Inspector Clouseau

Hello Everyone

I think I am about to become deeply unpopular with my first post and first comment.


It appears that I have a good hand in this here poker game

You see I am an Electrical Engineer (apparently top of both the Skill Shortage Lists). I have the recognised professional quali's. My sister's family live in Auckland. My Wife has recognised professional quali's and her profession is on the long term skill shortage. Naturally we both speaka da lingo. Finally to top it all off it looks like I have an offer of employment coming through the post in the new year.

The question is ... which option do I take? Should I apply for Permanent Residency as soon as possible? Should I just start of with a visa/work permit and see if I like it first? Can I keep our UK citizenship in case it all curdles like milk left in a students fridge?

Has anybody here been re-located through a new employer and how was it? How did you do it? Was anyone as fortunate as me or am I actually deluding myself and everyone thinks it is all in their favour at this stage?

lapsed kiwi

I'd go staright for PR; time on PR counts towards the 5 years for citizenship, whereas time on a working visa doesn't (I think). You can keep UK citizenship and passport regardless of your NZ status - I have held both passports for ages, and it means you can travel and work throughout Europe and Australasia. I can't think of any downside to PR vs WV.

I was relocated by my new employer (the NZ govt). I'm also an electrical engineer, working in defence IS. It's all gone quite smoothly so far, they even paid for our dog to be relocated here! Where is your job offer? Most engineering work seems to be in Akl, which is not my favourite bit of NZ but it has its plus points and beats the hell out of Chippenham!

Inspector Clouseau

Yep, it's looking like Auckland. The firm is an engineering consultantancy called BECA and at the moment it is only a verbal offer pending written confirmation of all the T&C's.

Everything is all going to depend on that for timescales, expenses and such like. Some of the initial excitement is starting to wear off now.

puna

you wil be worst off financially

Joshlin

I would defo go for PR at the outset - although depending on where you are at (I am assuming you've not submitted to NZIS yet) there will be a delay given the change in regs for skilled migrants - no draws from the EOI pool till Feb.
Haven't had personal experience of being relocated but others on here have - some good, some not so good experiences - I think there seems to be a general warning that there is common experience of companies not honouring t&c's once you get here.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Oh and do your research - financially you may well be worse off, but you shouldn't come here for financial reasons - there are plenty of other positive gains to be made
Vicki

Inspector Clouseau

Bit more information availvable now.

I have now been formally offered the position (in writing) based in Auckland and it aint a bad package either.

Downside I have till the 01/04/06 to start!!! :scared: :scared: :scared:

Can PR be arranged in that time or should I go for WTR now.


Hell this is going really quickly now.

scottish

Why dont you go for a work visa £85 for you and your wife, then apply for PR once landed. You will get more points too. OUr visa took a whole 5 weeks applying to walking on that plane.

Inspector Clouseau

Can the wife come on my work visa even though she hasn't been offered a job?

scottish

Yes, she will get an open visa which means you can work at whatever she wants to do, if she wants to work adn the kids get student visas.

JAJ

But aren't employers more reluctant to hire people who are not permanent residents, especially for the better jobs?

As for the children, do they have to pay fees if they're not permanent residents?


The major issue I see with going to NZ on a temporary visa is that if you uproot yourself from the UK and then the job doesn't work out (or if you don't qualify for permanency for some reason), you're in a mess. I am suprised how many people on this forum in particular don't insist on the security of a permanent visa before leaving the UK.

Having a permanent visa is also a good way to hep ensure the salary being offered is market related, as you have the freedom to leave if you find out you are being underpaid.


Jeremy

Inspector Clouseau

Being a novice, I'm going to apply for both because I'm just very tight on time. It seems that the Perm Visa is the better option but for the processing time. I am trying to convince the employer to postpone the starting date to give me more time but they obviously have their own problems (i.e short staffed). They are offering me the job because they have demonstrated an inability to recruit from within NZ (not that the UK is over-run with my profession either, it is just NZ has something to offer that the UK cannot).

If it has to be a WTR - WT1 (apparently ) then that's what it'll have to be. Hopefully I can bring my family too. If not they will have to follow via another route. I will not be beaten by Bureaucracy!

scottish

Hi Jeremy

The work visa is only a temp stop gap he would apply for PR once landed (meds also cheaper in NZ and quicker, just make sure you get your police checks done before leaving the UK).

We found that employers didnt bother, saying that hubby is a gas fitter so trade in demand. Also you dont have to pay any student fees only a contribution to the school, but you pay that if you have a visa or pr dosent matter which.

The only advice I would give, as pointed out better by jeremy, is make sure your points are enough for PR and you take all the evidence with you that you need.

We went out on a visa and hubby unfortunately didnt like his new employer but no worries he got a new job, applied for a variation to his visa $55 and 1 day letter started work with the new guy.