my story until now

feeble · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 4:28 am Post subject: my story until now

Hi all,

This is my first post on this very informative forum so let me intdroduce myself first. I'm a 26 year old male from Belgium, working as a HW development engineer in communications and like most of you people looking to migrate to NZ.
After visiting NZ last February I started looking for jobs on the web and most of the time I received answers like ''sorry, but you're curently not in NZ' or 'sorry, you don't have new firm travel plans''. So I thought I would have to wait until a next visit to NZ. But then I was contacted by a recruitment agency who told me he had arranged some phone interviews for me. And that's how it all started. The interviews went well and a couple of weeks later a guy from the company travelled through Europe and so we met in Paris.
A couple of weeks ago I then received the news that they want to bring me over to NZ. So currently I'm waiting for a firm offer but things are looking pretty well.
I'm not sure yet under which category I should apply but I think it will be under the general work policy (maybe WTR). The thing I understand is that I would have to apply for a Work Visa from my home country, and after arrival in NZ I should apply for a Work permit. But somewhere on this forum I read that you would also have to wait a while for this permit to come through while you're in NZ??? This I don't understand Confused

, because I can imagine I would have to start working for the company when I arrive. Anybody done something similar?

rodders · Valued Member Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 134

hi feeble i'm not an expert but from reading other posts i've learned that your work visa issued outside nz becomes a permit when an immigration person stamps it when you arrive there. you should have no problems.

where are you from in belgium and why are you heading for nz?

kiwi · Valued Member Joined: 02 Apr 2004 Posts: 126

congratulations!!!!

well done

Nicky

feeble · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 9:59 am Post subject:

Hey rodders, I live in Antwerp but not for too long I hope.
Anyway, the reason I want to move to NZ is mainly because of its great outdoors, something we simply don't have here in tiny Belgium. Sometimes I am also asked why I want to go so far because obviously there are also beautiful places here in Europe, but during my trip to NZ last february it felt like coming home really. Friendly people, amazing scenery,well you probably know all this. I'm also quite tired of this busy life, I have the feeling that it consumes me.
I'm also convinced that the longer I wait, the more difficult it will be to leave things behind, so I decided to go for it and see what happens. And it looks that things are actually happening Nice One

John Miller · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:06 pm Post subject:

Good on ya mate, as they say here. Nice One

markkellaway · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:18 pm Post subject:

I'd like to chip in with everyone else and say "congratualtions", this is so exciting!

The point about feeling like "coming home" is exactly how we felt, so much so that it was wierd. We were only in NZ for just over 2 weeks "fact finding" but it really didn't feel like a holiday, felt like we should be there all the time. Some might say this is because we are English and NZ is English speaking but I've been to various parts of the USA loads of times and have NEVER felt like this.

Let us all know how the Visa application progresses.

Good luck!! Nice One

Mark.

feeble · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 2:04 am Post subject:

You'll be the first to read about it Nice One

Dave & Sandra · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 6:42 am Post subject:

This is quite spooky - Dave and I also felt as though we were coming home when we were there. Eek

Why is that? Does everybody else feel the same?

Gran · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:35 am Post subject: Coming Home

That is so strange, we went to Aussie first, but when we came here we felt as though we were coming home!!

susanlin · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 8:13 pm Post subject:

Hi all

When I came out here this time last year on holiday, I knew with absolute certainty that I'd found my place in the world. It was a really comforting surreal feeling. I had moved around for over 18 years with my husband's job and had lived in some great places, including Cyprus but I had never experienced the feeling of belonging I had when I first visited NZ. After my 3 week holiday was over, I set about the long stressful process of emigrating and here I am a year later, resident of NZ! I still can't quite believe it and sometimes wonder how on earth I got through it all. My main task now is to get my family over and convince them that this is the place they want to be - wow - that would be fantastic to get my family rooted in NZ too as the only blot on my 'happiness landscape' is my homesickness for my loved ones Sad

Sue