An unusual question - remote working for PR

[kiwidream]

Hi all,

Recently, I notified my employer of my intentions to emigrate to NZ. They are a European based company which are owned by an international corporation (does NOT have a presence in NZ).

However, they wanted me to continue working for them remotely, despite the distance and time difference involved. I work in software development so, from a work perspective, this would be feasible.

I have taken a look at the immigration website for PR visas and cannot find any coverage of this (for or against) wrt being considered as a job offer for the purposes of the SMC category. The job is in an area of absolute skills shortage and it is on the LTSSL. It even looks as though you can get extra points on the PR application for a position outside Auckland, though I am not sure they considered another country when drafting this up

Has anyone else been in a similar position or tried this themselves? Would there be any way of acquiring PR whilst remote working for a company based abroad?

I look forward to hearing your ideas.

Thanks

[Duncan74]

Do you need a job for the points? There's nowhere in the application that means you HAVE to have an offer.

[ralf-nz]

Do you need a job for the points? There's nowhere in the application that means you HAVE to have an offer.

I agree, but! AFAIK it is very much likely that kiwidream will have to face an interview. What to say or not is depending on the responses to the questions asked in the original post. Where I cannot help as lacking the experience - however good luck.

[JandM]

Yes. The interview involves assessment for employability, for the benefit of NZ, so it's hard to see how frank answers about the intention to work for a foreign company would help.

[kiwidream]

Thanks for the responses.

Unfortunately, I do need a job offer for reasons that I won't go into now in order to get sufficient points to pluck me out of the EOI pool.

It does seem unlikely that working for a foreign employer would qualify given that the whole point of the SMC visa is to satisfy a skilled migrant shortage in NZ. However, still thought it might be worth asking around.