[martyn]

Hello to every one, I am new to this forum I have a few question regarding the emigration and job finding processes.
I have had an assessment for entry under the skilled migrant option and have been told that with a job offer I would make the 140 point total and so be considered, to have a real chance of obtaining a job I have been told to visit NZ and attend interviews. It seem like the chicken and egg scenario, without the job offer you cant apply or have no real chance of obtaining a PR and with the job offer you have very little time to arrange every thing and submit your EOI. What is the normal route and time scales for arranging these events and when should you visit for interviews.

[ourquest]

Hi Martyn, welcome to the forum.
It seems that NZ employers are far more likely to offer you a job if you are in New Zealand. As long as you have the legal right to work (or apply to work) in New Zealand then they seem permitted to employ you, but only once you have obtained a work permit, which I believe takes anything from a day to a month to obtain. This will then give you the legal right to live in NZ for the currency of the permit.
If your work is in a suitable field you could then submit your EOI, which should be selected quickly (note that you don't actually require 140 with your job offer, they select job offer applicants down to 100 I think) and PR will follow within 6 to 12 months (very roughly) assuming that all your paperwork, medicals etc are in order. This can be done at the same time that you hold the work permit.
Interestingly NZIS don't like you arriving on a visitor's visa to look for work, although they do not have a visa category for this option. Best route appears to be to arrive on holiday, and then happen to find work while you are there. In a fit of non-logic this is perfectly acceptable to NZIS.
I suggest you look at www.immigration.govt.nz which has everything you need on. Was it a migration agent who advised you?

[mgbridges]

Why not submit your EOI with however many points you would get without a job offer? This is what we did and we still got picked from the pool, after assesment our points got knocked down a bit but we seemed to stay 'on hold' for a little while or maybe we were just put back in the pool. Anyway, whilst 'on hold' OH went to Auckland for a week, interviewed with 7 companies, came home with 3 job offers one of which he accepted. Once he accepted the offer he informed our case officer who updated our points and our ITA was sent out almost immediately.

If you can get the timing right i.e. have your medicals and police checks done and travel to NZ fairly soon after to find work you shouldn't have to have them done again once you find work and (fingers crossed) get sent an ITA. Having already submitted your EOI shows prospective employers that you are really serious about making a permanent move to NZ. It would also hopefully mean that you would be able to start work fairly quickly which would make you a more attractive prospect to an employer.

Assuming this way works, if worse comes to worse and you MUST start work by a certain date to hang onto the job you've been offered you could always get a work permit until such time as your PR blue stickers arrive!

Hope this all makes sense (I was trying to keep my post brief! :roll )

Good luck,
Anneliese

[Leccy-Lee]

Hi and welcome..

It would also i say depend on your circumstances such as home, family etc.

Obviously if you have a home and family etc where you are now then its more tricky to just shoot off to NZ and see what happens. As Anneliese has said, i would submit your EOI as it stands, it certainly cant hurt to. If however you are in a position to come over to NZ then it would help your cause a great deal. Although my situation is unusual in the fact i came here alone etc and no house etc to sell. I had no joy job hunting from back in the UK, i only had 115 points (and those meant hard work proving experience from old bankrupt employers). So i came here with my bags packed and a 12mth Working Holiday Visa (maybe an option for you?) and when i actually got here i found employers and recruitment agencies very very happy to interview me and help me out, and it never took too long to find a great employer. Now i still have 6-7mths left on my current visa and plenty of time to apply for PR here, now with being in NZ and having a fulltime job etc here my points have jumped to 220 and for that reason i can also forgo the attempting to get experience proved and just apply with 180 points hopefully. I realise most people are not in my situation, but just wanted to show that coming here make a big difference to finding work and therefore boosts the chances of points and success.

So as suggested maybe submit your EOI anyhow and see how you fair, and if you can in any way being here is great to secure jobs, even if unlike me you cant stay-on and need return home to complete things.

PS: I see you mentioned "assessment", i would assume that was from a agency or consultant? As you may have already seen posted, majority of advice is to DIY the process and forgo the fees of a consultant. The awesome guys and gals on this forum have helped many many people through the process (as they are myself now)!