is revoked.

HERE IS THE FORM Please click the link.