Getting the ball rolling.

Moorf · Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2004 11:06 pm Post subject:

Sorry!! Didn't realise you were under 30 and off on a WHV (grrrrrrr! You lucky barsteward!)

Wish I'd done it then - I could be a dolphin trainer by now!

Razz

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

Dolphin Training, now there's an idea.... Razz

Moorf · Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 12:37 am Post subject:

How dreamy would THAT be eh?

Have swum with them before but it did take alot of effect to get me out of water and away from them..... I think there were tears! Yes

Alternatively I'd be quite happy to take a job in a dive shack or similar!!!

If we get a work permit or PR does that mean we can live in Fiji / Cook Islands?!!

Dammit abesrve - you've got me all off-track again!! Laughing

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

I've read that the WHV will be limited to a year and that I will not be able to work for one employer for more than 3 months. I know this was the case when I had looked into Oz so can someone confirm this for me? Again, does this imply that looking for permanent while under a WHV would be frowned upon and jeopardise any application?I don't want to go across and then find out that I've blown my chances because I went the wrong way about it....

evelynne_r · I Like It Here Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 94

Hiya,

It depends on what country you're from. I'm from the UK, and I didn't have the three-month with the one employer limitation on mine - the only specification was the year limit and no permanent employment.

I had absolutely no problems looking for permanent employment on my WHV. I treated the WHV as kind of a "try before you buy" before I made the decision to stay. I know quite a few people who have come over this way, particularly as a job is pretty much essential for PR at the moment.

The only thing to be careful of - and I nearly came a cropper with it - was that you shouldn't really start your permanent job on your WHV. I rang Immigration about that and the first lady said they would turn a blind eye to it as long as you were making longer term arrangements for a work visa, but the second person I spoke to said no way, get the work permit sorted first.

Of course, I can't confirm that it hasn't caused any problems, because I haven't yet got my PR visa - I did get the Invitation to Apply with no problems at all.

It would be prudent though to ensure that you don't flout the conditions placed on whatever visa you come over on. I also made sure I kept myself right by updating my work permit with my new job title when I got promoted recently.

Good luck,

Evelynne

Annierobrigado · Testing The Water Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 5

hello to all

thanks for all your input. i thoroughly agree with Moorf, wish i thought of doing all this sooner. am 42 now. you think it's too old to start over in NZ? then WHV wouldnt apply in my case. abesrve, i'm following your application process, so always keep in touch! you're my example, Laughing

evelyn, do you think asians would have a harder time to process their applications for visas more than those from the UK? Have you known of any case where there was a difficulty getting all these proceedings done?

i asked this in another forum, but i'd like to ask this here too, maybe you have other ideas. I'm a doctor here in the philippines, but i mainly teach in the med school. i know i have to register with the NZ medical council before i can practice there, but that would take time. what jobs would be available for someone with my background? am not picky. i could do what other nz's could do, but of course they'd be picked for the job first. what d'you think?

God bless!

annie

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

OK, so does this work? I go across on the WHV, get a job (temporary contract only, up to a year) and then start thinking about looking for a permanent job.

If I get an offer I can start with the application for PR. If not, and time is running out, what are my options? At this point, can I apply for a work permit extension? If so, what's the maximum extension and what conditions are there on this?

All you people going across and setting up business in NZ, fancy sponsoring me? I can make tea for you like no one in NZ can (probably true as I haven't made tea since I was 11 and it would be the worst cuppa in the world!).

evelynne_r · I Like It Here Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 94

Hi Annie,

I'm afraid I can't really comment on whether Asians have a harder time than others re a PR application - can only speak from my own experience.

Hi Abesrve,

What I did was go over on a WHV, and take a couple of temporary contracts while looking for permanent work. Once I got that permanent job, I switched to a work permit and applied for PR.

The WHV is a once only, non extendable visa, so if you wanted to stay beyond that you would have to ensure that you were in a job - permanent or not - which met the Work Permit criteria. I believe a work permit is valid for up to two years without police certs and medicals, three years without. I also believe it can be extended as many times as you need provided you still meet the criteria.

The major risk is coming to the end of your WHV without any longer-term job. Then you would have to leave NZ unless you could find some other way of staying on.

Evelynne

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

Evelynne,

Thanks, that explains the risk factor to a better degree. To get a work permit you'd need to be looking at something 'skilled', temporary or not?

So, to use my theoretical example, I go across, get a contract job (doesn't matter what, as long as I'm a temp). I then look for something more permanent (should be skilled, will IT helpdesk fall under this?), get a Work Visa once I have something which will extend my time to a couple of years (2 or 3 depending on documentation) and use this time to apply, and hopefully receive, PR?

If I fail to get the work permit sorted out I come home when my WHV expires but with a bit of work experience behind me I could try applying for PR from the UK and at least I've boosted my chances a little bit by a) having work experience in NZ and b) having made some contacts in NZ.

I'd feel more comfortable if I had a better skill set to present while I'm there to boost my employability because right now I can only aim low where Evelynne made the choice to do so in order to get a foot in the door.

I'm going to start looking at the jobsites to see what chance I stand of getting a job. Any decent websites, anyone. I want to stay out of Auckland and had looked at the Bay of Plenty, specifically Whakatane, where I believe the Regional council is based (Can anyone confirm?). As I have been working in the public sector I thought I may have experience they need.