[Brad77]

Hi

I dont know if anyone can help me.

I am a high school teacher and I was offered a position in NZ in October. I then applied for a work visa under the General work visa category (as I assumed I had to). My intention was to lodge an EOI when I arrive in NZ in January but the process would have taken too long to do from South Africa.

Anyway, yesterday the NZ High Commission called me up and told me that I have been granted a work visa (30 months) (YAY!!!!) but under the Work to Residence category.

My question: Will I be able to lodge an EOI on the NZIS website in January 2007 (I have 160 points) when I arrive in NZ and be able to get residency in 2007 OR am I forced to work 2 years and then apply for residency (under the WTR visa)?

Any advice? Thanks.

Brad

[Hannah]

99.5% sure that you can submit an EOI regardless of what visa you are on when you arrive in NZ. Best check with NZIS themselves with a call to the case worker who was dealing with your WTR visa. Sure others on this forum will be able to clear up my 0.5% of doubt.......

[jo-and-jeff]

If you've got 160 points, you can submit your EOI right now, that way you can be selected and get your ITA in 2 weeks or so, and start gathering all the documentation they require, whilst you're still in your home country (it will be a lot easier to get any doc you haven't already gathered, such as your police check, if you're still in-country). If and when you pass the ITA process, they'll replace your WTR with PR.

If you have some reason to need to wait until January to submit an EOI, you can do so, but otherwise, why not do it now?

Jo

[Brad77]

Hi.Thanks for the advice.

I see they have another EOI selection on the 6th December. I think I will get the ball rolling and submit it online in the next few days. I have most of the docs already, SA and UK police check but will need to do another medical in AKL.

I am not sure what address to put on the EOI. I leave my address here in Joburg in a weeks time for hols before leaving South Africa on 31 December.

Do you think I can put a "care of" address at a friend's house in Auckland so that if I get selected the application form is waiting for me when I arrive?

Either way, I will ring NZIS in AKL on Monday and asks all the questions.

B