[Helen & John]

Hi, we have had a bad day. Got an email today to let us know that we wont be able to apply for a visa, as they have taken away out points due to New Zealand not recognising our qualifications. John is a qualified wood machinist with an NVQ and Helen is a qualified medical secretary with an AMPSAR diploma, but these apparently aren't recognised in nz so we now dont meet the points criteria. We are absolutely gutted. We have been told the only way now is with a job offer, to fly over attend interviews and get a job, but we just dont have the money to fly over on a chance. They have also told us that we probably wont be able to have our qualifications approved we if pay and send them off, so there seems little point in wasting more money.

If anybody knows of any ideas to help us, they would be greatly appreciated, or even anybody out there of any jobs that would accept telephone interviews, unlikely i know but desperate times. We have sent off emails and enclosed cv's so will see if that helps,but otherwise it looks like our dreams have come to an end.

John and Helen

[Cardiff Irons]

So sorry to hear this guys. But don't give up hope - there is still a chance.

My OH (Gil, who also posts on here) is having a third interview by video-conference shortly. Now, she may not actually get the job, but (and here's the good bit) I suspect that if she does well she'll be given a job offer without actually going to NZ.

Keep dreaming. Sounds a bit silly I know, but the more you believe in it, the more chance you'll have of it happening.

The very best of luck to both of you.:nice1

All the best


Steve

[Simon & Emily]

Sorry to hear your news guys - I can't offer any help, but as Steve said, try to keep your dream alive somehow, you knever know what the future holds.

Emily

[veronica]

If either of you are 30 or under you are eligable for the Working holiday visa. would give you a year over here to sort out work etc. and have an income while you do it.

[StevieD]

Good idea Verinica, or if that isn't the case, go to one of the expos in October, test the water and plaster the place with CV's. There are employment specialists/employers(?) there who would give you a better idea than NZIS.

Good luck!

Steve

[curtis]

Hi Helen & John,

Sorry to hear your news. My hubby is a printer and he only had 10 years work experience and no qualifications. We sent lots of emails and cv's April 2005 when his job went on the Immediate Shortage List. He got very good responses, so even though we could not really afford to go to NZ, he went on his own for 10 days in June 2005 and was offered 3 jobs.

As mentioned in other posts, there have been some people who have had telephone interviews, so DON'T GIVE UP JUST YET.

Good luck

Karen

[jewelsvani]

If either of you are 30 or under you are eligable for the Working holiday visa. would give you a year over here to sort out work etc. and have an income while you do it.

I have been thinking about doing this you actually have 23 months to find work. Though your not supposed to use the visa to look for permenant work. how the hell they would know is beyond me.

:) Good luck with the search I hope you find a way in. :)

[denisesykes]

Please don't give up hope , my OH was offered a job last December when we were in NZ for a holiday.We were ecstatic and put everything in motion when we got home.However in May we found out that his NZQA level wasn't high enough (they hadn't mentioned a required level in the job offer), and therefore he could not get the necessary visa.
So I know exactly what you are feeling , we were very close to giving up but I just kept sending off CV's to agencies, every employer on the accredited list etc etc.Eventually in August we got a call from an agency who had an interested client who actually flew over and saw Paul as he was in Taiwan at the time! Paul got the job , we all have visas and he flies out next Tuesday!
Paul does not have qualifications relevant to his job just membership of a trade association and relevant experience.His job is not on any skills shortage list and his employer is not accredited.
If you really want to go you just have to believe in yourselves and if it is meant to happen it will.
Very best of luck , let us all know how it goes

Denise

[Kim39]

Come on, don't think that your dream has come to a dramatic end, because it hasn't. I agree with what everybody has said. Get those emails working and throw as many as you can across to as many firms out there as you can. I found things slightly similar 18 months ago. I am an HGV driver and the job wasn't on any of the lists, so the only way of entry was through a work visa. I contacted roughly 250 firms, and out of the blue 1 job offer came my way. All was decided on a short phone call, and no need to go and see them. So it can happen just keep believing and hang in there.

Take up Stevie D's idea and get yourself along to the expo's in the coming weeks, you just never know what will turn up.

Good luck with it

Kim

[K&CS]

Sorry to hear about your knock back, but as everyone else has said, don't give up - if you really want it enough, you'll get there in the end. OH had a telephone interview the other night - I think this is quite common, so you don't always have to fly over there to look for work.

Good luck and hope to hear some good news soon!

Kate

[Do B Brief]

How much do you want to be here?

The answer to that question is the answer to your dreams.

A mad way about it is to do what we did, sell up and come over job hunting.

You pays your money, you takes your chances.

Luckily enough it appears to be paying off for us.

Check out a thread I started not too long ago about how we got here...

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3714



Good luck whichever way you go...

[louron]

Don't give up, there really is more than one way to skin a cat!
Not everyone who moves to NZ has a job to go to, we will be doing exactly as Dave G has done and no we don't really have the money to move over and take that chance which is why, for the moment, we are stuck where we are and saving hard. once we have enough money to be able to support ourselves for a few months then we will be on our way and if it doesn't pan out as we hope then at least we will have had an incredible experience and won't be wondering in years to come whether we should have tried. But we are being positive about it and know that we are working towards something which could turn out really well.
I think in order to go down this route you need to have a good look at the job market and be realistic about the prospects of getting a job in your chosen field.
Having said all of this there are employers out there who will do telephone interviews etc, so you may well be able to get an offer of employment without being there.
All I'm really saying is that if this is what you really want then you will find a way to acheive it, you just have to have faith in your ability to do it!
Good luck

[Helen & John]

Thank you for all your positive replys. We have sent off loads of emails, and so far have had a few replys. My husband has one company to telephone later tonight who is interested in him, but is worried that once we get over he will leave after 6-12 ,months, so he will have to try and reassure on that one. I have had several responses from the hospitals, many of which are very interested in me, aparently very hard to get qualified and experienced medical secretaries, but say i will need my work visa before they can offer me jobs, catch 22 situation, need the job offer for the visa, and need the visa for the jobs! all very frustrating, but i am trying to keep positive and hope someone will give us a break. I have been told that even if say John gets the job offer, if i dont get a job within 6 months, then they can ask me to leave the country, is this true? i though so long as one of you had the working visa the other half can stay in country on that as well.

We are also attending the seminar in manchester in a couple of weeks, and hope that this will bring something our way.

Everyone keep your fingers crossed for us, cos mine are nearly broken ive got them crossed that hard!!!!!

john & helen

[Fiona Papworth]

Sorry to hear your news, but don't give up. My OH Steve is also a wood machinist, luckily he qualified 15 years ago with City and Guilds, which is recognised. He applied for two jobs and had telephone interviews for both. He was offered both and had to choose between the two. It was only after he accepted the second job that they asked if we had PR or not (we did but they said that they could work round it if we didn't.

There are still of jobs for Wood machinists being advertised on SEEK, apparently there is a shortage, so it might be worth applying anyway. Also try an agency called Trade Staff, we spoke to the Hamilton branch and they were really helpful, also try sawmiils and other manufacturers. From our experience we have found that no one expects you to travel to NZ for an interview and are just as happy to do it by telephone.

Good Luck

Fiona

[baboonworld]

If the company are worried that he might not stay listen to this...

.. when i came to the UK i had the same prob, couldnt get a job as everyone thought i'd leave. I am still here 11 years later (well leaving now). I was with my first employer for 7 years!

If you explain that you are wanting PR to live in NZ then there shouldnt be any question about 6months only (unless they want to pay u crap!)

I used to work in COmmerical Interiors and there good wood machinists are hard to find!