[MB]

Re. the 2-year-permit possibility for no-job applicants:
Does anyone know for sure whether the granting of PR after the three months of skilled employment insists that that employment be in a full-time (30-hour-week) job... or can it be in the form of two concurrent 15-hour-per-week skilled positions? (Everything else being equal, I mean, in terms of the skilled nature of the work and the applicant's qualifications, but for two employers a week instead of one.)
I'm aware about the full-time, $45000+ stipulations that are in place in the official Work To Residence scheme, but that scheme in other respects is a bit different anyway. I haven't seen the same rules mentioned anywhere in the NZIS text about the route I'm talking about at the start of this post.

Cheers,
Matt.

[MB]

And by the by (ooh, I always do this, don't I, just after I've started a topic?), it's very interesting to note that a number of jobs that NZIS seems to be interested in and even about to add to the acceptable/Future Growth list in Decmeber -- e.g., dancer, photographer, composer, dance teacher, etc. -- are ones in which it is hardly ever possible to get a regular 9-to-5 job. And I mean 'hardly ever' to the point almost of non-existence!

So you can look at this in at least two ways. Either NZIS know that perfectly well and will look firmly but fairly at a slightly different 'skilled emplyment working week' pattern for these folks, as long as (as in our case, we hope) everything else squares away such as formal qualifications and obvious work experience. Or there is a huge contradcition in the bureaucracy somewhere that will get folks' hopes up and then turn them away 'cos they don't sit at a desk 9-to-5. I hope not the latter, and doubt it.

Perhaps the most concrete point here is to make sure, if you're in one of these careers, that you don't sell yourself short at any point in the process in terms of the very many hours of 'hidden' paid work built into your working week (whether in the darkroom, or compiling classes, or whatever). Get these signed off by employers past, present and maybe future.

Cheers,
Matt.

[veronica]

I think the main thing NZIS is interested in once you get here that you are supporting yourself and working the requisite no. of hours, can't see that it makes any difference if its 1 or more employers......you do have a case of the what ifs don't you.

[MB]

Veronica - yee-ha! Looks like you have me well pegged re. my current mood. "A case of the what ifs...": pretty much sums me up at the moment, although, as I just said to Mrs. Matt as I laughed over your phrase and read it out, I'm just trying to cover all my bases. That's my spin on it, anyhow. :nice1

All the best to you,
Matt.