Partner Work visa-Help needed ASAP

[cem_sj]

Hi all,

I heard about the forum from a friend, I'm sort of a complicated situation and he thinks some of you might be able to help. Hope so!

Let me quickly tell you a little bit about how I got here, I came with my husband about 3 years ago with a working holiday VISA. We both got temporary work for a while but my husband ended up with a steady job which allowed us to get a work permit Visa after the year (when the W&H VISA expired. So he applied as the main applicant and me as the partner. INZ granted the Work VISA for 1 year to him with the restriction of working for that company on that position, etc... and my VISA more open without any conditions like that.

Anyways, that year went by.. he kept working for the same company and when the year of the VISA was reaching its end, we applied again and we got the VISA for another year. With a similar situation, his with the company and job title on his VISA and mine without any restrictions.

I'm currently not working because we were jut planning for some end-of--year holidays and just yesterday the company told my husband that they were closing down and all of the employees were being made redundant
This was all a surprise to us, we had already decided to stay longer in NZ and it comes on a difficult time since I'm not even working and our plane is leaving in a few days for our already planned holidays..

Ok, so I'm busting my head against the wall here trying to figure out what are our options. And I've been looking at the INZ website to try to find out how this situation should be handlded but couldn't find anything useful.
I'm pretty sure that my husbands VISA will have problems since it was subject to him having the job. But my VISA, although I applied as his partner, doesn't really talk about any conditiions at all. Doesn't mention his VISA, his work, doesn't say that it is a Partner VISA but instead a Work VISA. Any ideas?

The only thing I can think of is trying to get a job as soon as possible with my VISA (since I have a valid work visa) and once I'm steady on the job (I'm thinking a month or so..) having my husband apply under the partner category. Would that work??? Or will my VISA be declined after my husband reports his situation?

We still have the option that my husband applies for a similar role as the one he had on the company that is taking over the old company where he used to work at. But there is no certainty that he'll get the job. I'm even thinking that since it could even be complicated for the new company since they might need to sponsor him for a complete new VISA since the current one was subject to the other company.

Ok, I hope I didn't confuse anyone and any ideas that you can give me will be much appreciated

Thanks!!
Cem

[buraddo]

What a tough situation. I don't have the answers to your questions but if you look through the archives (using the search function) you are likely to find a lot of useful information, plus I'm sure some of the more seasoned forum members will be able to speak to some of the specifics of your situation. Good luck.

[JandM]

This is your husband's situation. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...anotherjob.htm The work visa is tied to the job that is coming to an end. He needs to find another skilled job to enable him to get another visa.

I can't quickly track a reference to show you, but I am fairly sure that your visa is dependent on his - it does say in various places, "Work visas will be granted for the same period as the work visa held by the applicant's partner," so it seems likely that once his visa is no longer in existence, you couldn't rely on yours being valid.

I'm so sorry that you find yourselves in this uncomfortable situation. The only thing I can think of that you can do is to both job hunt quite urgently, as whoever gets offered a skilled job first can sponsor the other for a partner's temporary work visa. (And, being blunt here, it's REALLY worthwhile for your longterm security putting in for Residence alongside the work visas as soon as either one lands a qualifying job.) It doesn't say specifically on the INZ website, but they will give you a short while to sort this out. If he doesn't get another job in the short term, I believe they may give a visitor's visa to you both to allow you to stay on for a while, legally, still looking.

[Katie 84]

Hello I have rung the immigration phone line before and I have always found them to be really helpful. They take your visa number and tell you what your options are.

Good luck!

[cem_sj]

Thank you all!
I have called to immigration and the person to whom i have talked don't seems to know for sure what happened with my visa. But more or less is like you said LandM. Do you know if there is a class of visa which allow you to stay legal in Nz while you look for a job

[klt]

Btw, where are you from? I am asking this because if you are from visa waiver country it should ease the situation a bit in case you have to leave NZ...just fly back home and come back and stay in NZ for next couple months and look for job. Sorry, i could not be of any help.

[JandM]

Thank you all!
I have called to immigration and the person to whom i have talked don't seems to know for sure what happened with my visa. But more or less is like you said LandM. Do you know if there is a class of visa which allow you to stay legal in Nz while you look for a job

You're legal while they allow you a period of grace as you are at the moment. Then after that, you may need to get a visitor's visa. It is legal to look for work while on this, just not to start work until you have another work visa.