Can I have both visas? (Residence and working)

[swang]

Hi, Does anyone know if I can have a working visa first, but still keep the priorly lodged skilled migrant application valid, which may mean that I will have two valid visas for NZ, one is working visa, the other is residence visa?


I've been waiting for 6 months since my skilled migrant visa application was lodged.


I may get a job offer in the coming weeks, but then the employer will request me to apply working visa, which just takes about a month to get, getting on board sooner.


However, I'd like to add this job offer to my residence application, but it may still take months...


thanks!

[Duncan74]

If you get a formal written job offer then it will accelerate the residency application anyway. However, talk to your CO and they may advise you to apply for an interim work visa until the residency application is complete.

[benhila]

Yes you can.

We applied for PR, then purchased flight tickets and committed to a job starting date before the PR has been approved.

Since the process of work visa approval is typically much shorter, we applied (and received) the work visa in a week (London branch) moved to NZ and had our PR approved a few months later.

[swang]

Thanks Duncan74 and benhila.