BEVS

There is no need to use that tone mate. Luvwelly was expressing an opinion. An opinion that many others share. Plus, the post wasn't directed at you personally was it.

Looking at this post of yours you sell yourself way short. If it wasn't for your tenacious approach to gaining a job offer, which is an inspiration for others and to be applauded, you most likely wouldn't have made it here. Doing the paperwork was just the fringe of the application.

I would sincerely hope that you would get a follow up service for the fees you paid. That's the service you paid for.

I've no doubt the people mentioned come across as 'nice'. Why shouldn't they. After all being perceived as 'nice' helps them gain business. Just look at Glen Standing of Golden Sands. He was also perceived as a 'nice bloke' whilst he continued to take people's money knowing he was in financial strife.

'Nice' wouldn't do for me . Not if my application or money was involved. I wouldn't care less if they were curt as long as they were truthful, honest and came tried and tested & I'm not talking abut those crummy customer reviews you see on the individual business websites either. lol

There is nothing at all wrong with employing an Immy agent to do your form filling if that's what someone feels they need. As I previously stated, unless the case has something unusual , it will be monies paid for the form filling. One still has to do the running about, paperwork gathering , certifications, medicals, police checks and all that stuff oneself.

When it comes to the elusive job offers though, one is best placed to try for this direct, as BarnsleyMatt has done, or use a professional recruiter for your occupation/trade.

barnsleymat

and I was expressing mine, I didn't see it as a 'waste of money'', it was the difference in coming here and not coming here.

It was directed at me, that's why my post was quoted in the reply.

Everyone has different circumstances 'for goodness sake'

BEVS

I'll be more direct if that helps here. Please watch your tone to others.

barnsleymat

Someone said what we'd chose to spend our money on was a waste of time, I pointed out it was the difference in making the move and not making the move.

I think immigration agents get a bad rap on here, in the last 2 years I've had no time off work apart from my months visit to NZ a year ago which was very hard work. I was working my balls off in the UK and I am here too, so taking on all the paperwork too was too much. All my efforts and money was poured into finding a job which was much harder than I anticipated. So when I'm told ive wasted my money by someone that doesn't know my circumstances I find it out of order.

No offence meant.

lardyl

Suppose it depends on how many hours it will take you for DIY, how many £$£$ you earn an hour and if you have any free time. Although actually learning how it's done by doing it can help you later on and help others in places like this.
I used to get asked a lot about using Loss Assessors for dealing with Insurance claims who take a cut as well. Sometimes it was worth it (complex claim or Insured without any time at all) but for almost every claim it was not and was "money down the drain.
Pays your money and takes your choice.
Bit of solid advice here - don't cross BEVS - she is to be obeyed and she's great.

barnsleymat

One if the other reasons we chose to use advisors was the thousands of Brits playing at moving to NZ, my boss says he's constantly contacted by Brits especially when he advertises a job. These people spoil it for the genuine people, I worked in the UK with one, he knew everything about moving to NZ and was always applying for posts. He had no intention of moving, it was all a dream. When companies see you've got an agent they know you're the real thing, not just some bozo trawling trade me.

What's 4 grand anyway? it's the price of a 10 year old car or a night out in Auckland.

pcmay10

thanks for replies,seems a bit of a dodgy subject but i can see both sides.BEVS you do a sterling job of keeping things true,also your summary of what we as a family have to positively apply without agents is inspiring,keep it up,thankyou...

Stormer999

Hi pcmay10... We are still in the UK and I have spent many hours studying NZ life and Immigration requirements and realise the procedure is not simple, very confusing especially for new starters. Wifey has experience in a job that does not often crop up in NZ but is on the LTSS list so we studied agents their use and attended seminars etc. At the end of the day as Bevs so rightly points out they can not add any extra points to your entitlement to get you in. Sit down and carefully work out what the pros and cons of an agents use and if like barnsleymat you cannot handle the on line paperwork judge the cost to benefit for your case. We soon realised that an agency can not help the job procedure for us so as the better option would be EOI with what we have accrued in points with hope for acceptance to enable job hunting direct. Initially we considered the path you are probing but realised we, with the use of this forum, are our own best agents. Good luck....

chauxfleur

I'm almost at the end of the visa process and it's been really simple, definitely not worth paying someone else to do... My case is pretty straight forward though. I think actually having the job offer in place makes all the difference, so perhaps you could look at that as a route?

If you think about it all you really have to do is fill in 3 forms, most of which is repeating information from the other two! Then it's a case of photocopying some certificates etc. Nothing too taxing and if you get stuck the guys in this forum are really helpful.

As I said, my case is really simple (and I don't want to jinx my visa) but I'd agree with BEVS that you still have to give them all the info, so why not write it down yourself and save some cash for extra stuff once you get to NZ... 4k buys a lot of surfing lessons. Also being a born and bred Yorkshire girl, I'm far too tight to pay someone else to do something I can do!

luvwelly

I agree. An agent who gives you a proforma to supply information about yourself(talking generally here not aimed at Barnsleymat or anyone else just a warning to others) that you know (and they actually don't) just to transfer it to a set of forms, should be charging sterling 400 not sterling 4000 , then I might buy it being worth it for some busy people but I still don't really....

Agents are just one part of the big 'NZ local economy stimulus machine' based on parting you from your UK cash, that 'would be' immigrants can avoid'....the others you can't avoid so easily.

Now which is most useful to society I wonder...immigration agents or estate agents..? Usually money for old rope in both cases methinks. This whole thread started off like an 'agent lovefest' with actual names being bandied about. That's why I posted originally.

luvwelly

You have better nights out in Auckland than me, especially if we are talking sterling which I understand the fees were.