[Mels]

feeling a bit stupid here, but please can someone just clarify the cost of schools. If OH get a job offer I assume we will get a work visa and submit an EOI for PR later. With a work visa do we pay for 'state' schools other than the donations at begining of term or is it free?

I'm sure I've seen this somewhere but can't find the link :confused:

[mgbridges]

Hi Mels,

I'm not 100% sure but you might have to pay international student fees which can be quite high until such time as you get PR. My OH came out to NZ on a work visa but by the time our son started school we'd got PR. He is attending a Decile 10 Catholic Primary school and so far I've forked out for the following:

Stationery $57.90
Uniform $223.00 (when he first started)
Uniform $96.00 (spare set)
I haven't as yet had to pay any termly fees as he started 3wks before the end of Term 3 so they waived them.

Not to mention all the stuff I've just purchased for the Gala (summer fete) but then it is the major fund raising event of the year for the school!

I'm sure somebody else will come along soon with more information, in the meantime I hope this helps.

Anneliese

[JoanneG]

Hi Mel,

My OH just attended an immigration seminar at the London Expo this weekend and was told that he could apply for a 2-3 year work visa with an accredited employer under Work to Residence. At the end of the two years you may apply for residency without going through the EOI process. The job does not need to be on the long term shortage list but it does need to carry a salary minimum of $50k.

Under this category the children could attend their local zone state school. I would imagine that you would have to pay the voluntary term fees like everyone else.

Hope this helps.

[willowshouse]

I'm not 100% sure but you might have to pay international student fees which can be quite high until such time as you get PR.



No that's not the case. If you get a work permit then you will be entitled to get student permits for your children which entitle them to 'free' schooling. You have to apply for them I think (more form filling) but it's very straightforward.

You would only have to pay international fees if you didn't have any entitlement to work in NZ .. ie, you come on a visitor's visa looking for work

Budget a few hundred dollars for 'donations' and another few hundred for uniform

Dawn

[IanW99]

No that's not the case. If you get a work permit then you will be entitled to get student permits for your children which entitle them to 'free' schooling. You have to apply for them I think (more form filling) but it's very straightforward.

You would only have to pay international fees if you didn't have any entitlement to work in NZ .. ie, you come on a visitor's visa looking for work

Budget a few hundred dollars for 'donations' and another few hundred for uniform

Dawn

Just to clarify, if your children have student visas then they can go to school in NZ without having to pay international fees (still have to pay donations, school uniforms etc). But if they are older and want to attend higher education e.g. university then they will have to pay international fees unless you have PR.

Ian