[shakyle2906]

Hi

just recd a shed full of documentation from NZ house! BAFFLED!!!!!!!!!

can ayone recommend our best, quickest and cheapest (hubby lost his job 5 weeks ago!) of getting out to NZ ??

hubby is a qualified joiner of 24+ years experience

we have been recommended EOI's, tourist visas, working permits ....

we underdstand that employers wont take us seriously unless we are out there

any advice gratefully recd

Sharon :)

[jess]

Hi Sharon. It's been a while since I got the visa and the rules have changed a bit since then, but I think the answer to your question may depend on how many points you'd get doing the calculator from NZ Immigration (online here (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/pointsindicator/)).

If you get enough points there, you can send in your Expression of Interest and with the right number of points you should get selected. If you get that far and decide that you want to finish the process from NZ I understand that a number of other people have done that, and they transfer your case file to the NZ office.

It's true that employers tend to not take you very seriously until you at least have definite date you will be in NZ. If you don't have enough points to send in an EOI without a job offer, then you may want to consider the more risky step of coming over to NZ first on a regular return ticket and then going to interviews and trying to get an offer. That said, some people have gotten jobs from overseas via phone interview, so I guess it's not impossible. It may depend on how much they need joiners. (We didn't come over until we had PR - so hopefully someone will correct me if I got anything wrong with this part).

One last thing - although your husband's qualified - I read a lot on here about certain qualifications or work experiences not being accepted by NZIS, so if you are thinking of coming over before you have PR - you will want to be sure that his qual.s and experience will be accepted by NZIS. You would find that out once your EOI is slected and they review everything to see if it's ok. Or perhaps search threads here for 'joiner' to get more info from the forum.

Best of luck.

[Hannah]

If you are under 30 have a look at the working holiday visa route too (one year work visa)....

[KerryS]

To go via the PR route I would check to see if your husband's qualifications are recognised by NZIS. You can check trade qualifications here:

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/nzis/operations_manual/7960.htm

Trade Qualifications

The City and Guilds Part One and Part Two Certificates named below, together with evidence of a completed apprenticeship registered with a recognised industry body, are assessed as occupying Level 3 of the Register and will therefore qualify for 50 points.

Carpentry and Joinery are on this list, so if this is the qualification your husband has it won't need assessing by the NZQA, and you will be able to claim 50 points for this.

You then need to calculate any additional points you would be entitled to based on age and work experience. And bous points for Carpentry/Joinery being on the Long Term Skills Shortage List.
If you have more than 100 points you can submit an EOI (expression of interest) form. This is then submitted to a pool, and if you reach the points threshold is chosen and checked (to ensure you claimed the right points). Then an ITA (invitation to apply) is issued, You have four months from then to get your police checks, medicals and proof of qualifications and work experience together.
Submit and then await PR if all is in order.

But, I'm far too impatient for all that - come over to NZ on a tourist visa, get a job and a work visa and then do the PR paperwork. It's simpler, faster and cheaper from here!
Admittedly, it's also riskier if you have a house to sell, kids to worry about etc...

[veronica]

I'll second what Kerry S says. they are short of all trades people here.

[tigerlily]

I think I'd send out the hubby and have him get a job, then you follow when he's got his working visa. You'll need round trip tickets, but with the job in hand you'll be in a better position to apply under the skilled migrant path to residency. Medicals are also cheaper when you are in the country. But moving to NZ just isn't an inexpensive proposition- the applications will run over $1000 (with the migrant levy and all) even if it's just the two of you. And the flights, shipping belongings, rental deposits. If you are in a bind right now financially, this may not be the best time to try to go. Most people on this board have used up a good bit of savings to get themselves there (ok some have been lucky to get an employer to pay for removals and airline tickets, but they are not the norm).

Best of luck to you.

[shakyle2906]

Any ideas what is the cost of a tourist visa, how long does it last for and is it age restricted ?

Sharon

[NannyOgg]

Sharon,

I am guessing you are from the UK - you do not need to apply and pay for a tourist visa - you can automatically enter NZ and stay here for 6 months. If necessary you can then aply for a 3 month extanion bu that is it for 1 year.

If you reda the posts by Hannah and Myself you will see that we both did it the tourist visa / job and work permit / PR route and as yet have found no pitfalls with this route - its the quickest way to get in thats for sure!

PM me if you need to know anything else and good luck.

Nanny x

[shakyle2906]

Thanks Nanny
its just sooo much to take in
both myself and my hubby want to, if it was just us , we would jump at it, but concerned about our little one, he is 4 and a half
i dont bother with my family, but we are extremely close to hubbys

so confused at what to do, worried too
hubby lost his job five weeks ago and so money is stretched as it is. we rent so have no equity in the house, so only way to get out there is to sell all our stuff and keep fingers crossed

any advice ??

Sharon

[tigerlily]

Are you meaning that you would sell your belongings and use the funds to go? In the end, you will need to purchase again (it adds up quickly). If you mean selling investments, that could be enough to get you there (3 tickets, roundtrip- or atleast onward passage to someplace like Oz). I'd hate to see you spend every penny just to get into the country and then be in misery because you couldn't afford to pay the deposit on a rental unit - or worse if your husband can't find work quickly. You'd also be in the position of not qualifying for medical benefits from the government because you would be there on tourist visas.

I guess my advice is that NZ will still be there in 2 years time. If you can find work in your hometown now, and save up some money to go you would probably be in a better position. The situation would be different if your husband had an employer ready and waiting (and willing to pay your way over).

My husband and I have wanted to go for the past 2 years, we are still not there, but hope to be within 6 months. We had things to finish up here (schooling) before we could go (and oh yes, there's also work that needs to be found). Waiting really is not fun, not much of an adventure, but you join in here and learn a lot from watching others go ahead of you.

Or just jump in, I'm sure you will find the right answer for yourself and your family! Best of luck.

[Hannah]

We did the 'just jump in' option (as Nanny Ogg says, do a search on mine and Nanny's posts to find out more). I'd recommend you go with some savings if you do the 'just jump' option - we allowed for flights, rental money, buying a second hand (and cheap) car, school fees (international fees for our 8 and 11 yr old), shopping, immigration application costs. I'm sure i've done a posting on here before outlining what we spent. It runs into thousands. I remember reading here once that you haemmorhage money just thinking about emigration - no word of a lie there. Of course it depends on how long it takes you to earn money when you get there. We waited 2 months before either of us actually started work....OH applied, got a job, but it was weeks before he knew he got it and then more weeks before he started. Nothing moves quick in NZ (although Work permit only took 2 weeks). Some of the costs (flights, car etc.) you will face no matter what you do, but things like rent, food etc. will have to come out of savings until you are earning.
Otherwise, there is safer route - apply for a job in hometown and save. Although i do think sometimes that things like losing jobs/redundancy can be the kick up the backside that encourage us to do the things we wouldn't otherwise do. This could be an opportunity as much as a challenge.
There's many on this forum who have tried different routes to immigration, safer and not so safe, costly and not so costly, so have a read around and find out the pros and cons of each. I have to admit that if i could have got PR BEFORE going to NZ (i.e. if i had enough points or could have got a job offer from abroad) then I would have done that. I 'just jumped' because I had no choice - however, i took the 'safer' option of going just for 6 months initially to get a job, try and settle etc. with the knowledge that if it all went pear shaped i could go back to the UK to my house which was waiting for me.

If you can get PR before you go I would do it, if its not an option you need to cost the whole trip out and work out your finances. Many on this forum can help you with advice on costings etc.

All the best, and good luck with your decision/plans
PM me if you have any questions....

hannah