[damonfreemanza]

Hi there

There's always so many friendly and knowledgable people on this forum. I'm hoping someone can help me out with this.

My wife and I are looking at leaving South Africa for NZ in 2010. Unfortunately as things stand at the moment, our one-year graphic design diplomas don't qualify for points on the EOI (Level 4, wrong subject). We'd like to get accepted without job offers, and we both need qualifications in order to claim enough points. As we are both working full time, we aren't able to study or attend classes during the day.

My question is, does anybody know of any correspondence courses in design or advertising that are recognised at Level 5 or above in NZ? We've got over 2 years until we go, so a 2-year diploma would be ideal (or we can complete an extra year once we arrive...). Ironically, we both have around 10 years experience in graphic design, and I have 5 years experience in a management role. Hopefully, this would make any kind of course easier, but first we have to find one.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.
Damon

[eternalkiwi]

While getting a job offer first may not be your preference, with the current shortage of 'good' Graphic Designers, this path may offer a convenient way for you to enter NZ without the additional time or hassle of further study.

Shawn

[damonfreemanza]

Thanks for the advice Shawn. However, my ideal goal would be to set up a design company as soon as possible, not look for employment. I've been running a company for the last 5 years and I don't know if I'm employable anymore. I imagine the first question a prospective employer would ask is what's to stop me from leaving their employment to go on my own...

That's why we would like to get in without the job offer. It may not be possible, and we'll have to go the job route. I'm just looking for options since we have some time.

Thanks again!
Damon

[Nick88]

You might try approaching a university in SA and see if they would give you credits for the work and experience you have. This might enable you to get a degree in only a year or two. If not a degree, there might be another tertiary qual that is amenable to this plan.

[IanW99]

Thanks for the advice Shawn. However, my ideal goal would be to set up a design company as soon as possible, not look for employment. I've been running a company for the last 5 years and I don't know if I'm employable anymore. I imagine the first question a prospective employer would ask is what's to stop me from leaving their employment to go on my own...

That's why we would like to get in without the job offer. It may not be possible, and we'll have to go the job route. I'm just looking for options since we have some time.

Thanks again!
Damon

If you want to setup or run your own design company, have you considered the long term business visa instead for an example see this thread long term business visa (http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14528)

Ian

[ourquest]

If you want to setup or run your own design company, have you considered the long term business visa instead for an example see this thread long term business visa (http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14528)

Ian

Yes, absolutely. Although there are often a few different routes to gaining residency reading your post it sort of jumps out that the LTBV is the obvious choice.
A few things you'll need...very good business plan, recent experience in a related business field (sounds promising) and quite a lot of money (for two of you you'd be looking at about NZ$75000 excl. setup costs for your business.

If you need more info let me know, but it is all on www.immigration.govt.nz ; if you look at their downloadable policy documents you'll understand exactly what your best options are...take a week to study it all...after all, emigration is quite similar to starting a business anyway, and deserves the time and effort to be put into it.

[damonfreemanza]

You might try approaching a university in SA and see if they would give you credits for the work and experience you have. This might enable you to get a degree in only a year or two. If not a degree, there might be another tertiary qual that is amenable to this plan.

The problem is that I don't have the time to study full-time since I'm working, and, as far as I know, there are no part-time degrees or diplomas in graphic design in SA.

Regarding the Long-Term business visa, my concern is that it seems somewhat restrictive in the way you go about starting your business. And, from what I can understand, if things don't go exactly as per your business plan, then PR will be denied (I may be mistaken on this). Also, I think that, other than the NZ$75000 plus setup costs, you also need family living costs available for 3 years, which I imagine would be in the region of NZ$250 000. Once again, I'm not 100% sure on this. I need to do more research on the LTBV route.

Thanks again for all the advice!

[damonfreemanza]

If you want to setup or run your own design company, have you considered the long term business visa instead for an example see this thread long term business visa (http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14528)

Ian

Thanks for the link. It never occured to me to buy a business. Will definitely look into that!

[ourquest]

Also, I think that, other than the NZ$75000 plus setup costs, you also need family living costs available for 3 years, which I imagine would be in the region of NZ$250 000.

No, the news is better than that. The $75000 is the 3 years of living expenses. NZIS work on $1000 per person per month, so that's 36000 for the 36 months, times 2 for 2 adults. I believe for a family they work on $3K per month, so about $100K for the 3 years. Whether that's really enough to live on is debatable, hopefully the business brings in the income anyway.