[jbunniii]

I'm going to be taking an extended vacation in Australia and New Zealand starting in August. The goal is to spend some time living in each country, and decide whether I would like to move there permanently.

I am interested in applying for the skilled migrant visa in NZ, but I'm debating when to start the process. (I would apply in Australia as well, but alas, I'm five points shy of their threshold at the moment.)

According to the NZ immigration web site, during the last few selections they have drawn applications with 125 to 135 points provided that 15 points are claimed in an area of absolute shortage.

The points indicator tells me that I qualify for 135 points, and I will be claiming 10 years' experience (15 points) in an area of absolute shortage. I assume that this means I would be selected at the end of April if I submit an application now.

Furthermore, I know that there are changes to the NZ immigration law being planned in the next couple of months, which may or may not affect my eligibility. For this reason it seems advantageous to get the application in right away. (I'm still kicking myself because last year, when the point threshold was 100, my EOI was selected but I never went through with the rest of the application because I stayed at my employer to vest some stock options. Imagine my dismay when I saw that the threshold was now 140!!)

As I recall, last year it took about one month from the time of EOI selection until the ITA package was received. Is that still the case this year?

If so, I have time to get the ITA package, request my police checks and do the medical exam, and submit the application before I leave in August.

However, will the application proceed smoothly if I abruptly change addresses and am living in Australia or New Zealand? I intend to rent a flat in each country, as opposed to staying in a hotel, but I don't yet know what the addresses will be. How feasible is it to ask the NZ immigration people to communicate with me via e-mail rather than physical mail? Also, how straightforward is it to inform them of changes to my address and phone number once the application is in their hands?

Of course, the other possibility is to wait until I am physically "down under" before applying. As I see it, there are two downsides to waiting.

First, if the law or the points threshold were to change in the meantime, I might suddenly become ineligible.

Second, my plan is to quit my job in the US in mid-July and spend several months in Australia, followed by several months in New Zealand. If more than six months elapse after I leave my job, I will no longer be able to claim "I have worked in my field for 12 out of the past 18 months." At what point do I need to be able to make that assertion? Is it at the time of filing the EOI, or the time when I submit the application, or when?

Thanks for reading!
jbunniii

[JohnM]

Hi, if you are a US citizen, and entering New Zealand on a tourist visa, I am pretty sure you have only 90 days in the country before your tourist visa expires. that's what was stamped on my passport last year when I visited. Therefore, I don't think you can spend several months there without a job as you wanted.

John

[tigerlily]

I think that keeping them informed of a change of address would be no problem. And if you are in an area of skills shortage, and have lots of experience, I would expect that any change in policy would make it easier, not harder for you to immigrate. But if NZ is your top choice, I'd say go on a vacation there and see if you can land a job. With a job in hand, you can apply for PR and get it quickly (and for less $$ for the application and the medicals). You could also just work for a while (with a work permit) and see if you like NZ enough to stay on. If you get a job offer, my impression is that getting a work permit is very quick- same day if you go in person? Others please correct me if I'm wrong!

[jbunniii]

Hi, if you are a US citizen, and entering New Zealand on a tourist visa, I am pretty sure you have only 90 days in the country before your tourist visa expires. that's what was stamped on my passport last year when I visited. Therefore, I don't think you can spend several months there without a job as you wanted.

John

Yes, I'm aware of the three month limit. Australia has the same limit by default. However, it is my understanding that if I want to stay longer, I can leave and come back. For example, if I obtained a six month apartment lease in Australia, then near the end of the third month I could fly over to New Zealand for a couple of weeks and then return, thereby resetting the clock. The same arrangement would work if I wanted to stretch my stay in New Zealand.

The main reason that I want to lease an apartment instead of staying in hotels is that it's much cheaper for longer stays. Perhaps it's possible to find leases as short as three months, but from my initial investigation the norm seems to be six months in Australia, and I haven't even started looking at housing in New Zealand yet.

[jbunniii]

I think that keeping them informed of a change of address would be no problem. And if you are in an area of skills shortage, and have lots of experience, I would expect that any change in policy would make it easier, not harder for you to immigrate. But if NZ is your top choice, I'd say go on a vacation there and see if you can land a job. With a job in hand, you can apply for PR and get it quickly (and for less $$ for the application and the medicals). You could also just work for a while (with a work permit) and see if you like NZ enough to stay on. If you get a job offer, my impression is that getting a work permit is very quick- same day if you go in person? Others please correct me if I'm wrong!

That may well be true. The only reason I am considering applying now is "just in case" -- already the point threshold increased by FORTY since the last time I filled out an EOI, and if indeed the threshold were to go any higher, then that door will be slammed shut in my face! So, waiting until I'm actually in New Zealand is a gamble. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, I'm not in a position to make that move until early August. It seems potentially risky to wait that long. Does anyone know if there is someone I can contact at the NZ immigration office to inquire about the likelihood of the point threshold going up (or down!) again?

[EDIT] OH WAIT!!! I forgot that you get a bunch more points if you have a job or even a job offer in New Zealand.

This is in stark contrast to the situation in Australia, where Australian work experience inexplicably buys you no extra points unless your occupation is on their "in demand" list, which engineering/software is not. (Also, you have to be outside Australia in order for the visa to be granted?!?)

Anyway, I just filled out the NZ points indicator assuming that I had landed a job in NZ and my points shot up to 195. Maybe what you have suggested is not such a gamble after all. Does anyone think that there's any chance the threshold will be raised to 200 anytime this year??

[Going2NZ]

Check the 90 day bit - I believe you can stay in NZ up to 6 months with an extension possible up to 9 months. Not that unusual in a country where people go backpacking for months on end.

[zardell]

Does anyone think that there's any chance the threshold will be raised to 200 anytime this year??OH WAIT!!! I forgot that you get a bunch more points if you have a job or even a job offer in New Zealand.


As far as raising the threshold goes - who knows ?? And yes, you're right, you do get extra points for a NZ job offer/employment.

I understand that you, like most of us, are trying to work out the best plan of action that will suit your needs, but I have to say that if the raising of the NZIS points threshold is a worry to you (and on the assumption that I have interpreted your post correctly) I personally would put it to the back of my mind and this is why.

If, when you are in NZ, you find that your skills are in demand and that you are indeed offered a position or at least the potential of a job offer is a low risk/high possibility, then at least you know that you now have a choice....You can choose whether to apply for PR under the Skilled Migrant Category or apply for a work permit from within NZ, start work and then apply for PR later down the line.

If you are a single person, foot loose and fancy free - go for it. If however, you have a family and the commitments that this brings, well yes, there will be schooling and other family related issues to consider, but where there's a will, there's a way and nothing is impossible (difficult maybe and also maybe things wont always go according to the 'Big Plan', but not impossible)....Just depends on how much you want this.

Whatever you decide, good luck and I hope things work out well for you.

Julie

xx

[Oregonkiwi]

Check the 90 day bit - I believe you can stay in NZ up to 6 months with an extension possible up to 9 months.

Just to clarify this - Americans can only stay in NZ for 90 days without a visa.

[jbunniii]

Julie,

Thanks for the reply. I think that, with the realization that extra points will be awarded if I have a job or even a job offer, I'm going to postpone worrying about the PR application until I am physically in NZ.

I am indeed single and have ample cash stashed away, and I believe my skills will be in good demand in NZ, so I am not too worried about being able to find suitable employment once I arrive. Ideally I'd like to shoot directly for PR, as then I have the option of being self-employed instead of requiring a job through an employer, but if the latter is necessary to clear the points threshold, that will be OK for the short term.

Thanks to all who replied! I'll be sure to post here again once I'm in New Zealand, probably late this year or early next year.