OK How Do You Get Enough Points?

Azazel · I Like It Here Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 64

I'm wanting to go down the official route of getting into New Zealand but this points lark is just getting laughable.
How the hell do you get enough points without a job offer?

I'm 28, work in IT (have done for 12 years), I have a qualification, my wife has a degree ... yet we get nowhere near enough points .. 130 from my calculation ...

--------------------------------------
Work experience:
10 years (30)

Additional bonus points for work experience in an identified future growth area, identified cluster or area of absolute skills shortage:
6 years or more (10)

Recognised basic qualification (e.g. trade qualification, diploma, bachelors degree, bachelors degree with Honours):
(50)

Partner qualifications (10)

Age 20-29: (30)
--------------------------------------

So ... rather than either

a) Using the working holiday visa to get out there for 6 months and then after a while liking it so much we stay ... or ....
b) Just going over for 6 months as allowed as a Brit and then finding a job ....

How does someone who is meant to be one of the people NZ is looking to take into the country get in .. officially ... if I cannot get enough points without a job offer?

JCM

Azazel · I Like It Here Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 64

Moorf · Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 12:06 am Post subject:

Azazel - we are in exactly same position as you (altho we are 35 and 36!) - IT etc etc...

We are leaving on 21st Sept to pursue b) i.e. off on a "holiday" Wink

Good Luck

Azazel · I Like It Here Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 64

Hey Moorf good luck, we should be leaving around January but the other halfs family/friends are all "ooh going over without a job etc isn't that dangerous"
Just makes the whole difficult process of doing it that little harder.

Ahh well :)
Let us know how you get on!

Moorf · Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 12:42 am Post subject:

LOL Azazel - we have had EXACTLY the same response from parents etc - we have worked our butts off for the last decade in London and Edinburgh, have climbed the career ladder and have done well with property - so we think that we are ready to take a risk!

Quite frankly, we see staying in the UK as MORE of a risk!! i.e. property prices falling, IT jobs / contracts being shipped overseas, etc etc!!

Anyway, in the end, if you don't get a job over there it's a damn good holiday, lots of new experiences and you can always come back and start over.

Do you own a property you could rent out whilst away and, therefore, return to if it all goes tits up?!!

Azazel · I Like It Here Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 64

We have our house which in price will already make us a nice return, whilst away we will rent it out or leave it (we have the capital not to worry).
If everything is going well then we will sell it (hopefully house prices will stay good just long enough :D )

Lee&Nicky · I Like It Here Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 70

I echo Moorf's comments (we are in exactly the same position).

One question that popped into my head this weekend, we are selling up and plan to ship certain household stuff to NZ. As we are initially going on a holiday visa, might not this approach seem a little strange if scrutinised by NZIS? I suppose the response maybe "will they ever know?" (does not seem to be any reason why they should find out or have to be told). I just thought, if we are coming on holiday, why would we be shipping beds, wardrobes etc?

I suppose do they care, if they are happy you have a ticket to leave NZ at the right time what should they care if you are going to the expense of shipping a few personal effects.

Any views anyone?

Moorf · Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 11:06 pm Post subject:

Hi Lee/Nicky

Yep, we've been debating that too and we have decided to travel light - can't see the point in shipping stuff half way round the world just in case we don't get the jobs etc. We have alot of stuff in storage anyway so we shall just add to this for the time being.

Plus, would you want to carry that sort of paperwork through customs - not sure how thorough they are but since my friend got turned back at customs when entering the USA simply because she had "starting nanny job in America today" written in her diary (which they flicked thru!!) I have been very wary about what I take.

In fact, we are having our police certs and other background certs/info posted to us once we are in NZ so that we don't have to carry it!

We may be paranoid but I wouldn't want to stumble at the first hurdle!!

Just my thoughts

When are you going? And where?

Moorf

Timbo · Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 11:14 pm Post subject:

I think I am right in saying that if you ship stuff in before you get work permit, you would just have to pay import duty on it.Have seen a thread somewhere covering this in depth. Will dig it up.

Lee&Nicky · I Like It Here Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 70

Moorf,

Alarming story re your friend in the US. I'm terrified of arriving on a visitors visa and saying something in all innocence about our long term plans and being put back on the first plane to the UK - a truly nightmarish scenario!

We have toyed with the idea of having various bits of paper sent to us once in NZ to avoid any possible problems with Customs.

The plan is for us to ultimately settle in the Wellington area, although realistically the sort of job I will be looking for will probably draw us to Auckland in the first instance. As regards timing, we will leave the UK either Jan or Feb 05 (depending on work commitments here in UK etc). We are debtaing the merits of a non-stop business class ticket versus an extended holiday working our way out on economy class tickets. I like the idea of an extended holiday, especially a few days in Florida! I am trying to tempt my wife by saying we can also stop at Rarotonga (a long held dream of hers).

2 of 3 parents now been told, reaction has been better than expected. Offers are coming in on the house, almost at our target price so hoping someone will offer us the right price in the next couple of days or so. Just waiting for my professional qualifications to be assessed by NZQA fingers crossed

and then its all systems go.

Finding it very difficult to conecntrate at work - Im ready to go now!

Timbo - I had not even thought of import duty, something else to add to the ever lengthening to do list!

Moorf · Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 12:35 am Post subject:

Spooky

- we too were debating a business class ticket but decided we'd rather go "crisp-eater" class and save the ££ for 2 months of travelling once there.... we are off to Rarotonga too in those first 2 months to do our diving exams etc!! Your wife has good taste Clapping

I know what you mean by wanting to be there NOW - our flights are booked for 21st Sept so at least we have a firm date but I am as restless as hell - we already sold up our house in Scotland etc back in April and are now living in and renovating our rental flat in Worthing, Sussex in readiness to re-rent once we have left! Hubby finished his IT contract last week and so we are now FREEEEEEEEE!

We EVEN have a back up plan in case we don't get into NZ... in fact we have 2! One would be to teach English in Japan or China and our other is to renovate and live on a houseboat somewhere on the British waterways! Either way we REFUSE to go back to the corporate rat race - been there, done that, got the Prozac!

I think it would be wise to have your documents etc sent over - I am even considering removing some files from the laptops just in case - I am sure this is overkill on our behalf but I'd rather be safe than sorry!

We also think that having some holidays planned and tickets booked to Cook Islands will also go some way to seeming as if we are on a holiday!

Hope there are no immigration officials on this forum!!! Hmmm

Lee&Nicky · I Like It Here Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 70

Moorf,

Liked the comment on the laptop, probably is paranoia but I can see we will be doing exactly the same thing!

As for the corporate rat race, I whole heartedly agree. The "profession" I am in has its fair share of rats but, worse, involves advising corporate rats on how to get fatter/go faster/ be more ruthless. How on earth did I end up in such a situation! Its no good, I can't change the system from within! I am sure there is a rat race in NZ, I am just hoping that the rats are not as big and/or as ferocious as here in UK PLC!

As regards immigration officers looking at this site - how sneaky would that be!? Almost as sneaky as potential immigrants logging in and hiding behind an "alias"....!!!!

Mr & Mrs John Smith

Moorf · Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 1:42 am Post subject: