[marin76]

Dear friends,

On friday 13th we were informed by our case officer that we are approved for WTR visa. And now there are several points that are not so clear for me.

If anybody can give the the answers I will be very, very, vety greatful:

1. When WTR starts - when it is stamped in the passports or when we arrive in New Zealand
2. We were told that we have to send back the WTR application within 3 months. If WTR starts when it is stamped in the passport, can we send all the required documents to NZIS immediately and point out the date we want the visas to be valid?
3. We have to prove that we have available funds 1000NZD per person per month. What is an acceptable evidence?

Thank you very much

Marin

[tigerlily]

Congrats Marin. The rules have just changed for WTR, making it a better option than it used to be. But I would get ask your case officer, via email, and get it in writing what is expected of you.

From the INZ site:
Changes have been made to the Work to Residence (WTR) component of the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC).

These changes include:



* Extending the WTR period to allow all principal applicants a period of nine months in New Zealand to obtain an offer of skilled employment.
* Allowing principal applicants who obtain an offer of skilled employment during their WTR deferral period to be granted residence and then meet the requirement to remain in their skilled employment for three months.



These changes are effective from 10 April 2007 and are applicable to principal applicants who make their SMC residence application on or after 10 April 2007.



A new transitional work permit policy has been introduced to grant a further three month work permit to principal applicants who are in New Zealand on an expiring WTR permit where the WTR permit was issued as a result of the SMC application being deferred for six months. Applicants who obtain an offer of skilled employment in New Zealand after their initial SMC deferral period has ended, but during the currency of their permit issued under the transitional work permit policy, must submit a new SMC application if they wish to pursue residence in New Zealand. Such applicants will be facilitated through their subsequent SMC application with a waiver of the application fee.



This new transitional work permit policy comes into effect on 10 April 2007.



Full details are available in Amendment Circular 2007/04.

from http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/general/generalinformation/news/wtrchanges.htm

[Trigirl]

the rules that tigerlily has put above wont apply to you as they are for people who make applications for residence after 10 April (and I assume yours was earlier as its already been looked at!)

basically you have 3 months from the date of the letter from NZIS to apply for a work visa. i dont think you can ask for that visa to be specifically dated but you might want to check that with NZIS. you certainly can't ask for it to be put at a date that is more than 3 months after the date of the letter.

the work visa will last for 6 months. once you have been in work for 3 months you can apply to have the work visa swapped for PR. if you get to the end of your 6 month visa and you haven't yet done 3 months work but you are in a job then you can get your work visa extended to allow you to complete the 3 months and get PR.