Holiday / Work recce - then what?

[Elleon2wheels]

I live in the UK. I'm 52 with a BSc degree in Computing and 16 years work experience.
The EOI generates 125 points - I do not have a partner to add more points and my age makes a big difference to points allocated.
Last year, I attended a NZ Seminar and was advised that it wasn't worth the cost of submitting an application without a job offer as 125 points was unlikely to be selected.

Nevertheless, I'm still very keen to move to NZ.
My daughter lives in Dunedin & this year, married a Kiwi. However, she only received NZ residency this year so cannot sponsor me just yet.

So I've made the decision to give up work in the UK, travel to NZ for 6 months and investigate the IT job market around Wellington and Auckland as they are areas I've not explored before.
I checked with NZ Immigration that it was ok for me to arrive on a visitor visa, look for work, attend interviews & got the OK.
I have a return flight to the UK booked & have sufficient funds to support myself.

But what happens if I am offered a job? Presumably, I can then submit my EOI for a SMV application?
How long would it take, is there a fast-track?
Surely an employer would only hold the job open for a specific period of time? I have not sold my UK house and would need to return to put it on the market and pack up possessions.
Should I take qualification documents with me for prospective employers? Are scanned copies on my laptop sufficient?
What documents are required after the EOI has been approved?

Sorry for all the Q's - didn't realize I had so many!

[ChrisMwn]

In general terms if you were offered an IT role, you would have no difficulty in securing a work visa within 1-3 weeks depending on the exact location in NZ. There's no fast track for an SMC and with a job offer and processed onshore you might expect the whole process to take 6-9 months. Scans of your qualifications would be OK for most recruiters initially. Send you CV to local IT recruiters a month or so before you are due here, saying you will be in NZ from xxx date and available for interview. Make sure someone in the UK has access to your original documents and could courier them to you at short notice if required, although really there is no reason not to bring them with you. See this for INZ general advice re arriving visa waiver for a job search. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rd...20June2014.pdf

[wellywearer]

The holiday/recce sounds like a good plan and Chris Mwn has given you lots of good info/advice.
Good luck

[JandM]

Many people have applied for a work visa upon getting a job offer while on a recce trip, and this can be done alongside an application for Residence under SMC. The work visa allows you to start working quite quickly, and the Residence visa can tick along in the background, taking the time it takes.

About an employer holding a job open - those offering a job to a foreigner are normally aware of the need to wait for a work visa, and they will have issued a legal contract which the NZ authorities are aware of, so a job WILL wait for that side of things. But the house and affairs back in the UK are a different matter. It's understandable that a boss would not want you to go missing for x amount of time very shortly after taking you on. It's normal not to want to burn your boats, but you would need to think of a way to manage things from a distance in case of getting a job offer and wanting to stay in NZ from then. Possibly you could give someone Power of Attorney to deal on your behalf. Possibly you could arrange to store your belongings and rent out your house through an agency, so it would just wait safely until you'd got your Residence and/or built up enough leave entitlement to go back.

[Elleon2wheels]

Thank you for your replies, shortly after I posted my Q, I resigned from work and have been really busy decorating my house totally forgot which forum I had posted this!

From the document, it implies that on entry, I should declare my intention of looking at jobs as well as having a holiday in NZ. But that's quite a scary thought. What's the likelihood of being turned away? - my daughter / only child lives in NZ and I'm really looking forward to spending several months with my family.

[JandM]

If you decide simply to say that you're going to visit your daughter, nobody is going to think twice about it, I think. That advice is probably more relevant for people who haven't got any family connection to the country.

[ChrisMwn]

I agree. Just tick the box on the arrival card, "visit/holiday". If you were engaged in any conversation by the Immigration officer, I'd just be saying that you are here to see you daughter for a few months. If you have a UK e-passport, then you can use "Smartgate" on arrival (automated entry) and wouldn't need to engage with a real person anyway.

[Elleon2wheels]

Last visit, I flew from Singapore to Christchurch. It took an age to go through immigration then I was sent for a baggage check because I'd ticked the box having hiking boots. Left with just 20 minutes before my next flight

I land in Auckland this time & do have an e-passport - I'll look for the Smartgate

[ChrisMwn]

Smartgate wont get you out of any need to be seen by Agriculture, but you probabaly wont see an Immigration/Customs officer