My Road to New Zealand
 

Hello all,



I will be discussing my journey with you all, as i make the move to New Zealand (Hoepfully), 24 Year old From Scotland, with a partner.

The story so far...

I applied for a quality management role on the Monday 26th September with an accredited employer who are the biggest consturction organisation in New Zealand.

I received a telephone call from the HR department/recruiters within the company on Sunday 2nd of October, where they discussed my circumstances, New Zealand, my experience and other bits and bobs. Shortly after this i received an email requesting a skype interview.

I conducted the Skype interview on Wednesday 5th October, well it turned to a phone call interview, due to the organisations skype system being updated. Again this went over the role, New Zealand, My experience in further detail, locations I would be interested in (positions available in Hamilton, Auckland or Wellington). The phone interview went well and shortly after i received an email requesting me to a face to face interview in London.

The face to face interview will take place on Friday 21st October.

Im keeping my fingers crossed as me and my Partner are very interested and excited at the prospects of moving to New Zealand.

There have been a couple of stumbling blocks allready, as i have been looking into the move in depth. With my BMI being a stumbling block so far (35.6). I will be getting this under 35 prior to the medical, but i am aware this will get reffered to an MA for approval or further tests.

Im in good health, with only two things i suffer from, IBS and Scid Reflux. The only thing i take madication for is Acid Reflux, which i only take when required, i would say 4/5 tablets per month (omeprazole, or over the counter).
My IBS is controlled via diet, and i have had no problems since making my GP aware of stomach bloating.

So unless there are any other scares during the medical then im looking at a referel for my BMI.

I think ive understood the Visa system so far. However, i am confused slightly with the work to residency visa. as i read some places that it is a temporary visa, others say permenant. The reason i bring this up is that you dont need a medical for a temporary visa, which would allow me to lose weight in NZ.

I am planning on visiting my GP next week, to ensure he has my current BMI and to enquire about nutritional plans for weight loss. This is incase my Visa is reffered to MA and i can prove that i am taking measures to improve my BMI and overall health.

Anyway ive typed away for too long. I will keep those who are interested updated on this forum, and if anyone has advice for me in my application and what measures i could take to benfit my approval then please let me know.

Cheers
QG

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

Its temporary in the fact that it is a visa for 2 years, Work to Residency Visa, you then have to apply for Work from Residency Visa, which will be granted if you have met the requirements through the previous 2 years and onwards. The job offer has to be salaried at 55K or above, before tax to qualify.
You can not include your partner on this visa but they apply for a partnership visa.
The Work from Residency Visa will come with 2 years travels conditions which if you wish to have removed after two years you have to have been in NZ for a set amount of days during those 2 days.

When you apply for the Work from Residency visa you can include your partner in that application.

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

Well done but from experience test waters first and if you are accepted treat it as a holiday. That way if you like it you could settle there and if you don't you can up and go without any angst

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

id not long had a baby when i applied for my visa. my BMI was way up there. i was sure it would be a problem. wasnt even referred!:thumbsup:

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

Just an update for everyone.

I have managed to get my BMI below 35 (34.6) in one week. So i am happy with this, however. i still fear that it will be referred.

I've completely altered my diet with water being the only source of liquid i am currently drinking. Feeling better for it too.

I also received an application form this morning from the employer i have been interviewed by asking for references and other things such as medical, drug tests etc. all no problem at all.

at this stage I'm all set for flying down to London on Thursday night for my interview on Friday. I'm both excited and extremely nervous about it but I'm hoping all will go well.

I'm also hoping that i receive information on Friday about when to expect a Job Offer so we can go get the medical and Visa application done with the assistance of the employers 3rd party Visa assistance person (unsure on specific title).

Anxious and excited.

Hoping if i get a Job offer that the WTR via an accredited employer visa is quickly completed, although as discussed before I fear it may be referred :(.

We may be getting ahead of ourselves but we have already started planning a wee holiday on the way over to NZ, with a stopover in Dubai (to visit family & friends) and a stopover in Singapore for a few days.

Cheers,
QG

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

Good luck today!

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

Hi all,

So first of all my flight got cancelled on Thursday Morning and I had to find alternative travel from Aberdeen to London. A sleeper bus was the choice and although I was skepticle about getting the bus injury admit I got a good nights sleep and woke up in London.

I got showered and changed in London and made my way to the Interview Location.

The interview went very well and I got a good vibe of the interviewees and when I left I felt I made a very good impression.

I was informed it will be a couple of weeks until an offer is made so now it's a waiting game.

We are now at the stage where it is becoming a reality that we be moving to New Zealand. My other half is now getting worried as it's the other side of the world and is saying she is not sure if she wants to go. I'm hoping this is just a phase in the move and hopefully she sees the benefits to the move, as personally I see more benefits and positives rather than negatives.

Will keep you all updated going forward.

Cheers
QG

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

don't under estimate the nerves of not wanting to go. Things will be easier for you as you will be the one with the job to go to and meeting new people whilst partner will be left to her own devices and having to cope with a strange and much different country and ways things are done here.

You need to discuss the possibility of one of you not settling and the other does, what would happen in that situation?
Are you just taking a few years out just to try it so there is a set date to move on?

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

Hi MRSFychan,

Thank you for the response.

We have a wedding date booked for March 2018 with the Venue and other things being booked already and she collected her dress yesterday. The issue is that we need to organize and plan from New Zealand if we both move, but it would be difficult for dress fittings and alterations and other minor things from New Zealand.

We have come to the conclusion that we will await the Job offer first to see if we would manage to live off of only my wage for the first year. during this time my partner would travel back to the UK when required for dress alterations and final wedding preperations. During this time my partner would also take up temporary work and leave when required to return to the UK, then after the wedding go for full-time employment in her profession in NZ.

We would then both travel back for 3 weeks for our wedding etc.

It is tough and it all depends on the salary of the Job Offer.

The other option is for me to go myself for the first year whilst she stays in the UK, until after the wedding when she would then come out. I would have to check the process for this though as she would be on a partner Visa. (I myself would be on an accredited employers WTR VISA)

Stressful times but exciting and anxious at the same time.

I know she is anxious about the move, and i completely understand it. Hopefully there is a good outcome from the Job Offer (However, i cant seem to find out average salaries for my profession in NZ online).

Keeping fingers and toes crossed for the best.

Look forward to your response. :)

Cheers
QG

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

We are with an accrediated employer

The visa is a 30month work visa. So yes it's classed as temp. You can apply for residency after 24 months.

You will need a medical with a panel dr.so will your partner need one to. They last for 3 years so you won't need to do them again. My bmi was 38 and I was never referred I MA. Visa come back within a week.

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

I was meant to come out here a few months after my husband. The entry date expired before my flight so u had no choice but to go out the same time as him otherwise it would be very costly as we would need to apply for a change of visa conditions

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

Well so far so good and the New Zealand dream is still alive.

I had a further call last night for half an hour with the Project director for the big project i will initially be part of for the first few years. All seemed to go well and i now await further information.

So that's 2 telephone interviews, a skype interview and a face to face interview so far in the process. I am now hoping the next contact is regarding a Job offer, which will be the difficult part as i will be hoping for a high salary for the role, my past experience and because im hauling my A** to the other side of the world for the role (Which is a pro and a con :) )

I will keep you all updated as the process continues with hopefully good news to follow.

Cheers,
QG

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

Fingers crossed for some good news for you QG. I am waiting anxiously for a decision on my Partnership Application with my wife being a NZ Citizen already but I have no job lined up so must be nice feeling to know you potentially will have a good job offer coming.

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

Update for everyone,

I was contacted by the employer on Monday, they requested references through a company called Xref. These have since been supplied and completed however, still no word back from the employer as of yet.

In the same email they did say upon successful completion of the references (and everything was satisfactory) they would be making me an offer.

They requested my salary expectations, move over date roughly, and who was coming with me (3rd or 4th time this has been asked and still the same answer).

I also mentioned as the position would be project related and require me to be moving about quite a lot between the site, suppliers premises, customer premises and possibly auditing anywhere in New Zealand, i asked if there was the possibility of a company car (negotiable).

I also asked if it was possible for the reimbursement of my WTR Visa and my partners partner visa.

I went with quite an open salary ($100K-$130K), this fits in with the Hudson salary review 2015 and 2016 and what i would be looking for to live comfortably and sustain both myself and my partner until she finds work in NZ.

All promising however, this was the part i was most worried about (along with the medical as i have a BMI under 35 but over 30).

its been 3 days which isn't a lot of time waiting for a Job offer, but I'm gritting my teeth in anticipation.

Fingers and toes crossed!

Cheers
QG

Re: My Road to New Zealand
 

Did you hear anything?
I went through the same process and my experience sounds very similar to you.
They didn't get back to me for 2 weeks after I told them my salary expectations (like you I went in a little high)
I then called them and asked then what the hold up was, they said my salary was too high so they did not bother calling me back, they then offered approx $75k for a role that takes home $20k more than that elsewhere.

wondering if you received the same treatment or if you had better luck

:)