I am currently in NZ with my partner on working holiday visa's from the UK. We are both working full time and need to apply either for longer work visa's, or residency. Looking at the EOI points, we should not have a problem getting pulled from the pool (140+ points) and invited to apply. Then I hope all our paperwork will be in order! But I want to understand the whole process.
In order to convert the residency visa into a permanent residency visa, I understand you have to be in NZ for the majority of two years. Is this two years from the date we arrived in the country (i.e. on our working holiday visa's) or from the date the residency visa was granted? I am trying to understand the whole process, as we still have ties back to the UK and would like the option to be in either place. The online documentations seems to give mixed messages.
At this page it states that "...you can obtain a permanent resident visa if you...have held your resident visa for at least two years..." and here it says "hold, or have held, that resident visa for at least two years continuously". Does this mean it does not matter how long you have been in NZ prior to your residency visa?
Are these in addition to the "Commitment to NZ criteria"? Because if it went only by details here "You have been in New Zealand as a resident for a total of 184 days or more in each of the two 12-month portions of the 24 months immediately preceding your permanent resident visa application." then it looks like the working holiday year would count...
Many thanks for any clarity on this matter.