Chipster

Regarding looking for work in New Zealand, do people normally try to get a job offer first in the hope f getting more points when they apply?
Or is that frowned upon?

MrsFychan

you can look but it does depend if your job is actually wanted over here and if you have the correct criteria to be given a visa. Do you know how many points you get on the EOI? what is your profession??

Chipster

Hi,
I believe I score 85 points.
I'm working as an ICT Business Analyst but have 15 years IT experience in SAP although I understand that it's popular in NZ as it tends to be used by very large and mid size companies.

MrsFychan

so you would need a job offer to even think of applying for Expression of Interest. The job offer would give you a further 50 points and if the job offer is outside Auckland another 30.

The only way my OH managed to get a job offer in IT was to have boots on the ground as lots of initial meetings are done over a coffee. He was offered a job interview after meeting a few people at an IT conference 4 days after landing. This was back in 2011 so not sure how easy it would be for anyone else.
The IT industry seems to have a glut of people wanting jobs, OH had over 40 applications for one job recently and that was for a data analyst/web developer.

BEVS

It is not frowned upon. It is the way most people go.

New Zealand Immigration prefers that you can show you have the ability to arrive and settle. Part of the settling is that you have a steady income to help with that.

As always, finding the golden goose that laid the golden egg is the quest.

Chipster

Thanks. So if someone does find a job, then applies to emigrate to NZ, does this mean the process is quite quick?
That could be an issue if it takes time, esp. as the employer is waiting.

sparklyfrog

I've also wondered this!!

MrsFychan

if the job offer is time dependant then you can always apply for a temp work visa for 12 or 24 months and start work whilst the permanent visa is being processed. This is what MrF did

escapedtonz

You sure ?
85 is an awful low score considering you have 15 years IT experience in an area of long term skill shortage.
I'd say you are calculating the points incorrectly.

Chipster

Thank you

escapedtonz

If you are talking about a Resident Visa application via the Skilled Migrant Category then Yes, if the EOI has points for a job offer included and it is selected from the pool it is a higher priority that a similar EOI that doesn't have a job offer irrespective of the points.
In terms of visa applications in NZ, higher points doesn't mean higher priority or a faster process as it's all about how the points are made up on the EOI.

The highest priority in terms of a Resident Visa application is via the family stream - so partnership and dependents, then people with skilled job offers etc.

The process is never quite quick and I'm talking from EOI submission to receiving the passport back with visa sticker applied.
With a job offer - maybe at least 6 months if everything goes to plan and there are no issues with any evidence, medicals or police checks.
Without a job offer - at least 12 months if everything goes to plan and there are no issues with any evidence, medicals or police checks.

No need to worry if the employer not keen to wait that amount of time. You can apply for a temporary work visa at the same time. These are approved on the basis of a job offer and are only approved for between 12 months and 5 years but generally only take a matter of weeks to secure and allow almost immediate travel so you can get here and take up the job.
You can then keep the resident visa application ticking along in the background and just move the processing to NZ from London or wherever.

sparklyfrog

To further expand on the question - what if it's a work to residence visa through an accredited employer?

BEVS

Not sure what you mean. In terms of time for the visa to be processed?

Work to residence visa is a temp work visa. It simply ties you to the employer for the 2 years.

Per the NZ Immy website, ( link) processing times for work visas is around 3 weeks.
You can speed up the process by handing in the application in person . They will check through to ensure you have included everything .

Just have the HR of the accredited employer ensure the job is full time /permanent and that they want you as of yesterday.

escapedtonz

Work To Residence processing time frame is much the same as all the other temporary work visa types - Essential Skills and Talent (Accredited Employer) etc. You can only apply for one with a job offer so because they are a temporary visa for a 2 year indicative period the processing time frame is much less as Immigration are only considering you living there for that time and not the remainder of your days.
You are talking a matter of weeks if you are on the ball with all your paperwork or generally 1.5 months in total.

sparklyfrog

Thanks! I couldn't quite tell which category it came under! Sorry to hijack the post!