[Pezhk]

Hello,
I wonder if anyone can explain to me why Hong Kong is not listed under the locations of comparatable experience........but Singapore and the Phillipines are OK.
My situation is that I have worked in Construction Project Management in Hong Kong for ten years ( including 3 yrs when it was still a British Colony).
All documents, contracts and drawings are in English, not supprisingly the whole set up closely follows the UK systems. I mainly work with UK, Aussie and New Zealand educated Engineers.
But are my last ten years not acceptable???
Thanks.
Perry. :wah

[veronica]

Best thing you can do is to email the NZIS and put it to them. They are short of construction managers here though.

[ateal]

Hi Perry,

Welcome, it's good to see another Hong Kong construction guy here; I am also working in HK (Q.S.) and looking to migrate to NZ.

Regarding your concern, I'm sure once they see the full details of your experience it will be considered relevant experience. After all, our industry practices and procedures are pretty universal in all of the first world countries.

Notwithstanding the above, I also believe there is a certain element of discretion used when assessing EOI's.

Anyway, if you do contact NZIS, please let us all know how you get on.

Good luck.

Adrian

[Pezhk]

Hi Adrian,
to explain a bit more, a friend of mine who is also English and has been here ten years, did put in his EOI a couple of days ago and intially had his experience rejected out of hand ( clerks ticking boxes!). He then had to send details showing that the companies were Japanese and British owned, to be able to get the full mark.
What I do not understand is why Japanese experience is OK, whereas Hong Kong Company experience is not..........even though the main buisness language here is English, and the buisness practice follows UK systems.
Maybe this is a racialist policy?

[ateal]

Perry, this is a very strange policy indeed and definitely needs more explanation from NZIS. It surely can't be a racist thing.

I suspect this will cause me more work when applying as i have worked here for 7 years. However, only 18 months was with a local consultancy.

Did your friend have any Hong Kong company experience that did not get considered?

Hope you get this thing sorted out with them.

[jhsay]

Hi Perry,
HongKong is not on the list bec. it's part of China. With the new system in place, entry to NZ is now more difficult for countries like China and India. Migrants from these two countries are actually a lot in NZ. Why discriminate them? I really don't know.

Hope they'll be considerate on you since you're an englishman (?)

Jinkee

[veronica]

Whats been said above is a bit iffy. They have made it a lot more difficult for these countries in terms of the english language skills part, this is to increase the chances of successful migrationand hopefully avoid people being here for years and not speaking any English. But in other respects like qualifications and safety standards (take the chinese mines) some of these countries have a lower qualification standard, and it doesn't meet the NZ equiv. It was a surprise to me to find out that not all UK Uni degrees were acceptable. only degrees from listed Universities.

Apparently it has recently come to light over here that over the last few years a lot of people from Asia have emigrated here using false degrees. (the type you can get over the internet) This has led to the screening from these countries being much more stringent.

The only way to find out is to contact the NZIS and ask them. They do answer emails.

[Pezhk]

Hi Veronica ( and to Jhsay too),
but surely the point is that the language skills and the checks whether degrees are forgeries or not should be standard for all countries.
What I do not understand is why Hong Kong which is one of the Worlds Major Cities, has Safety Standards equavalent to the UK is rejected out of hand. We are a city state like Singapore, and are a centre for Multi National companies (esp Major Banks) from around the World. Our Engineering Projects are huge (look at the airport and its bridges.......all without any significant safety problems during construction), nearly everyone I work with has Full ICE memebership and membership of other asocated bodies. Most managers also have Msc's and MBA's from UK, USA or OZ recognised Universities. But for some reason Hong Kong experience is not considered unless you have a job offer.
Seems unfair, and unlogical.............unless they have taken a dislike to Chinese. :mrgreen:

[deebat]

Hi, Perry,

I certainly can understand your frustration, but from what you say, it appears that NZIS simply looks at Hong Kong the same way it looks at mainland China. They've got a huge job at NZIS, and one can only assume that they use this strategy to keep their heads above water. Considering your arguments, it doesn't sound very fair that they do this -- I sure hope that you're able to convince them that your experience is worthy of serious consideration!

Good luck,
Dan

[leslie]

hub is an accomplished london-based architect who runs his own practice and a development/ contracting business - in nz he will have to re-qualify!!!!! feel better?

[jonSE]

Leslie

I am sure your husband has done his research but I am surprised that there is no reciprocity arrangement between the RIBA and whatever the NZ Architects Institution is called.

I am a Structural Engineer emigrating in Feb '05 and have found no problems with NZ employers acknowledging UK professional qualifications.

Jon

[Pezhk]

Hi Leslie /Jon,
thanks for your posts, but your missing the point.
I am aware that certain proffessional qualifications have to be verified by NZ relevant institutions.I have no problem with checks being carried out on references and qualifications once applicatons are made, this should be done to check for forgeries.
What I would like to know is why all Hong Kong experience is dismissed out of hand unless you have a job offer, but work experience(for example) Phillipines (a 3rd World country that has serious corruption problems and exploitation of its workers), Japan (main language Japanese), Singapore (a City State very similar to Hong Kong) are accepted with no conditions.
It doesn't make sense.
Rgds.
Perry. :no

[veronica]

Pezhk. the only people who can answer your question there is the NZIS. Give them a ring or email and ask them, you may even find it is not as anti/clearcut as you believe.

[Pezhk]

Veronica, looking at my previous posts I thought I had made it very clear that it is clearcut.
I will repeat for you. Hong Kong experience is only accepted with a job offer.
Hence if you fill in the EOI (as my friend did), it is automatically rejected.

I have raised this query in this forum, as I am assuming that NZIS staff /policy makers look at these forums and maybe able to explain why certain countries are acceptable and others are not.

[leslie]

in my experience it literally comes down to the initaitive of the relevant countries - if they haven't made the effort to set up the deal then it doesn't matter if you are a genius who designed built and funded the eiffel tower in you spare time. in canada i met a russian doctor who had some of the most interesting, exceptional emergency surgical experience imaginable after a long successful career there. canada needs medical prof's but did they recognise her qualificcations??? she is working as a personal nutritionist... i consider that a crime against humanity in a world desperate for people with her skills and exp.

my hub was reinformed just yesterday that there is no reciprocity ongoing between uk/nz - a few months ago he was told something was in early stages. my money goes on uk not being bothered/ wanting to fund set up more than nz. to call himself an 'architect' he will have to jump through loads of hoops. he will get there, at the end of the day he's lucky that he can afford to, unlike the russian who faced years of expensive requalification.

sometimes immig policy doesn't make sense and is wholly stupid. i suggest you take your offer to nz and stop fretting... if you are good at what you do how can you fail?

[veronica]

Perry. This site is nothing to do with the NZIS. They don't answer your questions on here, only us (all bumbling along the best we can). We are all just ordinary people the same as you with our own experiences. If you have a specific question for NZIS then address it to them. From what you are saying your 'friend' has only tried the online form.. what have you tried. Have you tried emailing them or phoning cos thats the only way you are going to get an answer from them, the only way you are going to find out.
regards Veronica