theduke

Hi

I am a consultant in the construction industry and have lived/worked here in NZ for 5yrs next month. I have been offered a 4month contract in Sydney, which I would be silly to refuse.

My question is I will be working through my own business which is registered here in NZ, I am on a Perm Res visa, can I work in Ozzie via my business that is registered here in NZ without having to apply for a work visa in Ozzie, it seems a bot of over kill for 4months work and by the time it is over I will no doubt be a citizen here anyway?

It seems to be a bit of a grey area and I am getting conflicting views, so decided to see if anyone on here in similar boat or know of anyone in similar situation.

P18PPS

Have you applied for citizenship yet? I ask because I know one of the questions you have to provide details on is where you intend to live/work, and you also have to provide precise details on your entry to and from NZ. It may be worth you applying for citizenship now before you start zipping across the ditch for work. I believe it's taking between 6-12 months at the moment to process citizenship status, but once you have your black passport all this is irrelevent anyway.

On another note - we nearly left NZ last year for a contract, at the time we'd been here for 5 years but hadn't applied for citizenship, I talked to NZIS and was informed that if we left prior to getting citizenship and then retuned, our 5 years would have to start from scratch.

Woodlea

I work offshore in Oz from time to time and enter on my pommy passport having obtained a business visa online. I've been doing this on and off since 2002 firstly from the UK and then from NZ (NZ PR since Sept 06). You can enter Oz and work on a business visa as long as it is "in the interests of Australia" and the work is not "on-going". My Oz agent says this argument is a bit dubious but it doesn't stop him from hiring me out and the client doesn't seem to mind. The way I see it is that if an Australian was available why would they go to all the expense of flying me over and paying for hotels etc, they will always get an Australian first if they can and so they should.
I don't want to live in Oz or obtain any benefits of their super or medi, I just go wherever the work takes me, just like going to the rest of the world.
I know the business visa is only valid for 12 months and a maximum of 3 months visit at a time so not sure it would work for a 4 month contract.
Good luck!

Expat Kiwi

Hi, if you're intending to apply for NZ citizenship just keep an eye on the number of days you spend outside of NZ.

You have to spend at least 240 days in NZ in each of the last 5 years to qualify.

theduke

Thanks for your responses turns out that an evisa for Oz allows me entry up to 3months and I can work there.

Yes I have applied for my citizenship, was told will have all my info back and approved within 60days. 1 year sounds a wee bit right though for NZ, take your money and spend it and then wait a while then give you what you paid for

Expat Kiwi

Good luck in Oz.

DeepSix

good luck..
ive been thinking about this as an option as well

up to and including spening a year over in OZ

but if i was you i wouldnt do anything until the citizenship came through.. having to wait another 5 years for the opportunity isnt something i would personally risk

keep us all up to dat with your adventures

CAN2NZ

Just curious for those who seemed concerned about the opportunity for NZ citizenship who posted here. As a permanent resident you have all the benefits of citizenship without the passport. Why would you be concerned? Just curious. With five of us it seems very expensive and not totally necessary.

DeepSix

There isnt any real advantage if you are NZ based.
You can become an MP.. well.. i will let that one pass
you can represent NZ at a sporting event.. bit old for the Olympic dream now

and i think there might be another couple of other little things.. not including of course.. you get a NZ passport.

but if you have an inkling to work in OZ.. short term, temp, long term.. or permanent.. with an NZ passport you can just wander in

Of course if you want to be an OZ Pr.. then you still need to apply as per normal.

So if you have done the 5 years in NZ.. its a sensible investment to get citizenship.. so that .. if.. sometime in the future you need to go to OZ for whatever reason.. then its a damn site easier as a NZ cit that a NZ Pr

hope that make sense

P18PPS

For us - 4 are British with PR, 1 was born here and has both British and NZ - plus there's another on the way. I want all children to have the same opportunities. Who knows where life will take us and with an NZ passport too it means that Aus is an easy option for one or all of us at some point in the future.

Buzzy--Bee

....assuming Australian immigration does not make another change to the rules allowing New Zealand citizens into the country like they did in 2001.

BB

theduke

What was that?

PS: Applied for our citizenship (2Adults 2 Children) and was told 60days before it comes through. Cost was $1,460.

Buzzy--Bee

In Feb 2001 Australia changed the rules so that New Zealand citizens entering after that date would only ever be able to become temporary residents. Prior to this New Zealand citizens could become permanent residents on arrival. The main ramification of this for expats is that New Zealanders can no longer sponsor spouses for permanent residency, or even long term temporary residency.

BB

P18PPS

We have no desire to become Aus citizens, as then we'd have to relinquish our british passports. To my knowledge at the moment there is nothing to prevent a NZ citizen from entering Aus and working/living for a period of time. Our goal is to get all 4 children both NZ and British passports to enable them to have a free reign of the Australasia area AND all of the EU - in our eyes a true gift for their future.... poor old Aussies can't do this!!

Expat Kiwi

Thousands of British people have Australian citizenship there's no requirement to reliquinish your UK passport if you become an Australian.

I think some Brits keep their British passport and have a type of sticker in it stating they've also got Australian citizenship.

Although a NZ passport will give your kids the right to work and live in Australia if they can support themselves it doesn't give them free reign by any means.

If they're serious about Australia they'd be more secure if they applied for PR and then citizenship as soon as they are able. I think the way Kiwis were treated in the recent Queensland floods shows how little protection and status there really is.

There's always the danger that if Australia wanted to reduce unskilled migration it could decide overnight to simply not to allow any more Kiwis into the country.