[Graham&Denise]

We are just starting the process and are in the unfortunate position of only having 95 points :wah - ie need a job offer to secure entry as a skilled migrant (IT).

And all the recruitment agencies say I need to come to NZ to secure a position. OK - so I come across and manage to do that. Next thing the employer says when can you start? Which is why I am doing this post.

Can others who have been in this situation please give us an indication of how long the process takes?

Any other advice would be most apprecited

Thanks

[debnjohn]

Welcome to the forums, Graham & Denise.
Sorry I can't answer your query, but there are others here who surely will.
Good luck,
John.

[Simon & Emily]

Hi Denise and Graham, and welcome to the forum.

We're not in this situation, but at the recent Expo seminars, the chap giving the talk from the NZIS confirmed that applications with job offers are given priority, and that if you had to get in within a month, it had happened.

However - not that I want to put you off! - each application is taken on it's own merits, and so no cast-iron guarantees could be given.

I'm sure that you will soon hear from those in NZ who have gone through the same process - I know that there is a real wealth of information given very freely on this site.

Good luck with everything,

Emily

[ISan]

Hi Denise and Graham,

Welcome to the forum!
I too am in the same position. Only 95 points so the job offer is essential. I hope to plan a job hunting trip to NZ somewhere in 2006. If I happen to find a job I think the quickest way to get in is to apply for a work permit and then start your PR route as soon as possible after that. Hopefully the employer is willing to cooperate because he will have to prove that he could not find a capable New Zealander. I'm in HR/Expatriate Services and have no idea what the market situation is for jobs (hope to find that out on a recon mission this November), but if you say you are in IT I am sure there must be enough jobs available for you.

Regards,
Ingrid

[paulwardle]

Hi graham & Denise,
As far as times go for the application, some of it depends on you.
Basically once you enter your EOI it will be a maximum of 2 weeks before that gets selected (not sure when the next selection is, could be in a few days), then the fact that you have a job offer in NZ will mean that they will probably verify the job in NZ, how quickly this happens will partly depend on how quickly the compnay does this. Could be a couple of weeks in total.
Once thats happened, the C.O will give you an invitation to apply for residency (providing obviously everything is satisfactory with the EOI, job offer being skilled employment, matching your quals etc). Its difficult to gauge how long this takes, ours took 3 months, but ours was pretty complicated & he said he was really busy. I've read it can take a few weeks though.
From there on in, its sort of up to you, it depends how much cash you have for the application & what documents you have now.
If you have police checks, thats a great start, because they can take 6 weeks, if you can pay for medicals thats also a good start, & if you can pay for the application ,£520, & dont have to save it up, then that will save you time, you'll need all your qauls certificates, job offer letter from the company, contract from the company, birth certs etc etc. If you've got the docs, (bear in mind police checks are only valid 6 mths & meds 3 mths), & the cash, then you should be able to turn your application round quite quickly form the ITA stage. From there it will prob take about 3 weeks ish......
I would say that best case scenario is maybe 2 months, but that might be lucky. Obviously its difficult to comment, just this is what can happen if you're really organised & have the cash & a bit of luck. Ours took 9 months from EOI to PR, but we had to save for a while for the application fee & meds etc, & as i say ours was complicated, well sort of.
Dont quote me on any of these timescales, but after having a view of what it takes to get it, i would say these timescales might be ok.....

good luck with it all....be prepared, & over prepared, this will save you time i guarantee it.

Paul

[Graham&Denise]

Thanks to all those have responded so far and made us welcome on the forum :P

We know its a long road ahead, but look forward to the challenge and hopefully the family will be arriving in NZ in the not too distant future :yes

I can't believe I made a typo on my first post :laugh ... any chance of a spell checker here?