EOI & Working Holiday Visa

[Stefan Korber]

Dear all,
My girlfriend and I have submitted an EOI but unfortunately it seems quite unrealistic to get a skilled migrant visa due to complicated circumstances (in connection with the Austrian Higher Education System). Anyway we are now looking for alternatives and therefore I have some questions:

- There will probably be a Working Holiday Scheme available for Austrians by Mid April 2012. Do you think that a submitted EOI will cause any difficulties of getting this Visa? In the end I think that we will travel around (see what cities we like) and try to get a job offer so “holiday” is in the foreground. Furthermore we will have a return flight booked (because my sister is getting married).
- If we would be so lucky to get a job offer for long term employment we would obviously like to add that to our EOI. Would this cause problems that we are then in NZ when we hopefully receive our ITA?
- My girlfriend is the main applicant because she is an auditor and External Auditor is on the LTSSL. I am a financial analyst and therefore belong to the “Accountant General Group” of ANZSCO which is only on the ISSL. According to my information we would be able to claim 20 points “if you partner has a skilled job or job offer”. So I am not sure whether this “skilled job offer” refers to a job that is listed on both lists or just to the LTSSL.

Thanks you once again for your help.

Cheers from Vienna.

Stefan & Birgit

[JandM]

Having submitted an EOI shouldn't cause any problems in getting the WHV (depending ultimately of course on the small print of the Austrian WHV offer when it appears). Having put in an EOI doesn't mean you HAVE another visa - you've just asked about it and are in limbo, waiting.

Adding a job offer would be perfectly possible, wherever in the world you are at that point.

Getting your 20 points for a job offer - here's the Operational Manual on the subject.

SM10.10 Award of points

A partner's offer of skilled employment or current skilled employment in New Zealand only qualifies for points under this provision if:

the partner's offer of skilled employment or current skilled employment meets the requirements for 'skilled employment' as set out in SM7; and
the principal applicant's partner is included in the application; and
the partner meets the English language requirements for principal applicants (see SM5.15); and
an immigration officer is satisfied that the principal applicant and their partner have been living together for 12 months or more in a partnership that is genuine and stable (see F2.10.1) and otherwise meets criteria for Partnership Category (see F2.15).

For SM7.10, see here. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/i6954.htm
Then also, see Appendix 6.