Timing: Apply for work visa first or job first?

[AVK]

Hi,

I am currently based in Canada (Indian citizen) and I have some pretty basic questions with regard to working in NZ and getting a work visa or going for a PR. How should one typically time all this?

(I) If I wish to get a work visa. In that case:
1. Should I look for work first, get a job offer and then start the process for work visa application? If thats the order in which it should be done, then would an employer typically give me an offer, wait till the immigration stuff is sorted out (work visa obtained), wait for me to travel to NZ and then start work?
2. Or can I get a work visa without needing a job offer already in hand?

(II) If I wish to apply for a permanent residence (and fall between 100 and 140 points), then I was advised that I have a better chance at getting a PR if I have a job offer at hand. That said, the entire process of submitting an EOI, waiting for it to get selected from the pool and further steps can take a while. Do NZ employers actually give job offers and then wait for me to join work, until I apply for and then get my PR (which could be several months)?

Regards,
Aditya V Kulkarni

[IanW99]

As a general rule it isn't possible to apply for a work visa without having a job offer first, so it would have to be (I) 1. as (I) 2 is not valid.

For (II), you would get R (residence) and not PR (permanent residence), yes it can take some time and yes some NZ employers will wait, but this depends on the employer and job role i.e. if the only way to fill a role is to wait for the candidate then that is what is done.

Ian

[JandM]

To add to what Ian has said under II, if the employer wants the applicant to start sooner, it is possible to have applications in for both Residence and a work visa at the same time. A work visa can be processed more quickly, so the applicant can get clearance to be in NZ and start work while the lengthier investigation for Residence goes on in its own time.

[AVK]

Thanks a lot for the clarifications, Ian and JandM. This helps a lot.