How to get a job offer

[walshdon]

Me and my partner have put in the EOI, but he needs to have a job offer first, he is a bodyshop manager but is getting in from being a panel beater. How does he go about getting a job offer without going over. Thanks

[Twunky]

Try www.seek.co.nz for job listings.

[JandM]

But it's only fair to tell you, it's likely to be VERY difficult to get considered.

[walshdon]

Why would it be hard to be considered?

[JandM]

NZ employers know from past experience that they get lots of applications from people abroad, which eventually come to nothing.

For instance, some people apply without realizing that they need a visa, and/or that you can't get one overnight, and without meeting the strict requirements. Some people apply without realizing how much it costs to move to the other side of the world, and back out when reality hits. Some people apply without consulting their families, who then say they don't want to go.

Whatever the reason, the net result for the NZ employer, who thought he had a worker starting in a few weeks' time, is that he actually has nobody, and needs to start advertising all over again.

Because this has happened to so many bosses, so many times, a very common attitude is not to have anything to do with a foreign applicant unless they've done something to prove they're serious, and haven't just written in on a whim - e.g. that they've already got a valid visa, or they've invested the time and money to go to NZ to be seen and evaluated face to face.

[walshdon]

Thanks for that info a big help, When applying we will express how much we have invested already. Thanks again

[Matti]

How can I prove that I am serious if I can't get a visa without a job? Go to NZ on a "temporary work" or "working holiday" visa?

My current idea:
After a job offer I apply for the "temporary work" visa which should be issued within 2-4 weeks so I could start work within 6-8 weeks (LTSSL). After some time in NZ I can apply for a "work to residence" visa and after 5 years for citizenship.

I will be able to show the employee that I have my visa strategy layed out, I therefore know when I can start working, and I am willing to move because I invest all this energy in organizing and informing myself ...

Do you think that this is a good idea?

[JandM]

Many people have gone to NZ job hunting on either a visitor visa or a Working Holiday visa, then applied for a temporary work visa once they had a job offer. If you are on a WHV, you can start work straight away, so this is good from an employer's point of view.

However, do notice that you cannot be as certain about the time it will take to obtain the other visas as you seem to assume (so you can't tell an employer a start date for certain, until you actually HAVE the visa). INZ will only ever estimate timings, and tell you an average, because they have to check details of every case, and you can never tell when there will be a delay. Perhaps your medical might get referred to the MA. Perhaps your university takes a long time to reply to INZ's queries about your course. Or maybe everyone in the INZ office gets flu, and hardly any work gets done for four weeks. The whole business of applying for visas is full of hurry up and wait - it's the same for everybody.

[Matti]

Thank you! I like the WHV approach! I can start working as soon as I have a job offer and prior to that I have time to get to know the country better.