Alx

Hi everyone

Me and my girlfriend are "potential" NZ working holiday visitors, but we're having massive dilemmas in whether to try NZ or NZ. Ideally we would do both in one trip, but money is something we don't have all that much of. Ultimately if we liked where we were visiting we would definitely want to apply for PR, BUT, and it's a big but, neither of us have a degree. We have other qualifications, but not at degree level. We both work, but neither of us have skills on the shortage list for NZ unless a loose "creative" qualification were anything like good enough.

I'm 28 and my GF 25, and we were wondering what the prospects were like for people our age, unmarried, turning up in NZ on working holiday visas, and turning those into PR visas. Neither of us are happy in the UK, or happy with the way the country is heading, and have been doing so much reading on NZ and Aus, but so much that we may end up putting ourselves off, so we are hoping for some help/advice on the outlook for people our age with very few ties here in the UK. From what I have gleaned from the NZ immigration websites, our best/only way of potentially becoming residents would be through getting permanent job offers while visiting on the working holiday visa?

I hope someone can offer some advice or perhaps has been in, or is in, a similar situation? I posted a similar thread in the Aus section of the forum but unfortunately got 0 replies.

Thanks very much

taupo adventurers

hi there ,the best way to go is not a working visa but a tourist visa!as long as you pass at the airport as a tourist and dont tell them your looking for work once your in you get yourself a job and you have 6 months to do so you then go to the nearest place to register your working visa as long as its 30 hours a week and they have tried to employ from nz you are legal good luck

littleal

I would do a working holiday visa whilst you are still young enough. I haven't looked into it as I am too old to go down that route, but others may know if there are any downsides to it. Good luck.

Alx

Littleal - Yes this was our thinking. It says that you must have an emphasis on holiday rather than work, but I'm assuming there's nothing to stop you looking for permanent work while there? Based on a preliminary points test we would need job offers if we wanted to stay so I guess doing a working holiday might put us in with a better chance of getting them? I don't know.. would be useful if anyone else had gone through it this way or knew of someone who had.

Taupo Adventurers - Unfortunately we don't have the spare cash to go and not work. Wish we did! But we don't mind working. Would also consider study although I am probably too old for that and I don't honestly think we could afford to.

happynz

If you don't have the spare cash to go and not work you certainly wouldn't have the cash to pay the international student fees -- something around NZ$15,000 plus assorted fees per annum.



But yeah, it's usually possible to change your permit status while you are inside New Zealand. Sometimes it is as easy as can be and other times it's a real struggle. The procedures are fairly straightforward, but so much depends on personal circumstances regarding age, health, qualifications, work experience and the needs of New Zealand employers.

All the best and good luck with your plans.

Alx

$15k? Blimey!! Well that was useful to know so thanks for that

Avid

$15K would be for a science degree. You could probably do an arts degree for $10K.

There, you've saved $5K already.

I'd take the working holiday visa while you can, if I were you. The Immigration Department are hardly watching your every movement once you've entered the country and, to be honest, official websites have to word things in a way that might not FULLY represent what is going on.
There'd be nothing stopping you looking for 'proper' work once you got here.

Likewise if you discovered that NZ wasn't for you, well you've had a nice working holiday.

Win-win situation!

And it's never too late to study, while we're on the subject.

happynz

Well, OK, if you want cut-rate I know that Telford Rural Polytech does a level 4 Certificate in Dairy Knowledge for around NZ$3300 for international students. Locals pay NZ$230.

Mooooo....

Avid

More chance of him getting a job out here with that than a PhD in Ancient History.

happynz

True.

Alx

Hmm, ok good advice there, thanks Avid. We certainly have nothing to lose by doing it We've been trying to decide whether to go to Aus or NZ for the working hol. We like rural areas, countryside etc, and aren't really into city life, which makes me think maybe NZ would suit us. Would that be a fair assumption? I'm guessing some people will have visited there too at some point.

One other thing that I have read is that on that side of the world, work experience doesn't count for all that much versus actual qualifications. Anyone know how accurate that is?

Thanks for your help so far!

Avid

Oh yes indeed....

About 3 times the size of Scotland but with the same population.

It's rural, all right..

mingusdynasty

Why don't you do both? That's what I would do. I would also think about getting the Canadian working holiday visa as well. If I could that's what I would do right now! I came on a working holiday visa and ended up getting a full time job, a work visa, then residence, then citizenship. When i did it though it was a points system so it's all changed now.

Alx

I thought Canada was quite a bit harder to get into...? We would certainly consider there, however it's aus and nz that really appeal at the moment. I do have distant relatives in Canada though. NZ too.
Regarding the working visa age, is there anything to stop us applying for both visas at once? (Other than the fact we can't be in 2 or 3 places at once of course ) That could work ok for Aus and NZ..

mingusdynasty - are you in NZ or Canada now then?

mingusdynasty

No, you can apply for all three if you wanted to. No problems. From what i've read Canada is no harder to get into than NZ but no expert on that. Im in NZ, best mate prefers Canada to NZ and I have heard so many good things about it (in comparison to life in NZ) that it is worth looking into.

Im currently in Wellington, NZ. Won't be on the boards much longer. Feeling the moderators heat at the moment!! But good luck.