[rpearce]

Dear all,

So how does this emigration thing work then? I know that the route is pretty long winded and complex and I am trying to get a clear idea of the number of hoops I will need to jump through (plus, the order I will need to jump through them). Basically, I am hoping to emigrate from the UK to NZ (not that bothered where in NZ). I have a wife and three children so I need to get this right.

I am hoping to qualify as a skilled migrant (I have BSc (Hons), MSc and PhD from good UK universities). I believe I need to get a job offer - pretty daunting given that I can't simply go to interviews (financially, I probably have ONE shot at getting this right, and cannot afford to fly over there to job hunt/interview etc...). I also understand that I need to make an Expression of Interest and will need medicals but, at this stage, I don't really know anything more.

Is there any point putting in an EOI without a job offer or any point in looking for a job without an EOI? Really not sure how this whole thing works and I need to get it right. Are there other key steps I need to know about? If so, where do they fit into the scheme of things?

Any help/advice would be gratefully accepted.

[Belmont Babes]

Hi there

It may help to do a points indicator test to see how many points you have. If you have enough you can submit EOI. If you have a job offer you will have more points. The more points you have the stronger position you are in for being selected. What do you do?

[rpearce]

I am a lecturer with laboratory management experience at a large UK college. I lecture undergraduates in...

Microbiology
Basic Biochemistry
Research Methods (Statistics, Research design etc...)

...amongst other things.

I also am course manager for a BSc (Hons) course and routinely develop coures materials (including for distance learning students).

Anyone know if there's a need for people like me?

[Belmont Babes]

I hope someone will be able to answer your question soon. With regard to the route of the process, everyone does it differently. I know a couple who got the job first and then put in the EOI and it all went very quickly as they always prioritise applications with a job offer. We did EOI first and the job offers came later? Have you done points indicator?

[rpearce]

Filled in an online form for free assessment with Website called 1st Contact. Is that the same thing? If not, how do I find out what my points are?

[rpearce]

By the way,

If your EOI is accepted, how long does it last? Worried that, if it takes a while to secure a job (given that I'm starting from scratch, I have NO idea how long anything will take), the EOS might run out (does such a thing happen?). Also worried that, without acceptance of an EOS, no employer would look at me twice. It all seems rather baffling to me but I am determined to make it work. I want to do this thing properly for me and for my family. I am going to get one shot at it financially. It is now or never.

[Belmont Babes]

I'm sure you would get the same points whichever way but it is quite easy to do.Find it on the immigration NZ website. Once the EOI has been selected you then get sent the ITA (Invitation to Apply) which in our case took 6 weeks. Whatever you have claimed points for with EOI, you need to provide evidence of it with the ITA, ie. certificates, medicals, police checks, references, birth certificates etc. You may also need to get your qualifications assessed with NZQA. It sounds an awful lot of hoops, I know but if I can do it anyone can.

[Silverwing86]

Hi rpearce,

Have you checked out the Immigration New Zealand (INZ) site yet ? The information is not always easy to find on there, takes some getting used to, but most of it is certainly available there. It will give you a fair idea of what is involved to start with and what the different visa options are. Any more detailed questions can usually be answered on this forum.

Here is the link to the INZ homepage: http://www.immigration.govt.nz/. If you choose the middle column titled: "Apply and Settle", it will take you to this page: http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/ where you can find the link to the Points Indicator in the left menu (Hot Links), it's the 5th one from the top.

Here is the link to the SMC page: http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/skilledmigrant/ with an overview of this category.

A free assessment form sounds more like an emigration agency. You could make use of this option, but the costs involved are usually quite considerable. Also there are many stories about people having bad experiences with agencies (do a search on this forum on it if you'd like to know more).

If your application is fairly straightforward it's not really necessary to use an agency, it's very doable to go it alone which most people do. If however, you expect some difficulty (like medical for instance) or you would feel more comfortable having the expertise of an agency, might I suggest doing some research into which ones are good and which ones to avoid.

We did make use of an agency (for peace of mind more than anything else, but our application turned out to be more complicated than expected due to unforeseen medical issues, so we were very glad we did), but chose to go with a New Zealand based one.

Their costs were considerably lower than agencies in The Netherlands and they work on a "no cure - no pay" basis. We met with them personally on our recce trip in 2005 and that helped us decide. You said coming over before is not an option for you, but there is plenty of information to be found, both here and on other forums/websites on the Internet, that could help you make an informed choice of agency.

In the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC), after your EOI is accepted (Decision Successful) you will receive an invitation to apply (ITA). This is to verify everything that you have claimed in your EOI. You have 4 months to submit the ITA with all the required documents and a medical is one of the requirements. The medical has a limited validity (3 months I believe), so make sure you don't do it too soon. Another requirement is a police check, which has a limited validity as well.

Judging by the amount of degrees you have, it might well be that you will have enough points to qualify without a job offer.

If you have 140 points or more, you will automatically be invited to apply.

If you have between 100 (minimum amount needed to submit an EOI) and 140 points, it will depend on whether you have points for a profession on the Immediate Skills Shortage List (ISSL) http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/skilledmigrant/LinkAdministration/ToolboxLinks/immediateskillshortagelist.htm?level=1 or the Long Term Skills Shortage List (LTSSL) http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/skilledmigrant/LinkAdministration/ToolboxLinks/longtermskillshortagelist.htm?level=1 and whether you have a job offer, how long it will take for you to be selected from the pool (SMC fortnightly selection: http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/general/generalinformation/news/eoiselection.htm) and receive an ITA.

Hope all this is of some help, don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions (you probably will ;)) and best of luck with your research.

Silver

[Belmont Babes]

Well done Silver, very impressive. Police checks have 6 months validity

[Silverwing86]

Thanx Natalie (it is Natalie, isn't it ??), just glad to be of help really, usually I'm too late to be of any use at all ;).

Only after I posted mine did I notice yours. See ? Slow again :D !

Silver

[Belmont Babes]

Yes it is Natalie...is it really Silver?

[Nick88]

Have you emailed any of the universities over here to ask about jobs? Other potential employers would be Fonterra, and the govt research institutes. Sadly scientific research is not a big priority for the hue of NZ govt we have at the moment, and cut backs have been made.

[suebeenz]

As Silver pointed out, try out the points calculator on their website and see how you go without a job or job offer. For what it's worth, I had neither, and had no problem getting PR. It actually sounds a bit tough to get a job or job-offer without PR as recruiters and companies don't tend to want to talk to you until you actually arrive (preferably with PR in hand).

Good luck! With your qualifications, you should breeze through the process.

[Silverwing86]

Hi Natalie,

:laugh no, my everyday (offscreen) name is Nanette.

Silver has been my nickname since waaaay back when (school days) and I have used it as a screen name ever since I discovered the wonderful world that is the Internet. So much so in fact, that I identify with it equally as with my own name, after all these years they have become synonymous to me ;)...

Silver

[Potato]

One thing that surprised me was that you don't get many points for an MSc or a PhD. I think you get 50 for a BSc/BSc (hons) and then only an extra 5 points for a higher degree. At least I think that's how it works.

[rpearce]

Many thanks for your posts and advice. I shall read with care and follow up with the links you have provided. Getting a clearer picture now. In fact, it sounds a little more straightforward than I first envisaged.

Seems like the best option is to job hunt before submitting an EOI, given the four month timescale for the ITA to remain valid. I am, however, still rather worried that the timescale it would take for me to submit EOI, be selected, receive ITA and get medicals, police checks etc sorted (and accepted) will prove extremely off-putting to prospective employers (that, coupled with the uncertainty of whether or not the application for residence will even be successful, would surely make for an extremely unattractive candidate regardless of qualifications). Obviously this works for some people, however. Anyone have any tips on how to maximise chances? Or are NZ employers really that willing to risk offering jobs to people who may not be able to start for six months or more - if at all!

Sorry if all this sounds either;

a) extremely obvious; or

b) overly cautious.

I don't want to let my family down.

[rpearce]

If I filled it in correctly, the skilled migrant points calculator on Immigration New Zealand rates me with 145 points.

[peebles16]

Don't know if this will help cos we're not actually in NZ yet but on our way. We had around 140 point without job offer but OH was on skills shortage list so decided to wait as out understanding was that the higher number of points the faster the process - still waiting to see if that's true. We have now accepted job all done through video conferencing, phone and email and then submitted EOI just a week or two ago with 220 pointswhich was selected. We have in the meantime sent off for police checks, set up medicals, had x-rays all in anticipation of ITA so that when asked we had everything ready to go. With hindsight I think we should have submitted EOI without the job as our plan is to go out beginning of NOvember and we're not sure if the timescale is realistic but that could be paranoia?!

On another note OH's employer is being flexible although anxious to get us out seem to have a good understanding of the time involved in big move and are willing to keep job open till beginning of next year. They couldn't have been more helpful in terms of information and supporting evidence for NZIS so that's been a bonus. Hope haven't rambled too much and will keep posted with updates if they'll be useful. Good Luck:)

[rpearce]

That is useful. Thankyou Peebles. I am feeling more and more 'in-the-know' thanks to you guys. Very very glad I found this message board.

[rpearce]

By the way... sorry to be ignorant but what is an OH?

[Silverwing86]

That's great news rpearce !

140 points is what you need to automatically get invited to apply. This means you could apply for PR without the worry of finding a job offer first, come to NZ with the PR and apply for a job here ! Best case scenario I would think...

Silver

OH = Other Half (sometimes aka BH = Better Half ;)).

[Silverwing86]

rpearce: forgot to add that you could also submit the EOI and look for a job in the meantime. If you manage to secure a job, you just let INZ know about it, supply all the information concerning the job, and the extra points for the job are added to your application, which means it will be given a higher priority and handled more quickly.

On a side note; one of the attractions for us to try for PR outright was that, once you have it, there are no restrictions whatsoever on what you do for work in NZ. There are no requirements to stay in a certain job for a certain amount of time for instance, or in the field you choose to work in even though this may have no bearing on the qualifications/experience that got you PR. It provides a lot of freedom where work is concerned.

Perhaps someone who has come over with a job offer can elaborate on whether one is required to stay in that job for a certain amount of time ? And what it means when you get a Work to Residence Permit as opposed to PR ?

peebles16: judging by the huge amount of points you have and an employer waiting for your OH, I would think your application would be given a high priority and be moved to the top of the pile. If there are no other issues along the way (i.e. medical or questions about qualifications or some such), I would think the timescale should be achievable.

Another option would be to come here on a holiday visa and apply for a Work Permit upon arriving. I'm not sure if it would be possible to do this the other way around, i.e.; get the Work Permit before coming to NZ, perhaps others more knowledgeable can elaborate on this ?

I also don't know whether your application would then be moved to NZ or still handled in the UK, it seems to me the former would be more logical as you would already be here.

By the way, congratulations on OH's job offer :clap, you must be pleased with that !!

Silver

[peebles16]

Thanks Silver
OH did very well and we in fact had two job offers which we really didn't expect not being in NZ but just shows that it is possible. Think really wanted to go down the PR route for security more than anything else as is a big move and we have 2 young kids so didn't want to be limited. Much easier to arrive on as equal a footing as New Zealanders as possible on day one given potential complications regarding schooling, health care etc. Hopeful that it'll will work out that way it's just when you are in the process is seems so complicated and quite daunting. We have prepared as much as possible and certainly don't know of any potential medical issues etc and OH is already registered with his professional body to work so qualifications all sorted too - so fingers crossed!:)

P.S. Name's Karen by the way serves me right for picking town name as username but there we go

[peebles16]

Sorry rpearce my understanding is that OH is other half - i asked that question too when joined the forum!

[Silverwing86]

Thanks Silver
OH did very well and we in fact had two job offers which we really didn't expect not being in NZ but just shows that it is possible. Think really wanted to go down the PR route for security more than anything else as is a big move and we have 2 young kids so didn't want to be limited. Much easier to arrive on as equal a footing as New Zealanders as possible on day one given potential complications regarding schooling, health care etc. Hopeful that it'll will work out that way it's just when you are in the process is seems so complicated and quite daunting. We have prepared as much as possible and certainly don't know of any potential medical issues etc and OH is already registered with his professional body to work so qualifications all sorted too - so fingers crossed!:)

P.S. Name's Karen by the way serves me right for picking town name as username but there we go

Hi again Karen,

No worries, Silver has been my nickname since my school days (looooong ago !) and I have used it as a screen name ever since my first wary steps on the Internet many moons ago. In fact I identify with it equally as with my given name, which is Nanette by the way, pleased to make your acquantaince {handshake} ;).

Well done on the job front, I can imagine it's a good feeling to know that there's a job waiting. My OH also had some interviews by phone, but he later found out that his employer didn't want to lose him and since he works in IT, it's possible for him to work from home over here. We've been extremely lucky that he's been able to bring his job with him, so much to be thankful for...

I agree wholeheartedly with the PR approach, as mentioned in my reply to rpearce. IMO it's just a more comfortable feeling of freedom if you can manage to get it beforehand.

And regarding the process, I can certainly identify with that ! We had a really tough time with the process as we had some, not quite expected, medical issues with me. A very very stressful situation which meant our application process ended up taking 14 months in all !!

By November last year we had already sold the house with an exchange date mid January, but no decision on PR yet, can you imagine ?? We finally got the go ahead on the 22nd of December, went to London for the Blue Stickers on the 28th, movers in on January 16/17th, exchanged on the 19th and left on the 23rd. So between finally getting PR to leaving was less than one month, talk about stress :eek: !!

Anyway, it sounds like you're well on top of things so I see no reason why it shouldn't all work out. Keep your head cool, take one day and one decision at a time as much as you can and remember that it will all settle down eventually to a new life in this wonderful country ! For us there is no question that it was well worth all the hassle and stress to get here !

Good luck !

Silver