Studying while you are on work visa

[lucky]

My query is in particular to Silver Fern (Job Search & Work Visa). Can someone enroll a course in University during his presence in New Zealand on work visa? Are there any conditions? Do I have to change my work visa (presently job search visa) to student visa? Will it enforce work hours restriction as are on student visa?

Your feedback and reference to the relevant immigration material is requested..

[Parsley]

Immigration New Zealand say this on their website:

Silver Fern Job Search
The Silver Fern Job Search visa allows people to enter New Zealand for nine months to search for skilled employment. There is a limit of 300 places per year.

To be eligible you must be outside of New Zealand, be aged between 20 and 35, and meet all of the qualifications requirements, English language requirements, and have enough funds to support yourself during your stay.

The application process and payment will be online. Applicants will have to provide evidence they meet the requirements to an Immigration New Zealand branch for assessment and verification. More about the Silver Fern Job Search visa.
Silver Fern Practical Experience
Holders of Silver Fern Job Search visas who successfully find skilled employment in New Zealand may apply for a Silver Fern Practical Experience visa. This will allow them to work in that employment for up to two years.

To be eligible you must hold a Silver Fern Job Search visa, have an offer of skilled employment that meets our requirements, and hold occupational registration if it is required for the job.

I would read that as stating that the purpose of your Silver Fern Job Search Visa is what it says - a job search visa. Allowing you to search for a job for 9 months as it says, and that if you do not have a job in skilled employment after 9 months, then your Silver Fern visa expires. I would think then that you would either have to leave the country or apply for a visitor visa (if Immigration accept applications for such visitor visas to run on from after a Silver Fern visa expiring). You would not want to be in a position of being in the country illegally as this might jeapordise any future visa applications you might want to make.

If you want to study I would presume that you would require an appropriate student visa.

However, the best source of information would be to ask Immigration yourself whether studying is acceptable on your visa.

P

[lucky]

Hi Parsley, thanks for your reply. I am already on SF-JSV and located in Auckland now. During my job search I feel that if I take up some courses from the University it can enhance my competence targeting the right job but of course the duration of study may extend more that nine months. What I have to do in that case?

[JandM]

As Parsley has pointed out, you have a visa which is limited in time and purpose. The answer to your question is at the INZ website - your visa does not cover you to study.

People undertaking short courses

If you want to undertake one or more short courses which are approved or exempted by New Zealand Qualifications Authority, for no more than three calendar months duration in total, you do not need a student visa or a variation of conditions.

If you hold a temporary visa that is valid for 24 months or more, you can study one or more courses for up to three months in total in each 12-month period.

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...yinnewzealand/

If you want to become a student, you will have to be accepted for a course which would qualify you to get a student visa (see all the details on links off that same page). Remember you would have to pay fees at the international rate. And yes, you would then be restricted as to the hours you could work.

[lucky]

Thank you Parsley and JandM for guidance.

[Karen Phillips]

Hi. Everything people have said about the need for a different visa to study for most University courses is absolutely correct. However, you can study for up to 3 months - see extract from INZ website below.

Want to study or train while holding a temporary work visa? All temporary visa holders may study for:

up to three months per visa or
three months in every 12-month period if the visa is granted for multiple years. You won’t need to apply for a student visa or variation of conditions.
If you’re here on a work visa and you want to study full time for longer than three months, you need to apply for a student visa.

However, it would be hard to find a course of 3 months or less that would really boost your job chances and it may not be good use of your limited time in NZ. I would talk to a recruitment expert in your field before going down this route because the fees would not be cheap fro such a course. If you apply for and obtain a student visa or NZ, you can expect to pay between $18,000 and $30,000 for a 1 year Higher Education course. You can apply for Variation of Conditions that will allow you to work fro up to 20 hours a week in term time and full-time in the holidays. However, check out first that this will help you get where you want to go. If you already have a degree and you d o a one year full-time course at Level 7 or higher, you will be eligible for a Student Job Search Visa for 9 months and then a Graduate Work experience visa for up to 2 years if you get a skilled job in an area related to your NZ qualification

[lucky]

hmmm.. it good sharing, thanks Karen. I do hold a professional education in accountancy that has been accredited by Level 7 by NZQA and currently in Auckland on Silver Fern Job Search Visa. Finding difficulty in getting the right job so planning to study some territorial subjects like taxation and law etc to cope with the hurdles.

[pbani]

Hi Lucky,

Just wondering after you got your degree accredited level 7 NZQA, if you also had to do occupational registration in NZ for silver fern job search visa if this applied to you "Evidence of holding, or being able to obtain, New Zealand registration if your qualification is relevant to an occupation that requires registration by law in New Zealand."

Thanks.

hmmm.. it good sharing, thanks Karen. I do hold a professional education in accountancy that has been accredited by Level 7 by NZQA and currently in Auckland on Silver Fern Job Search Visa. Finding difficulty in getting the right job so planning to study some territorial subjects like taxation and law etc to cope with the hurdles.

[JandM]

This poster has not been on the forum since 16th August, so may not see your question.