[GrumpyGoat]

Does anyone know what happens if you are currently in NZ on a work permit for a profession on the LTSSL and that profession is pulled from the list?

I am guessing that they will not obviously renew our permit, correct?

Can you get a work permit any other way besides accredited employer and LTSSL?

He is not looking for a job outside the list but is currently IN a job that has been pulled but I am guessing that this is going to be a real problem...

Anyone know of any solutions??

[BkyMonster]

There is this http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/worktemporarily/requirements/essentialwork.htm but requires some work by the employers and a NZIS labour market check.
Mainly this part
Requirements your job offer must meet

Your job offer must come from a New Zealand employer who can prove to us that there are no suitable New Zealand workers available to do the job. This can be done in three ways.



* The employer can request an approval in principle from us to recruit overseas workers. This will have been done before you apply for a work visa.
* The employer provides the proof as part of your application process.
* The occupation may be listed on one of the Essential Skills in Demand Lists. emphasis mine,

and this part
Evidence there are no New Zealand workers available

To get an approval in principle before you apply, or to show us that there are no suitable New Zealand workers available when you are applying, the employer has to show that they have have genuinely searched for suitably qualified and trained New Zealand workers.



The employer also has to explain why:



* their particular job specifications are necessary for the work
* New Zealand applicants are not suitable
* New Zealand applicants cannot be readily trained.

Gasfitting is also on the ISSL for the Canterbury region, though iirc your OH wasn't necessarily registered in NZ for that aspect of plumbing.

HTH and good luck :(

[IanW99]

Additionally if you have an EOI already selected (before the 2 July 2009)

The LTSSL is also used for the awarding of bonus points under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) for employment, work experience and qualifications in areas of absolute skills shortage. Changes to the SMC will take effect from 2 July 2009 to ensure people whose Expressions of Interest (EOIs) have been drawn from the pool of EOIs are not disadvantaged by an occupation being removed from the LTSSL. EOIs selected that claim points in an area of absolute skills shortage on the basis of an occupation removed from the LTSSL will now continue to be considered as if the occupation had not been removed.

Any changes to the LTSSL will not affect the processing of an SMC application that has already been accepted by Immigration New Zealand.

Ian

[GrumpyGoat]

Thanks Becky, I saw that and I have that down on my flow chart as a possibility of an avenue that we may have to go down.
But it would mean he would have to leave his current job and take another job as his current employer does not have any craftsman gasfitting qualifications--only plumbing.

Thanks Ian--I am glad to see that in writing but I was counting on it. The only problem is that we are currently living here on 1 year work permits that expire in October --and I guess we will not be able to renew them as they have taken his occupation off the LTSSL.
But our PR can't really be granted yet as a requirement is that he have NZ registration. But the only way to get NZ registration is to move to NZ, find a job, get a work permit then you are eligible to take a $3500 test (each qualification--offered 2x a year)in Wellington that lasts a week and once that is passed, take a written test (offered 2x a year) and pay $205 every other day (it seems).
Then you must wait 2 months for the Board to convene and issue the registration.
We did this the only possible way that I know of to make it happen.

Now, he has failed this last portion by a couple of points (the written apprentice test of all things!!!) and not eligible for registration until he retakes it. Or usually until you pay $100 for a re grade but since the Board lost his booklet, that is not a possibility.

So basically, our work permits will run out before we are eligible for PR. BUT since his occupation is removed from the LTSSL, I don't believe we can renew them.

It's a conundrum for sure.

I am praying that our CO will be kind and allow us the WTR PR deferral scheme so that my husband can retake the exam.

And what if he were to fail again? :wah
considering that he thought he did fabulous and we can't see the booklet to figure out where he went so wrong....

[GrumpyGoat]

Soooo, I just had a lightbulb moment and realized (what may be obvious? or maybe obviously wrong?) that we could just NOT claim the points for his qualifications on our EOI (since he doesn't satisfy all the requirements i.e. not registered). Our CO could just disallow those points. But we would pick up some extra points for living in NZ (and not in Auckland) and a job offer and been in continuous employment for almost a year in NZ.

When I fed all of this data into the magical points indicator, we ended up the same points-wise as when our EOI was in the pool and we were selected a year ago (while we lived in the US).

This makes us eligible to still get our PR, right? Am I correct? Could it be this easy (and RIGHT in front of my face)?

(it's not like I have never panicked for nothing before....)

[JandM]

Sounds as if this is definitely one idea to run past your CO. Good luck.

[seattle]

Soooo, I just had a lightbulb moment and realized (what may be obvious? or maybe obviously wrong?) that we could just NOT claim the points for his qualifications on our EOI (since he doesn't satisfy all the requirements i.e. not registered). Our CO could just disallow those points. But we would pick up some extra points for living in NZ (and not in Auckland) and a job offer and been in continuous employment for almost a year in NZ.

When I fed all of this data into the magical points indicator, we ended up the same points-wise as when our EOI was in the pool and we were selected a year ago (while we lived in the US).

This makes us eligible to still get our PR, right? Am I correct? Could it be this easy (and RIGHT in front of my face)?

(it's not like I have never panicked for nothing before....)

Good grief Grumpy Goat- sorry to hear all of this has happened! I can't believe they lost the test!!! Good luck and keep us posted.

[GrumpyGoat]

Good grief Grumpy Goat- sorry to hear all of this has happened! I can't believe they lost the test!!! Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks--I am hopeful!

NZIS said (on the hotline--been too afraid to ask the CO yet) that if we have enough points otherwise, they can just disallow the points for his qualification and still give us PR. Since we live in NZ(not auckland) and have employment and I have a degree and speak English, we seem to have enough points still.

Fingers are crossed.