Would appreciate some advice on an essential skills work visa application :)

[Squeeble]

Hello,

I have been in NZ for nearly 3 years on an essential skills work visa which runs out in April. I want to stay and have been looking to re-extend my work visa. What I would like to know is do I need to re-do the entire application (as in start from scratch like before) or is there another application that I have missed where I just apply to extend my current visa for longer?

Also, if it is the case where I just start a new application, am I still required to supply another police certificate?

Thank you

And I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year

[JandM]

Yes, you have to apply again from the beginning. Whether or not you have to supply new police certificates depends on exactly when your previous application went in, because

You do not need to provide a Police Certificate:

if you have provided a Police Certificate with a previous temporary entry visa that was made within 24 months of the date of issue of the police certificate, or 36 months for student applications.

http://glossary.immigration.govt.nz/...rtificates.htm

I see you're going for another work visa, not residence - how did you get on with NZQA assessing your qualification for the IQA as a level 4, mentioned on an old thread?

[Squeeble]

That's a relief thank you for clearing that up for me.

How lovely of you to have remembered yes I went ahead with that and unfortunately it came back as a level 3 just as I had suspected it would. I am not entirely sure what to do now as far as I am aware there is no other way for me to gain residency unless I marry someone :/ and the only way for me to be able to stay in the place that I now consider home is to try and extend my work visa for as long as possible, which, given my job is not a sure thing.

I know I am going to have a fight on my hands to try and get a few more years here, at least I have all the love and support from my work team and boss behind me, so I just have to hope for the best

[JandM]

Good luck with this present application.

If it goes through, is there any way you could then up the level of your qualifications by doing some part-time study?

Your employer isn't accredited, is he? Just thinking, if he were, you might be able to get a WTR (which obviously can lead on to Residence). http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra.../caniworkinnz/

[Squeeble]

No unfortunately she isn't accredited, i have already had a thorough look into that but at the present time she would not be able to pay me that type of salary either I have also looked into the 'leveling up' of my qualification but I have been unsuccessful in finding anything. All of the courses are either too expensive, require me to be a resident in order to study OR does nothing to boost my current qualification. I feel like I have tried everything. So now I am i scouring these forums to see if I have overlooked anything

[JandM]

Sounds as if there's just the NZ partner option remaining, then...