[jbharvey]

Hi there, it's me again.

First off, thank you guys for the kind words of encouragement and constant support. It's much appreciated.

My wife and I are trying to get an idea for timing. Should I receive an offer next week from the company I'm interviewing with (pretty sure it's going to happen), approximately how long does the whoel Working Visa process take? I know that I can get all my medical done in 7-14 days....so from the point of having my police cert, job offer and medical results in hand, and filling out the application....how long should we expect to wait? I will need to know because of making travel and moving arrangements.

TIA

[KerryS]

Mine took 4 days the first time I applied for a work visa. The second time it was 7 working days, as it was a change of employer and they wanted to check out more information relating to the company's recruitment attempts.
That was applying from within NZ.

A friend from Finland, who was processed through the London office, waited a month for hers.

[jbharvey]

I wonder if it would be faster to use an immigration firm in Wellington or sending the paperwork directly there? I haven't quite read up on the procedures on sending in the paperwork if I live in the US.

[KerryS]

I don't think you actually get a choice about it - as far as I know you have to send them to your closest branch of NZIS.
NZ based branches only deal with NZ based applicants.

[jbharvey]

Last night company made verbal offer, with paper offer to follow. Yay!

In other news, just found out that FBI clearances take a minimum of 60 days to process.

Blarg! That really throws a kink in our schedule, but we'll deal with it nonetheless.

[jbharvey]

Actually, here is an alternate idea....

According to the wording in the Work Visa application (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/AA96FECB-EE7C-4DDD-BFE5-793F2C662455/0/WVLeaflet24July2006.doc): (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/AA96FECB-EE7C-4DDD-BFE5-793F2C662455/0/WVLeaflet24July2006.doc%29:)

If you are a citizen of the United States and are 17 years and older and intend spending more than 24 months in New Zealand, you are required to submit with your application an FBI Police clearance and an original Police clearance from any county you have lived in 5 or more years since attaining the age of 17.

So what prevents me from applying for a Work Visa and having my employer state that it's a 12 month assignment (knowing full well it's a permanent job) so I can not have to do the FBI report up front? I really want to get into NZ first, and then send all my FBI paperwork in so that I don't have to sit here in the US waiting for stuff to come in.

[KerryS]

I would imagine that's perfectly possible. I had work visas of less than two years, and never had to submit a police report with them.

[Kim39]

So what prevents me from applying for a Work Visa and having my employer state that it's a 12 month assignment (knowing full well it's a permanent job) so I can not have to do the FBI report up front? I really want to get into NZ first, and then send all my FBI paperwork in so that I don't have to sit here in the US waiting for stuff to come in.

because you will have to submit the police checks along with all subsequent paperwork, the police checks are an important piece to the jigsaw i'm afraid.


I would imagine that's perfectly possible. I had work visas of less than two years, and never had to submit a police report with them.


are you talking about when you submitted your variations on your permit from here when you changed jobs Kerry, or your initial application? Because when i submitted the variations there wasn't any need for checks, but on my initial application, then yes they had to be done.



Kim

[Kim39]

Apologies, just had to edit this as i have been informed by wife that you can submit an application for work visa for 12 months without the need for police checks, but immigration can still request them. Sorry for any confusion caused;)

Kim

[KerryS]

are you talking about when you submitted your variations on your permit from here when you changed jobs Kerry, or your initial application? Because when i submitted the variations there wasn't any need for checks, but on my initial application, then yes they had to be done.



Kim

I've never submitted for a variations to my permit. I arrived on a visitors permit, was offered a job and applied for a work visa. Since then I have had different work visas and never had to submit a police report until I applied for PR.

[Kim39]

I've never submitted for a variations to my permit. I arrived on a visitors permit, was offered a job and applied for a work visa. Since then I have had different work visas and never had to submit a police report until I applied for PR.

Were you the principal applicant for your work visa, because if you are then you must have variations on the permit. You are not allowed to change your job if you are the principal applicant, but can change company's. Yes you can change the job, but must apply for another visa.
I am here as a truckie and as i have changed company's (not jobs) over the last 10 months i have had to have variations stamped in my passport, whereas my wife has the genaral visa and she can do whatever she wants as many times as she likes without the need for the variations.

Kim

[voxel]

It took me a day - an interview with an immigration officer and I got the permit/visa (permit doesn't allow you to exit and return while the visa does) on the spot.

Don't need a police check, but it helps if your employer has proof that they searched NZ for a suitable employee but couldn't find one. It helps to be in a high-demand area too. Bring your CV, passport, reference letters, degree - tho most likely you won't need them all.

[KerryS]

Were you the principal applicant for your work visa, because if you are then you must have variations on the permit. You are not allowed to change your job if you are the principal applicant, but can change company's. Yes you can change the job, but must apply for another visa.
I am here as a truckie and as i have changed company's (not jobs) over the last 10 months i have had to have variations stamped in my passport, whereas my wife has the genaral visa and she can do whatever she wants as many times as she likes without the need for the variations.

Kim

I was the principle applicant, and I changed job and company, at the time my previous permit was about to expire - hence a new permit, not just a variation of conditions. I have 14 pages of my passport filled with different NZ visas and permits! Makes for a fun five minutes whenever I enter the country and the Immigration Officer looks through them to find my RRV...

[mrtrick]

Do they look at potential points from the EOI system? Say I have 160 points (if I had a NZ job offer which I do not) and the EOI and I just plan on going to NZ, look around along with my CV in my hand. Once I get job offer I’d plan to go and apply for work permit and wait the week or two that should take. However, would they consider the amount of points in their decision on whether or not to approve the work permit?
Are they strict about handing out work permits to IT personnel?

Thanks

[voxel]

I just plan on going to NZ, look around along with my CV in my hand.

Never tell immigration this in any country (esp. the US and the UK).

My co-worker (an American) here in Wellington almost got rejected at the NZ border for being a little too honest.

I was honest myself and told them my flight was paid for by my prospective employer, was meeting with an immigration officer on X date, yadda yadda, but mentioned I had a return flight and no plans to work in NZ if the Work Permit fell through - i.e I'd stay a tourist.

[jbharvey]

I have a verbal offer, and the paper offer should be coming in the next week or so.

My intention is to apply for a one year work visa....questions:


If I apply for one year, does the offer letter have to state 1 year?
What if NZIS sees the offer letter and it doesn't state a duration but on my app, I say 1 year?
Should I specifically ask my employer to put 1 year on the letter?
I really don't want to have to go through the medical check right now in the States. I want to get there, get setup, start work and THEN work through the process.

[mrtrick]

Never tell immigration this in any country (esp. the US and the UK).

My co-worker (an American) here in Wellington almost got rejected at the NZ border for being a little too honest.

I was honest myself and told them my flight was paid for by my prospective employer, was meeting with an immigration officer on X date, yadda yadda, but mentioned I had a return flight and no plans to work in NZ if the Work Permit fell through - i.e I'd stay a tourist.

So I guess I'll get a return ticket and say that I have intention of investigating the NZ job market and that I have X and X interviews setup with X and X company on these dates?
It is going to look obvious if I show at the immigration counter at the airport with lots of luggage... Any way to be somewhat honest?

[KerryS]

jbharvey - If possible I would have your employer send the offer letter stating that the job is for a fixed period. I have had a work visa issued for a permanent post, as the company said they couldn't wait for me to start.

mrtrick - they don't have any points system in place when issuing work visas. These are done according to need (of the employer). The problem with arriving with lots of luggage on a visitor visa is that you instantly look suspicious. As Voxel pointed out, you are basically breaching the terms of the visitor visa in arriving in the country with an intent to do anything other than be a tourist, including going for interviews or just meeting with employers.

[mrtrick]

Kerry:
So how is it done? There is no way to enter on a visitor visa and look around? What have other people done?

[KerryS]

No you can enter on a visitor visa and look around - I came here in just that way. (Although my finding a job was completely accidental!) But, you said you would be telling Immigration, that is what I'm advising not to do.

Also, I didn't have huge paperwork or massive amounts of luggage - just one bag and my cv is accessible from my webmail account. If you do have massive amounts of luggage you will instantly look suspicious if you are asking for a short term visitor visa on entry.

[mrtrick]

Seems like a plan. I guess I can pack the stuff and fill out the shipment paper and have it shipped down to NZ once the future is known instead of bringing it with me.