Ease of Gaining Working Visa's

[UFOash]

Hello I've been to New Zealand and just got back, I was wondering about if I go again how easy is it to get a visa?

If I go there and look for a job could I just get some one to say they'd employ me and then immigration will give me a visa for it, or do I need to apply for one far in advance?
How long is the waiting list for a visa if you don't have one yet? Without a trade or qualifications is it hard to get a visa?

I'd just like to know from someone who knows these things how easy these things are to do and the recommended approach.

[Ian 5859]

Got to say .... this has to be one of the best posts I have read for a Long time and TBH, I have no doubt at ll that it will cause a good laugh in the NZIS office that monitors this site, as I feel they surely do!!

Good luck

[Sun777]

Hello I've been to New Zealand and just got back, I was wondering about if I go again how easy is it to get a visa?

If I go there and look for a job could I just get some one to say they'd employ me and then immigration will give me a visa for it, or do I need to apply for one far in advance?
How long is the waiting list for a visa if you don't have one yet? Without a trade or qualifications is it hard to get a visa?

I'd just like to know from someone who knows these things how easy these things are to do and the recommended approach.

Hello and welcome

It'd be great if you can give some sort of background to profession you are in or what kind of visa you want to apply for?

I think it will be more than just someone saying they would be interested to employ you, INZ might ask for some sort of credibility to such employment and also prove that no one in local market can fill up that job (similar on these lines). I cant recollect anything like waitlist for work visa (if that's what you are asking) but it takes different no. of days to process depending on the visa processing branch.

[JandM]

Hello I've been to New Zealand and just got back, I was wondering about if I go again how easy is it to get a visa?

There's a lot of form-filling and waiting, even for a well-qualified and experienced person with a trade or profession NZ wants!

If I go there and look for a job could I just get some one to say they'd employ me and then immigration will give me a visa for it,

This is what an NZ employer would have to do in order to employ you legally. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/emplo...loy/lowerperm/ As you can see, there's no 'just say' involved - it's a big legal process for them, like getting a visa is for you.

or do I need to apply for one far in advance?

Without a job offer, and without qualifications, you wouldn't get a work visa. Getting a genuine job offer from someone in NZ, who hasn't been able to find a New Zealander to do the job, is probably the only way you would manage it.

How long is the waiting list for a visa if you don't have one yet?

Different visas take different lengths of time. INZ tell people to allow at least four weeks for a temporary work visa, and warn that it can well take longer, BUT that is IF a person has all the qualifications, and by what you say, at the moment, you don't.

Without a trade or qualifications is it hard to get a visa?

Yes, it is. Like I said on your first thread here, you are in the situation where you can be a visitor, or maybe if you had a Kiwi partner you might qualify. http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=35317

I'd just like to know from someone who knows these things how easy these things are to do and the recommended approach.

These things are not easy at all - that is wishful thinking. If you are willing to put in several years of effort, you could probably do it, because to be certain of getting a work visa for NZ, you would probably have to train for a trade that is needed in the country.

Otherwise, you can have a visitor's visa every so often, but on that, you are not allowed to work.

[UFOash]

How about a Student Visa?
I thought about training to be a Welder, could I do that in New Zealand and then get a visa to Weld in New Zealand? Is there a way to make money while your studying (e.g. can you get work permits?) or do you need to take out student loans to cover living costs too?

I really would like to move to New Zealand for my girlfriend and I just want to know how best to do it. Sorry if I seem ignorant.

[JandM]

Wanting to get to NZ for your girlfriend is very understandable, but unfortunately, it IS difficult for someone without a trade, unless you're in a position to ask for a partnership visa. I guess you aren't yet at the stage where she might ask you to move in with her?

There are courses in welding available in NZ http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...1880l2-2.4l6l0, but I've no idea if they would qualify you for a student visa. That depends, I think, on the level of the course, and/or how long it lasts for. You need to look up student visas on the INZ website for yourself (and the INZ site is having maintenance at the moment, but will be back later). You will also see that someone on a student visa is allowed to work a certain LIMITED number of hours per week. NZ don't give student loans to foreign student-visa holders.

[UFOash]

Wanting to get to NZ for your girlfriend is very understandable, but unfortunately, it IS difficult for someone without a trade, unless you're in a position to ask for a partnership visa. I guess you aren't yet at the stage where she might ask you to move in with her?

There are courses in welding available in NZ http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...1880l2-2.4l6l0, but I've no idea if they would qualify you for a student visa. That depends, I think, on the level of the course, and/or how long it lasts for. You need to look up student visas on the INZ website for yourself (and the INZ site is having maintenance at the moment, but will be back later). You will also see that someone on a student visa is allowed to work a certain LIMITED number of hours per week. NZ don't give student loans to foreign student-visa holders.

Thank you very much thats very helpful.
Perhaps she might, I went over there for a few months and lived in her house for most of the time. The problem is she still lives with her parents and I'd have to see if I could rent the building they own that is unused.

Could I get a British (I'm from Britain btw) bank to give me a loan for New Zealand? Do banks do those?

[JandM]

Here's a list of suggested partnership proofs from INZ. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...artnership.htm (You don't have to have ALL of those.) Here are some old threads on this forum where people talk about getting to NZ via this route. http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...l945l2-1.2l3l0

The picture about money is another gloomy one - sorry. British student loans can only be used for study in the UK, so you would need to take out a private bank loan, which comes with higher interest rates, and no ability to defer repayment. Also, I think it would be hard to convince a British bank to make you a loan, when it would probably come out that you're going abroad to do a course and hoping to end up living there. They'd be afraid they wouldn't be repaid.