Up against it?

[ant]

Firstly like to say hi to everyone, I have quite a bit of NZ knowledge so hoping to be as much of a help as I am looking for myself, if that makes sense!

Brief overview of my situation...

I have only 105 points so basically will need a job offer if I want to apply for PR.

My area is web development and is on current long term skills shortage.

My recent experience was running a small successful business (web development) in the UK but it's kind of ground to a halt and I am keen to get back into employment working with people again!

I am actually due in NZ for an extended trip next month. I have been a frequent visitor and have lots of friends there, some of which might be in a position to help my job search.

So I wonder what my chances are of securing work in NZ? Would the offer of temporary work mean I could get the extra points of a 'nz job offer' or does it have to be perm?

I know I am not suppose to job search while I am there but most immigrants I know there went in with visitor visas.

I am also worried that my seven years of self-employment, and age of 40, might put off employers, particularly as web development tends to be done in 'young environments' these days. Also I am not sure what the job market is like but I guess it's like the UK, e.g. very tough!

Would love to read some inspiring stories of people who were also up against it!

[JandM]

Hello and welcome.

There is nothing illegal about job searching - what IS illegal on a visitor's visa is actually doing any work.

That said, if you attract the attention of Immigration at the airport for any reason, the presence in your luggage of anything like your qualifications and CV can cause you to undergo a lot of cross-questioning as a potential overstayer. If you're seeing friends over there, no harm in using the postal service before leaving home, eh? And if you think you might want not to have to go back to the UK between offer and starting work, think through any crucial things which may be easier to get while you are still at home. Is your passport soon going to need to be renewed? Does your qualification require to be assessed by NZQA, and if so, do you need the transcripts from your university? Have you got job experience evidence from past employers? What about a police check?

Here are the requirements for getting a temporary work visa (and see the various links in the sidebar). http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...entialwork.htm If you get a job offer and the employer wants you to start work quite shortly, you are almost certain to need to go this route, as well as putting in an EOI - the job offer would get you selected immediately under SMC, but the processing takes longer. It's fine to have two applications in at once, and you're likely to be able to use most of your evidence for both.
And it may be useful to see what INZ says to employers about employing foreigners. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rd...bruary2012.pdf

[ant]

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. Yea I will not be telling immigration too much and you are right that job hunting is not the same as working there, which I'd never do of course without the right visa!

All the questions you asked are in hand apart from the police check, but I believe I could do this remotely?

Suppose its just down to me now and hoping for a slice of luck!

[Ana&Steve]

Hi and welcome!
Our story is that we come over on visitor visas and with enough money to support us for 6 months. Steve is in IT support and we had an EOI in at 120pts. It took 5 months of intense job hunting for him to get a job offer; there was a lot of interest until the part about his visa status come up. He received the offer with the help of a recruiting company. We had to get the work visas submitted immediately because it turned out our police checks were due to expire two days later! After he started work we added the "working in NZ for less than a year" to the EOI. We were selected and invited to apply in the next draw. It took two months to send away for and receive new police checks, and we've just gotten the NZQA report back. We are submitting our ITA tomorrow
We didn't bring paper CVs, just the laptops. Steve ended up rewriting his CV at least 5 times anyway.
Good luck with everything; I hope you get the answers you are looking for

[Manks]

In order to get the 50 bonus points for a job offer, the position needs to be permanent and sustainable, or for a contract of at least 12 months.

[JandM]

You apply for a UK police check on this form http://www.acro.police.uk/uploadedFi...0V18%20PDF.pdf - I think you could find it easier/cheaper to do while in the UK.

[ant]

Many thanks for all the information in there. All looks pretty straight forward, I guess the police checks is one thing I have not thought about. I am actually having to go back to the UK sometime in April for a short visit so if things go to plan then I can sort out police checks then or before if things happen.

My CV will be buried in my hard drive so I won't be waving it about when I go through immigration! I wonder if having a suit would raise any suspicions? Guess I can always say I have a wedding to attend, which might be the case anyway.

My degree is already on the list exempt from NZQA checks so it should be good for the 50 points. Unfortunately it is not related to ICT so I cannot gain any bonus point, which would have probably pushed me closer to 140! Oh well, I wouldn't change my Uni days for anything

As for references I have two ex-employers (albeit from 04/05!) and a client from self employment as well as accountant. Hoping this will be enough.

Ana, thanks for the story, that's encouraging. May I ask that when your other half was applying for jobs did he volunteer his tourist visa status upfront on his cv or covering letter? Currently on my CV I have added a sentence in my profile that says something like 'will apply for work visa on receiving job offer' - I was going to mention that I'd immediately go for PR but thought this might put off employers as they could think that soon as I get PR I'd be looking for a better job?

Again I appreciate the responses. I'll update this thread as I go along with any news and hopefully in the future it might provide encouragement to others in a similar position.

Just have to wait for Australia immigration to get off their backside and grant me a tourist visa so I can travel through the country and then on to NZ!

[JandM]

Just to complete the information about job-hunting on a visitor's visa, one of our members asked Nathan Guy, the Minister for Immigration, and the letter in reply confirmed that it IS LEGAL to look for work while a visitor. The Minister stated that, when applying for a visa, the applicant should give truthfully their reason for visiting the country (for instance, 'tourism and interviews for work' or 'tourism and investigating job opportunities', depending on what the person has in mind or has arranged). Experience of forum members has shown that this works reasonably when the applicant is applying for a visa from outside the country - INZ can investigate their situation at leisure. However, border checks for those from a visa-waiver country only happen upon arrival at the airport, and it's the frontline immigration staff there who seem to look for very firm signs that an incoming visitor WILL BE going away again, and regard it as a minus point if they find job-hunting evidence.

[Ana&Steve]

Ana, thanks for the story, that's encouraging. May I ask that when your other half was applying for jobs did he volunteer his tourist visa status upfront on his cv or covering letter? Currently on my CV I have added a sentence in my profile that says something like 'will apply for work visa on receiving job offer' - I was going to mention that I'd immediately go for PR but thought this might put off employers as they could think that soon as I get PR I'd be looking for a better job?

Originally he had the information in his cover letter, but after a lot of no responses and advice from recruiters, he took it out. He hoped (and it did eventually worked) that once he interviewed with people, they would like him and be willing to work with the visa status.

The trouble is, for some crazy reason, NZ employers have it in their head that the process is complicated. Our experience was, if police checks and medicals are already done, and you are on the LTSSL, the process is cake. I recall at one point there was a guy who was so interested in hiring Steve; he was so enthusiastic about him, but the company actually had a policy of not offering jobs to people not already allowed to work. The guy went back and forth with HR for a week, ultimately to no avail. Grrr.

I know that probably wasn't the most inspiring story, but not everyone has had such a hard time finding work in IT. My guess is some fields are more in demand than others.

BTW, where in NZ are you hoping to settle?

[ant]

Well I am lucky enough to know people throughout the country, I guess my preference would be Auckland as I have most friends there and prefer the climate but would equally be happy with Wellington. Queenstown would be cool too although living costs there seem very high compared to wages.

To be honest I'd happily go anywhere for an opportunity, even Stewart Island!

Just a query about police checks. I read they are only required for stays of 2 or more years so I assume I wouldn't need one unless I was offered something permanent or a two year contract?

Interesting about leaving the information about tourist visa off applications. I suppose when employers are looking through CVs initially they are scanning for reasons to bin CVs. Not having a correct visa would be a good reason I guess at that early stage.

With a big background of self employment I already feel up against it a little although I am not sure NZ employers will see it as negatively as in the UK.

Thanks for the info about tourist visas can legally look for work. I agree with you about the frontline taking a different view of things. I have probably entered NZ at least 5 times altogether and always get grilled and I wouldn't feel comfortable mentioning the job hunting bit. I am going there for tourist reasons anyway, love the tramping and will be doing more of that and visit a few places that I haven't been to.

Immigration always ask me whether I know people in NZ to which I normally say yes. I wonder what their agenda is when asking this question? Perhaps they suspect you are more likely to overstay if you do know people.