Clusters

abesrve · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 41

Can someone who understands please explain what clusters are in relation to the EOI?

Thanks.

Graham Barnes · Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 9:08 pm Post subject:

Damn good question...I was wondering about that myself Very Puzzled

brummiejules · Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 9:27 pm Post subject:

Hiya

Info taken straight from NZ Immigration Services: these are the 5 cluster employees .. Film Aukland, Wellington Creative Manufacturing, Canterbury Software, Canterbury Nutraceuticals and Biosouth .. these area group of employees who work together to gain greater business advantage.

You need to be either working for or have a job offer from one of them to be able to quallify for the xtra points Razz

take care
Jules

abesrve · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 41

OK, to further elaborate, Canterbury Software isn't a company as far as I can tell, so no offer of employment/job offer from Canterbury Software can exist, nor can a qualification in the 'identified cluster'. I think Moorf may be able to answer this one with regards to the IT side and that is what I am interested in but if anyone else has any info I'd appreciate it.

markkellaway · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 2:55 am Post subject:

As far as I'm aware you won't get extra qualification points for a cluster as they are not relevant to qualifications.

If you get a job offer from a company that BELONGS TO Canterbury Software Cluster you qualify for the extra points. This was more of an issue when the points were higher, now any job offer would suffice for most to put them over the 115 mark.

Mark. (110 points and about to fill in my EOI! Nice One

)

abesrve · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 41

markkellaway · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 3:10 am Post subject:

As far as I am aware, and I was told this by a consultant some time ago, as long as the company belongs to the cluster you'll get the points.

Cheers,

Mark.

abesrve · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 41

Thanks Mark,

I'm sure that clears things up for myself and others.

Moorf · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 11:06 am Post subject:

And of course you can claim points if you are currently working in an industry represented by a cluster - those points are allocated under the "Qualifications" section.

markkellaway · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2004 8:24 pm Post subject:

Hi Helen,

Your last post surprised me, so in IT what do you need to demonstrate, for example, to claim the 5 points for the Canterbury Software Cluster? If I can do this it puts me on 115 points (I think!! fingers crossed

)

I was going to fill out the EOI anyway this weekend but this would really make my day! Nice One

Cheers,

Mark.

Moorf · Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 1:57 am Post subject:

Hi Mark

Well, I could be wrong - this is the wording that accompanies the "cluster" definition under Qualifications / Work Experience....

Moorf · Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 2:04 am Post subject:

This also sounds positive....

markkellaway · Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 2:40 am Post subject:

Moorf,

I read it slightly differently, I hope for both our sakes that I'm wrong:

"the principal applicant* has points for current skilled employment or an offer of skilled employment in an identified cluster (see SM8.15);"

I take the above to mean that you must be already working with an employer belonging to the cluster, or have an offer in a cluster, it then goes on to say that the qualifications have to be relevant to the cluster as well. I don't think it means that you can work in a job that gives you experience similar to that required by the cluster but rather is specific to working in, or having an offer in, that particular cluster.

Anyone else out there have the correct interpretation of this? Hopefully Helen is right and I'm wrong!!

Mark.

Moorf · Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 5:28 am Post subject:

We have read and re-read the info on clusters etc on the NZIS and in the huge manual and quite honestly it really doesn't make it clear - we even did another "point check" and, weirdly enough, when we do not put in a Yes under Work Experience/Clusters we still get 120 points!

What does give us hope is that in the same section it is asking if the work experience gained is in a country with a comparable labour market (or similar wording) which would indicate that the work experience to which it is referring is not necessarily completed in NZ...

Oh well, I just can't afford to get stressed over this - if we filled in the form wrong then we'll just go back in the pool - whatever happens our flights are booked so nothing we can do except try and keep optimistic!

Cheers
Moorf