[LindsayBean]

So despite being told it could take 2 months to get my work permit application processed, i received my "status" change email 2 fridays ago (i've been a bit late in posting) and now have a work permit visa (through partnership) valid until Jan 2009!

All in all it took just 2 weeks to get my new visa (as a refresher i'm here on a working holiday, applied for residency 2.5 months ago but as they said it could be 9 months have applied for a work permit to cover the gap from when my working holiday ended. Wish that Courier Post hadn't lost my passport for a few days in there (grr talk about nerve wracking!). But it's back in my hands safe and sound and with 2 new pages worth of visas.

:raebanana

If only they were so fast with PR apps... i basically gave them the exact same stuff (although for the work app my partner had to write a letter). Either way it's nice to know i can't be kicked out of the country for not having a visa while i wait to hear about my PR.
:cheers

[jackie m]

Congratulations :raebanana . Better have a few of these tonight :cheers .
Jackie

[holland]

congrats:cheers

J and G xx

[bobbyj]

Lindsay...hope you don't mind me asking but why did they say it would take 9 months for PR? I'm going through it at the moment - put the application in at the start of September and should have a case officer assigned sometime around next week but I was under the impression things should be tied up by December if all goes smoothly (so around 4 months in total). Did they say there is a back-log now?

Also...now you have the permit you may be able to clear something up for me. If I went down that route (while the PR is being processed), does it have any restrictions on the work you can do or the companies you can work for? OH seems to think it highly implausable they would be unrestricted, but my take on the permit through partnership is the only restriction is that its only for a finite period, after which you either have to prove you qualify for PR or pack your bags.

Any help on this would be greatly recieved.

Cheers

Bobby.

[willsken]

Congratulations, very pleased for you!! :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

[JasonS]

Our PR took 14 months, so I hope yours goes quicker than ours!

some bananas for you
:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

Jason

[LindsayBean]

Lindsay...hope you don't mind me asking but why did they say it would take 9 months for PR? I'm going through it at the moment - put the application in at the start of September and should have a case officer assigned sometime around next week but I was under the impression things should be tied up by December if all goes smoothly (so around 4 months in total). Did they say there is a back-log now?

Also...now you have the permit you may be able to clear something up for me. If I went down that route (while the PR is being processed), does it have any restrictions on the work you can do or the companies you can work for? OH seems to think it highly implausable they would be unrestricted, but my take on the permit through partnership is the only restriction is that its only for a finite period, after which you either have to prove you qualify for PR or pack your bags.

Any help on this would be greatly recieved.

Cheers

Bobby.

I submitted my PR application on July 23rd. Got a letter back along with all my "evidence" of my relationship (am going in under partnership) around August 28th saying that i was being considered but that it would take 6 to 9 months to assign me a case worker. Given that my WHV only had 6 months left on it at the time i opted to get the work permit to cover myself if they do indeed take 9 months. I rang to follow up on the whole thing and while cheerful on the phone weren't particularly helpful when i asked if it was really going to take that long. I did get someone who said i was supposed to be allocated a case worker in September but i still have yet to hear anything further. I do know however that all PR apps are now being run/examined/etc at the Henderson branch. So kind of throws out the theory of taking it to a smaller branch to speed up times (i dropped my app off at the CBD office). Did they say it would only take 4 months to you? I think they are a bit back logged but it's just a feeling...

As for the work permit when you go via partnership there are no restrictions on it. My company was willing to sponsor me but given that you do have complete freedom (no restrictions at all) with the work permit via partnership i figured that was the way to go. Nice since on the WHV i was on i couldn't take permanent employment. On the permit (and they also gave me a visa (the visa allows you to leave and re-enter NZ as much as you want)) it says no restrictions other than "must leave NZ by 19 Jan 2009" and if they've not got back to me about my PR by then i think i'll be a bit annoyed. :(

[bobbyj]

Ahhh...I think the difference may be because I am applying from the UK? I didn't realise you were already in NZ. The advice is just as welcome though because its put my mind at rest about having problems with percieved lack of evidence of the relationship. I was worried because we have booked flights etc to meet my parents for a 3 week holiday in NZ so we could say our goodbyes over there. I hadn't heard anything about being assigned a case worker so was starting to brick it a little. At least now I know the worst case scenario is a work permit through partnership and I can relax a bit!

Thanks very much!!

[LindsayBean]

Ahhh...I think the difference may be because I am applying from the UK? I didn't realise you were already in NZ. The advice is just as welcome though because its put my mind at rest about having problems with percieved lack of evidence of the relationship. I was worried because we have booked flights etc to meet my parents for a 3 week holiday in NZ so we could say our goodbyes over there. I hadn't heard anything about being assigned a case worker so was starting to brick it a little. At least now I know the worst case scenario is a work permit through partnership and I can relax a bit!

Thanks very much!!

Ah, i hope things work better via the UK. Good luck!