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Thread: SMC without job offer and processing times. How to proceed?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    9

    Question SMC without job offer and processing times. How to proceed?

    Hi all! This is my first post here, so I'd describe all from the start. Sorry for that.

    Before starting the application process both me and my wife firstly we've made the whole process of NZQA certification. We both have been assessed for NZQA Level 7 (Bachelor degree).

    After sending an EOI on 13th June of 2012, my Application has been selected with 125 points without Job offer on 3rd October 2012.
    An ITA was received 22nd October of 2012.
    We sent all required papers to London branch 17th January 2013 and the application was registered 21st January of 2013.
    Health certificate has registration date 23th January of 2013. Since originally we're not from Argentina (our current country of residence) in March we've been requested to send Police certificates from other countries we're citizens of. The request has been made by Query Manager, not the CO. We successfully sent them 3rd April 2013 and since then my application is in Pending state. No further communications has been received from INZ since then.

    I'd like to explain that we've prepared everything with NZQA beforehand because 700 dollars doesn't change anything but I didn't wanted to have any obstacles later during the SMC application process.

    This is one part of the story. The second part is as follows. While we were doing all this, we've decided to go and see personally how is the life in NZ before sending all papers. It was in August of 2012. We've been to Australia before and my wife loved it but I didn't liked it so much. Since I have a very good income and a good job which would be a real shame to loose for nothing, before to make a final decision we've decided that firstly my wife will stay alone in NZ. Meanwhile I'll be supporting her from Argentina whether she decide to stay or return. She traveled to NZ in September of 2012. Almost immediately she received a skilled job offer with the help of HR contacts we made before from here. So in October of 2012 she already had her Work visa approved until the November of 2015.

    I've decided to stay in our country a little bit more because of three reasons:
    1. I've been supporting her financially since the NZ appeared to be expensive and pretty hard to settle down at start.
    2. We've been transferring our accounts to NZ which is not easy to do since lately the Argentinean Govt. made any emigration process a little bit harder.
    3. I had a job projects to finish in order to not loose money and quit my job without problems.

    What we have in NZ already: savings and credit accounts with more than enough money initially required by INZ, gold credit cards, premium cars and a rented not shared with anyone house with a contract for two years in a good kiwi neighborhood. So I don't think there's any problem related to financial or settling issues. My wife pays all taxes, and has a full-time job contract.

    Since we've sent and paid for the SMC application already I don't want to apply as a secondary applicant for her Work visa. My idea was to go there, take some time to look around and find a job that suits me. I have my savings that allow me to do all without rush. The problem is that no one contacted me yet. Until September 2013 I didn't even know if I have a CO assigned. I sent them mails before saying that if there're any updates they free to contact me anytime. No one responded to any of four mails sent. My wife called to INZ and they said that my application is already assigned to a CO and he/she will contact me in the case if they'd need something from us. It was two months ago. Almost ten months have passed since application lodgment.

    So my question is: how should we proceed? Should I go there on visitors visa and wait for a decision? Apply for my wife's Work visa? Which seems a little bit ridiculous since I've already sent my own SMC application. Or just wait quietly? We have all set to move there but there's no contact from CO.
    I have some kiwi friends who run their business' and two of them have offered send me a Letter with a Job offer. But it would be like cheating which I don't want to do. To be sincere, I just want to find a job by myself without any favors from anyone. I'm sending CVs and contacting firms from my country but it would be much easier to do find a job once I'm there. That's pretty much the whole story.

    Sorry for so much info. It could be a little bit confusing because I've tried to explain it all in one post and also been writing in rush. Ask any questions if something isn't clear. I'd be happy to explain anything.

    Looking forward for your answers.

    Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    37,822

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    I don't understand why you are so much against having your wife sponsor you for an open work visa. If you did that, you could STILL find a job by yourself without any favours from anyone. It would just hasten the time when you could do that.

    As you probably know if you have read old threads on this forum, there are many people whose SMC applications have taken what seems like a very long time to process, and those of us outside INZ offices never really get to know why. You are in the fortunate position that you could actually have a way round that.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    UK to Christchurch
    Posts
    497

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    I will be arriving next week on a work visa sponsored by my husband. I will still have to go and find my own job once I arrive, the visa doesn't come with any pre-approved jobs.

    It also means that when we submit our EOI next week and start the SMC process we won't have to worry about timescales as we will already be there and able to work until approval comes through.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    New Zealand
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    Hi! I think, I have my answer
    JandM, in response to your question. It's not that I'm against something... To be sincere, I'm a little bit scared. Imagine, this is not my first immigration. I came to Argentina on work visa, I was contracted by one of the subsidiaries of the Ministry of Defense, been working closely with US aero-space defense industry (no secrets here), data classification, remote sensing, GIS an so on. Here I made my way from the bottom. Now I have an excellent salary, work hours from 10 to 17 with 45 mins for lunch (paid by my firm), platinum memberships of different kinds, also my car is paid by my firm, including gas and insurance, amongst other benefits. I must say that a quality of life of a well paid executive in Argentina isn't very different from such in USA, for example. Been there three years ago and I refused to stay in US. Anyway, the most important thing IMO, is that I have a medical insurance that covers even plastic surgeries and full dental. Now, I know that being on PR it's possible to have an excellent medical coverage that corresponds to all residents and kiwis. But being on sponsored Work visa I'd have to pay for everything myself. Not mentioning that at some point my CO could offer me an alternative Job Search visa type with the deadline (this is what I fear the most). I know, that a lot of people immigrate because of difficult circumstances, financial mostly. Luckily, this is not our case, but it seems that now I'm in a position when I'd have to sacrifice something in exchange for NZ way of life. Unfortunately, I have important things to loose in this game in exchange for beautiful oceanic views and amazing nature. I know that even in the best case my NZ life will consist mostly of the office table, computer, reunions, phone calls, and commuting home-office-home. At least, my wife does THE SAME exact job, has more working hours, and her salary lets say, is average, although it's considered to be good enough. Maybe I'm wrong but I thought that maybe PR gives me more options and some kind of "liberty", than a sponsored by my wife work visa. Again, I could be wrong and this is just my impression. Thank you!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    37,822

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    If you get a skilled job offer, you won't need to go through the CO interview process as part of your SMC application, and it's only following interview that someone with NO job offer can be offered the option of the SMC Job Search Visa.

    A partner-sponsored temporary work visa is an open work visa - that means you can immediately start work for any employer who wants to employ you. This can be an attractive proposition for a NZ employer: there will be no delay while waiting for you to travel or a visa to clear. You could use such a visa to job hunt and get yourself the skilled job offer which would move your SMC application onto a faster track. Then in due course you AND your wife would have Residence, sooner, probably, than if you do nothing.

    A work visa for two years or more (not only Residence) entitles the applicant to use of the NZ Health Service.

    Nobody is going to be able to tell you how everything will work out for you. If people are honest, I think they will ALL say they feel nerves about the change they are making, at some point in the process. It can't be easy for either you or your wife at the moment, separated, and poised between the old and the new. All the best.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
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    Thank you both, and especially you JandM for your answers. I think, I'll do as you said. My wife is absolutely crazy about NZ. And this is all mostly for her (She hates Argentina, sorry but it's true. She lived very difficult times here). So, I'll move there, apply for her work visa and will hope everything gonna be fine with our SMC. Happy wife - happy life, isn't it? You've been of great help. Thank you, guys!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    UK to Christchurch
    Posts
    497

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    hope you get your visa very quickly and are able to join your wife and start your new life together.

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