Is it straightforward to accompany my husband?

[moppet]

Hi guys

If my Hubby is offered a job and receives his work permit is it straightforward for me to accompany him to NZ. We would intend to stay in NZ permanently once we have filled out all the forms etc but until then am I able to join my spouse and live in NZ based on his work permit and my being his wife? I don’t need to work if that changes anything.

Thanks for your help

[Moorf]

Hi there,

Yes, you will automatically get a work permit once our husband has his. You can then go and look for any work.

Good luck
Moorf

[moppet]

Thanks Moorf

That's cool and one less thing to worry about

[Moorf]

No worries, where are you moving to, and when?

Moorf

[NannyOgg]

Hi ya,

The work permit is not completely automatic - you still have to apply but you automatically be granted a WP. You still need to get a WP even if you are not planning on working if you are to be in the country over the expiry date of your visitors visa.

My OH got his WP and got the kids students permits so that they could go to school. I didn't bother applying for one as we put our EOI and then application for residency in and got accepted before my vis visa ran out but if we had not been accepted in time I would still have had to apply for WP on the back of his even though I was not working.

Hope that makes sense!

Nanny

[victoria]

Thanks Nannyogg.You have answered perfectly & fully understood. We're doing the same as you & I'm waiting to see if we'll be successful on our app. for residency.If not, I shall be app. for a WP based on my OH's.

[moppet]

Thanks everyone

So I have to apply for a work visa once my husband has his even though I wont be working? Do I have to meet all the criteria for getting a work permit in my own right or do I get it due to my husbands work visa.?

What I mean is I have no degree r formal qualifications and haven’t worked for some time so I wouldn’t qualify for a work visa through the usual channels is it different due to my husband obtaining a visa?

If not how long does it take to EOI? Would I be better to just apply for that for my husband and I rather than a work visa, then EOI once we arrive?

Also if we apply straight away for EOI would my husband have to have new medicals etc done when he had them done for his work Visa?

Thanks

[NannyOgg]

Hi Moppet,

If you are looking to be in NZ sooner rather than later come in as a visitor and OH on his WP or vis visa. Once he has his WP apply for yours (from NZ) OR get your EOI in straight away. You do not need to jump through so many hoops as your OH - I think that your WP is just a formality.
We got ours in really quickly and were able to use the medicals that he had from the WP application on our residency application. The time limit for medicals is 3 months. If you decide not to apply for residency straight away then yes you will need a WP before your Vis Visa runs out 6 months after your first arrival even if you do not intend to work. Make sure you are really organized with paperwork as waiting for proof of things to come from the UK can be very time consuming - police checks are a case in point.

After seeing others on this forum wait ages we were pleasantly surprised that our time lime was thus:

Arrived on Vis Visa's 19th August 2006
OH got job offer within 1 week.
Applied for WP and approved within 2 weeks.
Put in EOI 2 weeks after WP approved and got selected.
Put in application 2 weeks after that and got approved by end of November 2006.

We and another set of friends freshly arrived from the UK found this route quick, hassle free and cheaper than doing it from the UK.

I can only tell you our personal experiences but if it is the same for everyone i can thoroughly recommend doing it this way if you are prepared to take that leap.

See also threads by Hannah - she did the same thing amongst other.

Good luck!

Nanny x

[Familyofmonkeys]

Something to consider...will not necessarily have access to free medical care on visitors visa, so may well be worth getting WP at same time as OH to be on safe side, especially if you have to see Dr regularly or need repeat prescriptions etc.

If your husband gets work visa, you automatically qualify for one if you are married.

[IanW99]

Something to consider...will not necessarily have access to free medical care on visitors visa, so may well be worth getting WP at same time as OH to be on safe side, especially if you have to see Dr regularly or need repeat prescriptions etc.

If your husband gets work visa, you automatically qualify for one if you are married.

Just want to clarify that free medical care is only available if your work permit is for two years or more.

For work permit holders to be eligible for publicly funded health and disability services, you must be lawfully in New Zealand and be holder of a work permit:

* that is issued for a period of two years or more

*that allows you to remain in New Zealand for a period of time that, when added together with the time you've already been lawfully in New Zealand, amounts to two consecutive years or more (eg, people who have had their work permit renewed).

Ian