[tigerlily]

I know they just changed the WTR visa from the old 2 years to get a job down to 6 months. My question is, when does this 6 month period begin? Do you still have a little time to pay your migrant levy and get your stamp? Or does your 6 months start the moment you hear that you got the visa? I'm just not sure that we (or anyone) could be ready to jump on a plane and find a job that fast (with the house to sell, etc).

[Cardy]

I couldnt be sure with work to residence but my permanent residence started as soon as i had my passport stamped at the airport in Auckland. The next time i looked at the nzis website my status had changed and i had a renewal date on there dated exactly 2 years from the day i landed. So if anyone has already entered with a wtr maybe they can check the nzis website and give you more detailed information. But i thought somebody said if you already had your application in you would still get 2 years WTR it might be worth e mailing the immigration to check.
Good Luck
Paul Bev anD Kids :yes :yes

[Serene]

Hi

I am new to this forum and this is my 1st post.

I have the same question. If you are given WTR instead of PR, how long does the 6 month period starts?

Hope that someone with experience could shed some light on this.

Cheers

[banjan2]

different info are being given by the vo's. some say it starts when you land at nz, some say it starts when it is stamped. i am also confused on it. but 6 months is a tough deadline to beat. i really wonder why nzis did that.

[sanyun97]

WTR visa started when u signed the invitation appliction.

[sidcarter]

Yep, you have 6 months time from the date the WTR visa is stamped on your passport.

[willsken]

Is that 6 months from when it is stamped at the airport in NZ? That would seem a lot more realistic. I mean we had our PR granted 4th May and we don't even plan to be there until December. That must be the same for some people who get granted WTR as they won't all be able to go right away (house sales etc)

[tigerlily]

Do you have to pay the migrant levy to get WTR stamped in your passport? And so do you have 6 months from WTR granted to paying that? Or is it when you land in NZ you have 6 months to find work?

Does anyone talk regularly with their case officer? We don't have one yet, so anything I ask seems to go into the abyss. It would be lovely to have a definate answer, but this process is always filled with uncertainty!

[edmundt]

Someone please correct me if i'm wrong.

After the interview, if you are granted WTR, you are given 3 months to consider whether to accept it. In the meantime, most people will try to gather as much info about living in NZ & look out for job & even make a recce trip to NZ on a visitor pass, to decide if they really want to accept this WTR.

Before 3 months is up, if you wish to accept WTR, you need to show them your forward bookings for air ticket to NZ, submit your passport & pay migrant levy to process the WTR.

Once the WTR is processed, the clock starts ticking immediately for the 6 months (not on arrival on NZ soil). And if you don't secure a job say, until the 6th month, you may then ask for WTR extension of 3 months.

Ling Ling

[tigerlily]

Ling Ling- yipes! If this is correct, then you have only 3 months to pay the migrant levy with WTR when you have 6 months to pay it with PR.
I believe if you haven't found a job by the 6th month, you are booted out, because they will only extend you if you have a job that you just need to work a bit more at to get the 3 months done. I'm not really panicking here because I could never afford to be there for 6 months and not have a job! It just does leave things like whether or not to ship your belongings in limbo.

[banjan2]

yes, that is the case so we advise everyone that has the 6 month wtr not to cut ties with their respective countries yet. we advise them to go and find suitable jobs in their line of skill as approved by nzis. once they have worked there for 3 months and nzis is aware, then you may safely cut your ties. otherwise, it is really too risky. nzis risks losing many potential skilled immigrants because of this 6 months time limit.

[Alan]

Out of interest then, if you were to have a WTR accredited employer sponsor you rather than going through the points system, can you also get permanent status after 6 months instead of the old two year?

[tigerlily]

Sorry Alan, I don't have your answer.

What a giant messy muddle this WTR is.

[banjan2]

you do not need 6 months, you need 3 months of employment in the skill category where your visa was granted. post december 2005, wtrs given are of 6 month duration--in short, you have 6 months to find a job in your line of skill, otherwise you lose everything. if you find your job on the 6th month, you can complete 3 months of it just by notifying nzis and once you finish the 3 months, that will be converted to PR. previously wtrs had 2 years duration, so you had 2 years to find a job in your line of skill--which is more a reasonable time period. 6 months to find a job in your line/skills adds a lot of pressure.

[Serene]

Hi

Just want to say thanks to all who have jumped in and provided info.

I have to agree that it is going to be really tough if it is WTR.

The best that we can do is to prepare ourselves and pray that it will be PR.

Serene

[Alan]

Banjan, I realise that regarding people applying for permanent residence, but I am talking about how the rules apply to people using accredited employers that have WTR.

[edmundt]

From the little that I know, other than preparing yourselves & praying that it will be a PR, it seems to help if you can show the case officer that you do know a thing or two about NZ during the interview.

I believe it helps if you can prove some, if not all, of the following :
a) You've been to NZ, be it tour or recce (show that you have at least seen the place & like it),
b) You've some friends or acquaintances in NZ (show that you have some support while settling down),
c) You know some potential companies in NZ which is in your line of work (show that you are serious in finding work),
d) You've done some numbers on living in NZ (show that you are aware of what living in NZ entails),
e) You have thought through some of the difficulties in settling in NZ (show that you have a realisitc view of settling down).

Of course, the above is not exhaustive but I think it helped us when we went to the interview without any job offer.

One friend was given WTR on the spot because he has never been to NZ & knows no one. However, he managed to get a job within a week on arrival, so the WTR route wasn't too bad for him.

One other friend took a recce trip right before the interview & was able to go on & on about NZ during the interview as he had the most updated news, regarding job, living cost, places to stay, schools, etc. etc., & he was given PR on the spot (without job offer).

I fully understand the concern of getting WTR instead PR, especially if you have kids to pull out from schools. Well, we can't help too much worrying, can we? Just gather as much info. & share what you know during the interview & pray it will be PR. Else, take one step at a time if it is WTR, it may work out just fine.

[Serene]

Thanks Edmund for that very excellent reply.

Yes, by preparing I was referring to some of the points that you've raised.

We've been to NZ on a holiday. Towards the end of that trip, we started having thoughts of returning. We are making plans for a recce trip in the coming year end school holidays.

Till then, we are relying alot on the internet and this forum to gather as much info as possible.

Once again, thanks for sharing.

Serene

[ryandmi]

what if you find the job on the 5th month is there a way to extend the wtr? would they still consider giving you a PR?

[banjan2]

ryandmi, yes they will extend it for you to complete the requirements. don't worry about that.

[tigerlily]

I just found this on another forum-

"I know for the WHV visa we're getting we've been told to expect a turnaround time of 2 weeks for a decision and then we have 12 months to activate it or enter NZ. After that it becomes void."

That seems hopeful to me, a year is a more reasonable amount of time to get to NZ. Whew.

[andyplumber]

Hi there, we're new to this site [and struggling to figure out as IT skills not best] please can someone help decipher the abbreviations - whats WTR and ITA for instance? we're just putting together details for trade to be recognised [$450 fee] thanks

[gil]

Try this link to the thread called Thread with Definitions http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6611&highlight=abbreviations
It should provide yuo with all the answers to abbreviations!

:cheers
Gil