[Foxglove]

I have been lurking on this forum for a few days, you all seem like such a friendly bunch I have just plucked up the courage to say 'hello'

Just to introduce ourselves a bit..... We are in the research phase of looking into emigrating to NZ....I have wanted to take the plunge for years as my parents emigrated to NZ when I was 3 and we stayed there for 5 years before returning to the UK as my Mum felt very homesick........I still yearn for the place - it kind of gets into your blood, doesnt it?! :)

My husband is now very keen to move there too, which is fantastic......but now we are looking at the various different options available. It isnt easy, is it?!

From what I can gather, it seems the most sucessful route available is to spend an extended holiday there (4-6 weeks) in which you ned to try and gain employment, and then apply for a working visa.....please correct me if I am wrong - I am getting very confused!

Unfortunately, I think we will struggle to pass the criteria as although we both have useful jobs (I am a qualified Pharmacy Technician plus trained in Beauty & Holistic Therapies and my husband has 20 years experience in water and sewage infrastructure systems) we only have the equivalent of NVQ3 Qualifiations...

Oh - goodness - I will shut up now - that has turned into a bit of a ramble, hasnt it? :o

Any comments woudl be greatfully appreciated - even if they are 'give up now, you are dreaming' !

[Diny]

Foxglove. Welcome to the forum and DON'T GIVE UP. If you have the will then I'm sure there will be a way.

No matter how mundane (you think) your question is, you'll find an answer on here, plus all the encouragement you need.

Good luck.

Diny

[dawn]

Welcome :D I second that Diny, don't give up!

Sometimes, a little extra study can give you lift up from a NVQ 3 to a 4, so I'd check with NZQA to make sure, of course, getting a job offer would mean youwouldn't have to do that.

Whichever way you go and whatever you decide, keep us informed - we're nosey as well as nice! lol

[Foxglove]

Whichever way you go and whatever you decide, keep us informed - we're nosey as well as nice! lol

:p You are funny! I am sure we will be on this forum regularly from now on - I have a feeling we will be needing a lot of help and it will be nice to make some new friends to :cheers

Thank you both for your encouragement....mind you, I have just had a play on the points calculator, and without understanding what I was doing or what the categories meant, we only managed to score 30 :exit Such a LONG way to go.........

[David with a dream]

Hi Foxglove and welcome from us four in North Yorkshire. Good luck with your plans and live your dream :clap David...........

[Smiler]

Welcome from us too.

Dawn is right. We need to know the in's and out's, preferably with pictures too. :yes

Good luck with your journey. :cheers

[Foxglove]

Thank you for the welcome :D Can I just ask a quick question please?

I have been looking on the skilled shortage list, and our professions dont appear on there.....so, if we both manage to find jobs in NZ, but not in a 'shortage profession' would we be likely to be granted a working visa?

We have found several jobs within the water industry that my OH could apply for and he has the experience to be able to do the job, so he is thinking of sending his CV to all the different water/construction companies to see what will happen. I am pretty sure I could find a job fairly easily in a hospital pharmacy - I know a colleague has just done so....

It is all very daunting................

[Nienke]

Don't know about the work visa, but wanted to say welcome to the forum!

[Phil & Ali Smith]

Welcome Foxglove,

I know how you feel about NZ getting into your blood. My parents emigrated to NZ when I was 4, we only stayed 2 years (for the same reason, mum was homesick). I probably don't really remember too much, but I do remember starting school, jandals, swimming every afternoon, porridge in the classroom, eating kiwi fruit from the tree in the garden.

We're new to this forum too, and struggling with points!!!!!! Hope all goes well for you both.

Ali

[Lisa T]

My OH was offered a job in NZ that was not on the shortage list. We got PR within 4 weeks, (actually one week from submitting paperwork and eing given a case officer - they rushed it through so he could start work and the visa arrived the day before he was due to flyout!).

If you have PR you do not have to pay international fees for schooling etc.

[marcia]

Hi, wanted to say welcome to the forum.

We were struggling for points, but Kev managed to get a job offer and with his age and experience it meant we had enough points to apply.

We first made contact with his emplyers at the Expo last october and then met then when we went on areccy trip in January, and he had an interview with them then.

I think if you can get over there and meet employers face to facem they will take you more seriously.

Have you considered the 'just pack up and go' option??

Anyway good luck!

[sarahw]

Hi & welcome!

I agree, best way to do it is to do a reccy trip - job offers in the pocket give you plenty of points towards getting in - like Lisa T, my hubby's job wasn't in the shortage list (I didn't have a job offer - I just freeloaded in on him!) & we had PR (permanent residency) within 5 working days of handing in the paperwork.

Bit of advice, don't be surprised if your other half sends of his C.V. to jobs that he has seen & doesn't hear anything - NZ companies get bombarded with overseas C.V's but a lot of them don't do anything unless the person makes a commitment to come out & have an interview face-to-face (hubby didn't get anywhere until he gave the dates of our visit to the agency - others we know didn't get anywhere until they actually phoned once they'd hit NZ soil) - that said some people do get jobs via telephone interviews but you'd really be best off getting yourselves over here.

As Marcia says, you can just pack up and come over on a 6 month holiday visa & find a job - you can get a work permit same-day. We have several friends that took that route & a couple of years later they have PR.

Good luck!

[H & Rick]

Not sure about work permits only just finding my way around the system myself.

Just wanted to say welcome :p

I'm sure someone will be able to answer all your questions, as they have all been so helpful to us.