[StuckInLA]

Hello everyone, I'm new here. Here's a quick summary of my situation:
I'm married, in my mid-twenties, no kids or house, and looking to try out life in New Zealand for about 18 months or so. I'm currently living in Los Angeles. I have bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering, and I'm a registered professional engineer in California. My wife has a bachelor's degree in finance.

We would like to live/work in New Zealand until December 2008, at which point my wife will finish her Master's degree in business (it's a distance program, so she can continue the program while we are in NZ) and we will have to decide whether to stay in NZ or return to the US.

Based on the initial points indicator, I believe I have 125 without a job offer. This includes 2 years work experience in an area of long-term skills shortage (professional engineer).

What route should I take in trying to get to NZ? Does anyone with only 125 points and no job ever get selected for residency? I'm not really familiar with how the work visa program works; do you think I should pursue that route instead?

-StuckInLA :confused:

[Sam'n'Kelv]

Does anyone with only 125 points and no job ever get selected for residency?
-StuckInLA :confused:

I made it through on a similar number of points without a job offer. However, I'm not sure if the points requirement has gone up since I was selected.

[neilw71]

Hi - we got in 2 years ago without jobs and both found one within 4 weeks! Still here and loving it.

Civil engineers are in demand in Auckland, but I would not tell people you are only looking at 18 months - why would an employer assist you to come over for that short period?

Try Fletchers - I know one of their companies have just brought 4 process engineers over from Peru! http://www.fletcherbuilding.co.nz/careers/index.aspx

Neil

[Cardy]

HI there
we had no job offer and got pr but points were only 100 at the time maybe we were just lucky as we know people who were turned down or offered other options like wtr. but keep trying and keep watching the points they go up and down al the time!! when we first looked i think it was 150. We went to an emigration agent at an expo and he told us we had no chance! but we are here.If you want it dont take no for an answer.

Cardy:nice1

[jess]

It could take a couple of selections before you get pulled from the pool, but you do stay in for 6 months which gives you a shot. You're on the borderline from what I know about the newer points. I got PR back in 2005 when it was 100 pts, so am not up to date on all the new info, but This thread (http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9026) starts off with someone who was selected last Nov. with 125 pts no job offer. The March 28 pull didn't go down past 135 points -- see this pdf file (http://formshelp.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/6CC8B38E-5A6D-4411-8D90-65AAB547C173/0/FactSheet20070328.pdf) of the details of everyone selected Mar. 28, 07.

Best of luck to you. :)

[Trigirl]

you wouldn't have been selected in either of the march ones. but you would have been selected in both the february ones, so as jess says you may not get selected in the first selection but with six months in the pool you will almost certainly get selected.

[StuckInLA]

Thanks everyone!!! This is very encouraging. It sounds like all I need to do now is decide which road to take: PR,working visa, or working holiday.

I appreciate the responses.

[Howie]

I'm a Civil Engineer (traffic/transportation) and my company is always looking for people. Depending on what specifically you're in, the 18 month time frame might not be a big deal to employers.
PM me and let me know what type of job you're looking for and where if you'd like a hand with the job search.

[aberdian]

We got in with 115pts and no job offer, not even any points for skill shortage area. If you didn't have any points for skill shortage then it'd be difficult getting yr EOI selected, IIRC last one was Oct 31st. Otherwise, you've got every chance!

Cheers

Ian

[sfordjasiri]

I was selected in November 2006 with 125 points and no job.