[hoffenberg]

:raebanana :clap this is a great site that is realy helpful. I need some help here as it is my first time going to be immigrating to new zealand.
i will be leaving for new zealand next year december 2008 with my partner and our daughter. We will be going to my cousin's house and we also have got a friend will sponsor us a place to stay. We have chosen to go for the 3 month holiday as it does not require a visa but want to live there and get a work permit as most jobs there in auckland prefer to see the person one on one. I have got skills in construction as a first aider with levels 1,2&3. i also got experience as a occupational health and safety rep, i also have a certificate in oh&s rep and i also got a fire fighting certificate. All these certificates are accreditted and recognised by the health department here in south africa. My partner does'nt have any experience, i also got experience as a store manager, cashier. Is it possible to get residency if we are going this way, i know many people have went this way and today they have made it there. Please kindly assist me with information or send me encouragement letters. Please help me with all the important details that i will need to get. We already have chosen Fly Emirates as our airline.

[hoffenberg]

i have done those online points system and i have been awarded with 180 points, i was told that i must email my cv to work permits in new zealand but i have never been contacted back in about 4 months now. i have spent months doing the points assessments and every time they say that i am accepted on the general skiiled immigrant visa, i am now tired of waiting so long. Agents make you run around like a chicken, so i have decided that the best way is going up like a 3 month holiday and once i am there i can apply for a work permit, please if there are any people that went this way or are living in new zealand then can you please help me.
thanks god bless

[willsken]

Hello Patrick

I can't help with advice on moving out here on a 3 month visa and then applying for jobs, as we got PR first. I know there are plenty who go that way, so someone should be able to help soon. I wonder why you don't apply now if you qualify for 180 points? There will be plenty of time if you start the process now if you aren't planning on coming over until December 2008. You're right not to use an agent as the process is really quite straight forward, especially with the good people on here to help answer your questions.

Good luck Patrick. Hope your dreams come true for you and your family. :nice1

[brianw]

Hi Patrick

Please explain how you get 180 points, and where you did the points test, was it on the NZ Immigration web site.

[hoffenberg]

thanks willsken, i hope there are people that will help here.
in response to brianw, i done it on nz immigration & australian site where they ask you to fill in a forum that they have set, i filled it in and they later emailed me with the results. i was told to then email my cv to their offices which i did and they never reply back to me for a long time. the agent at visa connection was on holiday when i started the process so she never seemed interested, she refered me to study in australia agents which i did and they sent me the same form i already filled in to refill it again...!!!

[BkyMonster]

Hi there.
I am a bit unclear if you got your points through an agency or through the official New Zealand Immigration website.
I don't think that the agency points will mean anything to NZIS.

Have a look at this site: http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/skilledmigrant/
Down at the bottom of the page you will see a link called points indicator

You should be able to find out how many points you will have this way.

If you don't have 100 points (the minimum to apply via the EOI -Expression of Interest) there are other ways you can get residency. Most of them involve finding a job.

If you plan to go on a 3 month visa you will need to have return tickets and proof of enough funds to support yourself for that time. I believe it is $1000 NZD per person per month or less if you can provide proof you have lodgings provided for. I don't know how you go about doing that but perhaps a certified letter from the person who has offered a place for you to stay?
I would ask NZIS.

If in that time you get a job offer you can then get a work visa. With the work visa you can do work to residence (2 years on a work visa) or apply for provisional residence if your skills are on the skill shortage lists. (look on the right hand side of the web page I linked above. You will see Long Term Skill Shortage Lists there.)

Good luck and hope that answers some of your questions.

[hoffenberg]

thanks bkymonster, i had 90 points when i did it now, i have got a place to stay and do i need $400 for me and $400 for my partner because we have got a place to stay. how much will my baby need for a month? $400 is equal to 2400zar, thats R2400 in south african currency. will it be possible if i send my papers to that lady that we will be going to and when i get there she can go with me to find a job. what is the proceedure if i get a job when i am there on a 3 month holiday? can i apply for a work permit?how long does a work permit take to get ready?