[edmundt]

To start with, all praise to the efficiency of the Immigration NZ office in Singapore. Submitted EOI on 22 Nov '05, selected on 23, received ITA pack in the mail on 25 Nov. Submitted ITA on 31 Mar & received mail in 3 days saying our interview is to be held on 4 May. However, we're re-scheduling interview to as early as 13 Apr since hubby will be held up at work on 4 May, which is why I'm scrambling about to gather info to prepare for the interview. Your valuable advice is most appreciated.

Although we have 145 points (way above the 100 points required), but because hubby does not have a job offer, both of us are required to go for a face-to-face interview & prove these 3 key areas to their satisfaction :

1) Prospect of finding skilled employment in NZ
2) Familiarity with NZ & preparedness to migrate
3) Linkages & support networks we have in NZ

We neither have relatives nor close friends in NZ, so item 3 will be tough to prove. Off hand, it'll help if some advice can be given on the following :

a) With double tax treaty, will my rental income from my Singapore house be exempted from NZ tax? If so, it will help to prove that my rental or mortgage commitments in NZ can be covered by this foreign rental income.

b) Are polytechnic teachers & university lecturers or tutors also required to be registered with the teachers' council in NZ? Unlike the primary & high schools teachers in Singapore, who are required to be registered, polytechnic & university teachers are not required to register. Hubby has been a IT lecturer in polytechnic for past 6 years. BTW, are teachers in shortage lists? (Carol, can you help?)

c) We're looking into moving to Welly or PN. Assume $300K can get a decent house in PN. But how about Welly? Is it usual for people to travel an hour to Welly each day for work, cause we may look as far as Kapiti if houses are more affordable. Rental of $300 per week should be reasonable? Mortgage loan of $200K will require instalment of about $400 per week?

d) Have look up Freyberg High School & Palmerston North Boys High School. Seems good schools in PN. Any recommendation for schools in Welly or Kapiti? Need to do some research on Welly schools for my 3 kids before going for the interview.

e) Is expenses for a family of 5 OK at $1k per week? We live simple life, no branded clothes & costly gadgets. Which means we need $70k per annum. Guess would be tough if hubby goes into teaching at polytechnics, but is $70K achievable if he goes back to IT line (had 6 years IT work experience prior to teaching)? IT job more abundant in Welly (excluding Auckland)?

f) With an Accountancy degree, are part time accounting job easy to come by if I intend to work while kids are at school, to supplement income of say, about $20K? Without registering with the Chartered Accountants in NZ, is it difficult to land job in NZ? (Is Shagen out there to help?)

g) If in the unfortunate event that we're given 6 months WTR, what kind of school fees do our kids pay? Do we have to fork out foreign school fees until we get the PR status? Any other inconvenience with WTR? I'm hoping very much to get the PR, not the WTR, mainly to take away the mental stress that it brings.

h) Any other advice that can help us prove beyond any doubt our ability to settle in NZ & more important, contribute to NZ.

Thanking you all in advance for your advice.

Ling Ling

[tigerlily]

Hi!

I can tell you that university lecturer is indeed on the shortage list. Try looking at the polytechnic websites to get an idea of how available those jobs are. There are a lot more IT jobs than teaching jobs, see http://www.seek.co.nz/ for that type of job, which would pay much more as well.

Best of luck to both of you!

[edmundt]

Thanks to you all for your precious advice, including those who have PM me. Pls keep the advice coming in as I'm still lacking info on some of the points. Your comments & support makes a difference.

[Marie P]

g) If in the unfortunate event that we're given 6 months WTR, what kind of school fees do our kids pay? Do we have to fork out foreign school fees until we get the PR status? Any other inconvenience with WTR? I'm hoping very much to get the PR, not the WTR, mainly to take away the mental stress that it brings.


We have WTR and don't pay any foreign school fee's .

Marie

[CSD]

Hi Ling Ling,

I attended the interview last month at NZIS Singapore. Am Singaporean, in IT field for past 4-5 yrs. I was offered WTR as my degree was not in IT, but in Engineering.

The main crux of our interview seemed to be focus on the prospects of employment. I have no relations or know anyone in NZ either.

It might help if you have contacted recruitment agencies in NZ previously and have some positive responses from them regarding your experience, qualifications and employment prospects.

I can't help you on the rest of the questions, I have no kids or own any property here. Just me and my partner. :D

The CO will usually tell you what you will get by the time the interview ends. Ours took nearly 50 mins.

So all the best to you. Do let us know how you fare. :nice1

[edmundt]

Hi CSD,

Do you mind telling me who your CO was? Initially we were told to correspond with Debbie Lo but now Veronica Yulianti is arranging our interview.

The NZ Immigration has now re-scheduled our interview to 5 May instead. Perhaps it will be a blessing in disguise as we will then have some time to gather more info & check out with the recruitment agencies to see if there's any positive response.

With the WTR, do your partner need to leave for NZ at the same time as you? My concern is that I would want to bring the children over in time for the new academic school year in Feb 2007, & if for whatever reasons, my hubby (main applicant) has to come over couple of months before or after this date, can he do so by himself?

Other than the restriction of 6 mths to land a job, does WTR has the same time line as PR, whereby you're given 6 mths to process your permit, & another one year to make the move? Does the WTR validity of 6 mths start rolling the moment you step on NZ soil? What if we wish to do a short recce trip before moving over?

Many thanks for your precious advice.

[CSD]

Our CO was originally Debbie Lo as well but when we turned up at NZIS Singapore, we were told Ms Wee will be interviewing us.

For WTR, they will allow you 3 months to consider if you want to take up the offer. In the 3 mths, if you manage to land a job offer in NZ, you can contact NZIS for a review and they might grant you PR instead. After 3 months, the WTR offer will lapse.

If you choose to take up the offer and fly over to NZ, you need to show proof that you booked your tickets, have enough funds to support you and your family over there and have enough to book a return flight (in event you maxed out the 6 mths and no job offer) Oh yea, you have to pay the migrant levy as well.

The good news is that you need not go over if you choose not to. The principal applicant (your hubby) can be the only one making the trip and pay the migrant levy for one person, secure a job for 3 mths then apply for PR again. PR will be given to applicants included in the original application as well.

If you are planning a trip there, don't have to get the WTR (you got 3 mths to consider if you wan to take it up). Just go there as a tourist.

If one only manage to secure a job in the 6th mth, you can apply to have the WTR extended for another 3 mths.

I am considering flying over next month to apply for some jobs as well. Most of the recruitment agencies are not interested in replying if you are not physically available for any interviews. That's the general response I get thus far anyway.