Applying From Fiji - EOI/SF

[chigz_fj]

Kia ora Everybody

I have been reading various posts to make sense of what are some of the best options as far migrating to NZ is concerned. Long story short, I am a Fiji citizen, recently married to an Indian citizen. Based on my qualifications, work experience (5 yrs in an area, close family residing in NZ, and the qualifications of my spouse... I have garnered 145 points. However at this point I have not submitted my EOI. If after further inspection, INZ deems the points I claimed as valid; what does it mean for my application?

I have noted that my qualifications are exempted from getting assessed by NZQA; but my spouses qualification will require an assessment.. However based on her qualifications I am content that she will attain a Level 8.. I do not have a job offer as I write this, so I am not quite sure on the type of results I can expect out of the Skilled Migrant Category... Can some one please advise me on what I can expect out of the SMC after submitting my EOI? ..

I have looked at many alternatives to this; the very attractive of the lot is the Silver Fern Job Search Visa.. Although just along these lines I have to specifically state that it is nothing less than a lottery.. But this option is nonetheless worth the effort


Big thanks in advance!!!

Cheers

[JandM]

If you have 140 points (or more), your EOI would be selected at the next draw. It would then go on to be processed. The normal routine is described here. http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread....690#post450690

If some of your 145 points are from your wife's qualification, she will need to get an IQA done by NZQA, to submit with the ITA - you can save some time and money by getting the IQA done straight away, not bothering with PAR.

About Silver Fern - have you realized that 1) if you are successful, this will not include your wife, and 2) assuming you got to NZ on this visa and were offered a skilled job, you would THEN need to apply for Residence, if intending to stay in the country long-term?

[chigz_fj]

Hi JandM ..

Thanks for your quick response on this matter...

Yes, I am aware that my wife will not be included in the silver fern job search visa.. But she will be included in the silver fern practical visa? .. this would entail her to work as well so as long as I am on this visa? But ofcourse if the long term is Permanent Residency then why Silver Fern? true true.. I maybe speculating here.. But wouldn't the silver fern job search visa have an advantage over the job search visa (post the SMC outcome) in the sense that employers will not have to demonstrate why they picked me over a local i.e. not labour market tested..? Besides applying for the SF will not hinder my progress in the SMC.. the SF seems like a win win situation... You get it, thats great..(its a faster process then the SMC) and if u dont get it.. u get ur money back..

The second this my parents are also here with me.. It would be difficult for my sister (NZ resident) to sponsor my parents unless I make the permanent move to NZ myself. In this case would it be better to go on the SF or the SMC path??

I could be completely mistaken about my approach and thinking towards this.. Which is why I am here in the first place..

Thanks yet again ..

cheers!!

[chigz_fj]

The second thing* is* my parents are also here with me (in Fiji).. It would be difficult for my sister (NZ resident) to sponsor my parents unless I make the permanent move to NZ myself. In this case would it be better to go on the SF or the SMC path?? Anything that would speed up the process here (although it is a slow one) would be ideal for our family situation ..

[JandM]

But she will be included in the silver fern practical visa? .. this would entail her to work as well so as long as I am on this visa?

Well, she wouldn't be INCLUDED, but she could apply for a partner-sponsored work visa to match yours in time - so, another visa, another application, another fee to pay.

But of course if the long term is Permanent Residency then why Silver Fern? true true..

Yes, that's what I was saying above.

But wouldn't the silver fern job search visa have an advantage over the job search visa (post the SMC outcome) in the sense that employers will not have to demonstrate why they picked me over a local i.e. not labour market tested..?

No, that's wrong - there's no labour market test on a job offer for someone with the SMC JSV. The labour market test belongs to job offers when someone is using that offer to apply for a temporary work visa.

Besides applying for the SF will not hinder my progress in the SMC..

No, it won't. This is one of those things that you have to decide. Is it worth doing an extra layer of application, or not?

if u dont get it.. u get ur money back..

??? I don't understand you here. If you apply for Silver Fern and when you submit your proof, you're not actually qualified, they aren't going to repay anything.

In this case would it be better to go on the SF or the SMC path?? Anything that would speed up the process here (although it is a slow one) would be ideal for our family situation ..

I don't think there's any 'better' about it. It's a gamble whether or not you would get Silver Fern, so there's nothing to say you'll be quicker for certain.

There's no one right answer - it's up to you.

[chigz_fj]

Thanks JandM

Your advise is gold!.. really appreciate your point of view on my expressed concerns..
I have never travelled to NZ before .. but from what I have heard from alot of my friends and family there. .its a place I would quickly adapt to.. However.. given the fact that I have never ventured into the NZ shores.. can this work as a disadvantage if I am ever called up for an Interview by a CO?

And should I consider coming to NZ post my SMC application on tourist visa .. and look around for job regardless of my SMC situation .. and at the same time get a feel of what NZ is all about and that would help me better should I ever need to do an Interview .. and who knows that I might just get a job offer and get a resident stamp instead of work to residence visa?? ..

In your opinion what is the ideal time to come to NZ to look for a job? mid of the year is okay? or is January/February the best time to look for a Job.. I have been in the IT (analyst programmer) profession for more than 4 years now..

cheers

[JandM]

However.. given the fact that I have never ventured into the NZ shores.. can this work as a disadvantage if I am ever called up for an Interview by a CO?

It CAN be a disadvantage, if the applicant gives the impression to the CO that, not only have they never been to NZ, but they also have never got any information about the country from other sources. It depends what spin you can put on the conversation: 'No, I haven't ever been, but I've talked to XYZ family and ABC friends who live there, I've been reading the NZ Herald and other papers online every day for five years, I'm in touch with PQR people who work in my industry in NZ, and so I know this, this and this about it....' That would give you a good opening to show your preparedness.

And should I consider coming to NZ post my SMC application on tourist visa .. and look around for job regardless of my SMC situation .. and at the same time get a feel of what NZ is all about and that would help me better should I ever need to do an Interview .. and who knows that I might just get a job offer and get a resident stamp instead of work to residence visa??

There is no 'should' about it - again, it's your choice. But many people have done this*, and found it a useful and enjoyable thing to do. (You may see this referred to as a 'recce trip'.) *Many people immediately apply for a work visa, so as not to keep the employer waiting too long in that situation, and put the SMC application in, to be worked in its own time while they've already started working.

You can't usually do any useful job hunting in NZ in January. The Christmas period is the start of the long summer holiday in NZ. Many businesses close down completely over Christmas and New Year, for two or three weeks. Many more only work at reduced rate with skeleton staffing, and this goes on right up till the start of the new school term, around the beginning of February. Therefore, even if a company is open, all the senior people will probably not be available to be seen, or be wanting to make any decisions, until February at the earliest. (The same goes for not wanting to start any hiring decisions in the run-up to the holidays, from early December.) Avoid this summer break.

[chigz_fj]

Thanks JandM

I am looking at the option of going to NZ as the winter season slowly approaches the finish line on a visitors visa ofcourse..
I will have lined up some job interviews by then; meanwhile I will continue to apply jobs on seek and others although there is no light at the end of the tunnel in that cave (i am not eligible to work in NZ, "YET")

You did mention by the way, that *many people immediately apply for a work visa .. evidently I will have to return to my country of origin to formally finish of my current employment .. isn't this a time consuming process, i.e. the process involved in obtaining a work visa? any implication on the SMC (assuming this in the ITA phase) ...

cheers!

[JandM]

isn't this a time consuming process, i.e. the process involved in obtaining a work visa? any implication on the SMC (assuming this in the ITA phase) ...

If you get a skilled job offer, you cannot start work without a visa, and the visa that can be most quickly processed is a work visa (as there are fewer checks involved) - you can look online under "Immigration NZ (whichever) office processing times" to get an idea of how quickly. So you and your new employer would agree a wished-for start date taking into account having to wait for the visa, and your remaining commitments back in your old country.

All that has no bad effect whatever on the ongoing processing of your application under SMC - that will continue to tick along as necessary. If your EOI had not yet been selected, the job offer will mean that immediately, it would be, and you'd get an ITA. Once you'd moved to NZ, and notified INZ of your new address, your application would be transferred to a NZ office, and the work on your case would continue there. And having a job already would mean you wouldn't have to have a CO interview to assess your ability to contribute to NZ and your employability (as you'd already be doing it). You would already have been working in NZ for a long time, very likely, before your Residence would come through.

Having the two visa applications in at once is something that frequently happens, and is no problem at all.

[chigz_fj]

Hi JandM

thanks for your reply.. I have been closely following on opinion of locals here who have been assigned CO's and many expressed their concerns on the inefficiencies from CO's when processing SMC for applicants..

When my EOI gets selected, can I opt to have my SMC processed from NZ instead? My sister (PR residing in Auckland) can carry out the procedure on behalf of me in NZ.. Is this possible?

Thanks..