[Kate D]

Hi All,

This is my first post – based on the incredibly useful information I’ve seen here, you guys seems like the obvious ones to ask about this.

Here’s my minor dilemma, and please bear with the volume of words on this one:

I accepted a job offer with an accredited employer for a talent (WTR) visa. Resigned my current job at the start of Jan with 3 months notice and aim to be out in NZ and start new job before the end of March. According to the NZ immigration web site I should hear within 14 days of submission of all paperwork for WTR.

I currently have 210 points - skill shortage area, relevant experience, job offer outside Auckland, etc. I am waiting on my police check which I applied for early Jan so that’s the nerve wracking part if it takes up to the maximum 40 days. I am looking to arrange my medical imminently based on the feedback from you guys here too. But it means that in two years time I have to go through medical etc all over again for a PR application if I do the WTR now. That 2 year “life” un-nerves me somewhat, especially if I could go the whole hog and get PR now. Not the money side un-nerving me, but the hassle/question mark in case something unforeseen happens in that time that scuppers my PR chances if I fall in love with this country as I expect to do so…

I believe I read that the next EOI pick up date is either 17th or 19th Jan (site currently so slow that I can’t double check!). I have a draft EOI all stored on line currently so would not take much to finish that off at all. Obviously still dependent on police check data and medical if I went down this route.

Here comes my help request:
Now, given that I want to be out there by mid/end March, is it possible or even an option to go down the two routes simultaneously so that I get the WTR followed by the PR through EOI/ITR …? Or can I complete the WTR request and immediately submit a PR request? With the next EOI deadline looming, I am keen to knows ASAP. I am willing to pay for two copies of medical info if required, and another copy of the police check if required. As I know the medical is only valid for 3 months, the other option is to go through WTR then use the same data to follow up on an ITA. Is this possible? Do you get it all returned? Should I ask for two copies now? If I don’t have to throw money away on duplicates of everything, then obviously I’d prefer not to!

The last things I want to do is mess up getting there in March cos:
a) I confuse the immigration people with two parallel applications, or
b) Throw my eggs in the EOI/ITA basket and extend all the timings anyway.

I was in the unusual position of having three job offers to choose from, all originating from an NZ Expo in London where I went to “test the interest levels”! In retrospect I should have submitted EOI back then, but as one employer was talking sponsored work permit, etc I didn’t do so. I’ve kind of been playing catch up on research since then, rather than doing it in advance. So, I went from the nerve wracking situation of having to make a choice of employment offers to now throwing myself into making this happen. Which is incredibly exciting and I can’t wait to be out there:-)

So, any concrete advice from you guys on WTR/PR parallel versus serial would be much appreciated.

Kate

[IanW99]

Hi All,

This is my first post – based on the incredibly useful information I’ve seen here, you guys seems like the obvious ones to ask about this.

Here’s my minor dilemma, and please bear with the volume of words on this one:

I accepted a job offer with an accredited employer for a talent (WTR) visa. Resigned my current job at the start of Jan with 3 months notice and aim to be out in NZ and start new job before the end of March. According to the NZ immigration web site I should hear within 14 days of submission of all paperwork for WTR.

I currently have 210 points - skill shortage area, relevant experience, job offer outside Auckland, etc. I am waiting on my police check which I applied for early Jan so that’s the nerve wracking part if it takes up to the maximum 40 days. I am looking to arrange my medical imminently based on the feedback from you guys here too. But it means that in two years time I have to go through medical etc all over again for a PR application if I do the WTR now. That 2 year “life” un-nerves me somewhat, especially if I could go the whole hog and get PR now. Not the money side un-nerving me, but the hassle/question mark in case something unforeseen happens in that time that scuppers my PR chances if I fall in love with this country as I expect to do so…

I believe I read that the next EOI pick up date is either 17th or 19th Jan (site currently so slow that I can’t double check!). I have a draft EOI all stored on line currently so would not take much to finish that off at all. Obviously still dependent on police check data and medical if I went down this route.

Here comes my help request:
Now, given that I want to be out there by mid/end March, is it possible or even an option to go down the two routes simultaneously so that I get the WTR followed by the PR through EOI/ITR …? Or can I complete the WTR request and immediately submit a PR request? With the next EOI deadline looming, I am keen to knows ASAP. I am willing to pay for two copies of medical info if required, and another copy of the police check if required. As I know the medical is only valid for 3 months, the other option is to go through WTR then use the same data to follow up on an ITA. Is this possible? Do you get it all returned? Should I ask for two copies now? If I don’t have to throw money away on duplicates of everything, then obviously I’d prefer not to!

The last things I want to do is mess up getting there in March cos:
a) I confuse the immigration people with two parallel applications, or
b) Throw my eggs in the EOI/ITA basket and extend all the timings anyway.

I was in the unusual position of having three job offers to choose from, all originating from an NZ Expo in London where I went to “test the interest levels”! In retrospect I should have submitted EOI back then, but as one employer was talking sponsored work permit, etc I didn’t do so. I’ve kind of been playing catch up on research since then, rather than doing it in advance. So, I went from the nerve wracking situation of having to make a choice of employment offers to now throwing myself into making this happen. Which is incredibly exciting and I can’t wait to be out there:-)

So, any concrete advice from you guys on WTR/PR parallel versus serial would be much appreciated.

Kate

Hi and welcome to the forum.

If it was me, I would go the PR route as it would be the simplest, cheapest and safest route.

Now, I can't tell you if you can go down the route of two applications at the same time, but you can apply for a PR and if it isn't through in time you could then just go for a Work permit until it comes through (or see if your employer will allow you longer).

The main problem that you have is that a PR is most likely to take longer than any other option (and realistically probably not before you need it) so a quicker option which if you time it correctly won't cost much more is to go with the WTR.

As soon as you have been granted the WTR, then start the PR process and as long as you are quick, the medical and police certificates that you had for the WTR will still be valid. It is not necessary to wait for 2 years before applying for a PR after being granted a WTR.

Ian

[CityBlue]

I agree with what IanW99 said.

I was pretty much in the same position as you and spent ages trying to ring the NZIS helpline (waste-of-time-line)to ask if I could do both PR and WTR at same time.

Somehow (not sure how) I eventually got the number of a case office and she told me to submit the PR and she would ensure it was processed in less than 14days!! (assuming all paperwork in order etc).

so thats what we did and sure enough the caseofficer sorted it very quickly.

Now we may just have been lucky but I dont think so. Basically (in my opinion) if you have a skills shortage, a job offer and all your docs in order they are bound to process you before people (who may have been in the system longer) who do not have the job offer or skills shortage etc... Its what the NZIS are there for...to get people with skills into the country ASAP.

[benandclare]

Yup we'd go with what Ian said :nice1

[RamblingPaddies]

you can apply for a PR and if it isn't through in time you could then just go for a Work permit until it comes through (or see if your employer will allow you longer).


this is what we're doing - because of ITA/PR timings and to secure a job, we've had to get work permits

[Will_2007]

See my signature below for our dates to get an idea of possible turnaround, and we're not even in a particular hurry - we're going for PR, we were helped by the companies we are going to work for both being accredited and both wrote on their cover letters for the job offers that they anticipated a start date in Jan 2008, even thoguh they know we're going out at Easter - seems to have had an effect! The 'application in principle' stage basically means they're waiting for you to pay the migrant levy before they issue the visa.

Ring/email your NZ employer, explain that you'd like to go for PR and could they drop an email to INZ in London to tell them you're going to submit an EOI, and ask nicely if they could possibly look at it sooner rather than later as you're on the skills shortage list, visa needed by Easter, yadda yadda yadda...

Worth a shot I reckon.

[DMcG]

I applied for PR (defacto) and was told to apply for a WTR visa at the same time. From memory, the WTR took about three weeks, I moved to NZ and my PR came through about a month after I landed (5-6 months).

So yes it's possible and I only submitted one medical report and police report (mind you, this was four years ago and some things have changed since then.)


Dougie

[Kate D]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I think I might call both NZIS and my employer and see what they say as you suggest. I took the precaution of submitting my EOI today 15th UK time, but technically 7.50am on 16th NZ time, so... As the next pool pick up is 16th, I am hoping I make that! At least this way I still have all options open! As PR is the goal whatever happens, I certainly had nothing to lose by getting the EOI in today anyway.

Fingers crossed and my signature will track my progress:-)

Kate

[Wahlet]

Hi Kate,

I'm in similar shoes to you; submitted my EOI with 185pts a couple weeks ago, hoping to get PR before moving in May (I've got a little more time than you), and considering a work permit application as a last minute backup in case the PR doesn't come through in time. It's exciting to see where our immigration journeys take us!

Take care, and best wishes,
David