[eassae]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10581476

[YouMeAndThree]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10581476

Personally we wouldn't have come over without a secure job, but we can see how hard it is on this forum alone for some people to get jobs once they've arrived.

It is thanks to Mike Bell that my OH was given a glimmer of hope in coming to NZ. We'd been to an Expo and then Job Fair in the UK and had almost given up based on the fact that we didn't meet the points criteria. Mike was the first person who mentioned the WTR visa and where to find the info. Mike is now campaigning to get HGV driving recognised as a LTSS, so I keep up to date with 'that forum' too (although only on a once-a-month basis as response times are no where as quick as here :))

[eassae]

Personally we wouldn't have come over without a secure job, but we can see how hard it is on this forum alone for some people to get jobs once they've arrived.

I was more gung ho and just wanted to show up. OH said one of us needed a job first. I am very glad she had more sense than I did.

It is thanks to Mike Bell that my OH was given a glimmer of hope in coming to NZ. We'd been to an Expo and then Job Fair in the UK and had almost given up based on the fact that we didn't meet the points criteria. Mike was the first person who mentioned the WTR visa and where to find the info. Mike is now campaigning to get HGV driving recognised as a LTSS, so I keep up to date with 'that forum' too (although only on a once-a-month basis as response times are no where as quick as here :))

Interesting info about Mike Bell.

[globetrecker]

This was an interesting article and seems true in our current situation. We researched for a year and thought that with a job offer (which we had) that we would get a work permit. I have a job offer with an accredited employer and with a new policy they require them to prove with Work and Income that there were no suitable residents/citizens who could do my job. Even after it was proven there were no suitable people to do my job in our area, immigration STILL denied my application for a work permit. The HR department is still challenging it and are extremely frustrated that immigration seems to refuse to answer why they are denying my permit. What about the rest of immigrants out there who think that if you have a job offer you are good to go? The website makes it look like it is pretty straightforward right now. Perhaps they need to be more transparent and let people know they have a higher chance of getting their permits denied right now. That would save a lot of heartache and money for all of those coming here.

Due to our current experience, I agree with the article in that some immigrants feel deceived. We did literally everything immigration required of us. My employer did everything immigration required in providing evidence. Yet the work permit was denied. What more do they want from all of us???

[eassae]

This was an interesting article and seems true in our current situation. We researched for a year and thought that with a job offer (which we had) that we would get a work permit. I have a job offer with an accredited employer and with a new policy they require them to prove with Work and Income that there were no suitable residents/citizens who could do my job. Even after it was proven there were no suitable people to do my job in our area, immigration STILL denied my application for a work permit. The HR department is still challenging it and are extremely frustrated that immigration seems to refuse to answer why they are denying my permit. What about the rest of immigrants out there who think that if you have a job offer you are good to go? The website makes it look like it is pretty straightforward right now. Perhaps they need to be more transparent and let people know they have a higher chance of getting their permits denied right now. That would save a lot of heartache and money for all of those coming here.

Due to our current experience, I agree with the article in that some immigrants feel deceived. We did literally everything immigration required of us. My employer did everything immigration required in providing evidence. Yet the work permit was denied. What more do they want from all of us???

Hello globetrecker,

I am sorry to hear about your predicament. That has to be very frustrating especially since you have been hired and your company obviously wants you enough to challenge the situation.

I was speaking to a native Kiwi today that expressed the opinion that the skills shortages list is a "total farce". He then told me several stories of very skilled, very well educated migrants he knew that couldn't get work here for reasons having to do with immigration and from employers not really having a need for those skills as they could already be found in the local population. If he is right, it is surely exacerbated by the current economic climate.

[Arwen]

Thanks for drawing attention to this situation eassae.

It genuinely troubles me to think that some potential migrants are prepared to give up everything and come all this way in the hope of finding work once here. As the article highlights, even those who think they have secured employment can come unstuck too. It's a grim situation right now, exacerbated by the current global recession. :(

To those already making the move here, I really do wish you the very best of luck and hope that these problems do not affect you.

To those who are thinking about giving up their livelihoods and just turning up in NZ in the hope of being able to find their dream job (or any job for that matter), I would urge you to think very carefully about what you stand to lose and what little you may gain.

[ricky1981]

Can only echo what Arwen has said, if you are planning to come over without a job offer then be prepared to spend quite a lot of money whilst you find something. If you aren't 100% sure you are ready to move then hold fire.

[globetrecker]

Can only echo what Arwen has said, if you are planning to come over without a job offer then be prepared to spend quite a lot of money whilst you find something. If you aren't 100% sure you are ready to move then hold fire.

Absolutely. I hope for the best for everyone out there.

For some of us, it was the "one and only" time that we could have done this in our life. Otherwise, I'm sure we would have waited until the economy got back on track.

[sophiedb]

If we didn't have hubby's family out there, we wouldn't be moving without a job offer. That sort of idea was fine when it was just us on a working holiday, but not now - especially not with the little one.

Sounds like it's hitting the returning Kiwis badly too though, but since hubby's just been made redundant here.. well, bad deal all round really :(

As it is we're planning to go to the Expo at the end of the year (providing the London exhibitor list is more varied than Birmingham!) and will keep our fingers crossed that hubby can get some interviews lined up at the very least. The big aim would of course be an actual job offer.. who knows?