Applying for Skilled Migrant Category Visa as Fitness Centre Manager

[fluffyunicorn]

Hi there
Does anyone have experience with applying for a visa under Fitness Centre Manager occupation?
I guess lot of requirements are same for any kind of manager position. So anyone who has applied for their visa as a manager I am happy to hear the experience

I currently dont have any qualification as a manager. I work full time and I wont be able to get my bachelor in Sports management. I am planning to complete online course on Sports Management which is listed as diploma. I have already contacted NZQA what level this qualification is to double check, waiting for the reply.

But i was just wondering if I still will be able to get my skilled migrant category visa and later for residency if i havent got bachelor or such high qualification and have been working in the industry for almost two years.

Thank you for your help

Hope it makes sense

[JandM]

skilled migrant category visa and later for residency

First thing - an application under SMC is an application for Residence. It's not one then the other.

Your job is on the list of skilled occupations in Section A. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/i35165.htm

If you then look through to the regulations, to SM7.10.1 (a), http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/46411.htm, you find this.

The occupation is included in part A of the List of Skilled Occupations held at Appendix 6 and the principal applicant can demonstrate that their offer of employment or current employment substantially matches the description for that occupation (including core tasks) as set out in the ANZSCO and:

the applicant holds a relevant recognised qualification which is at, or above, the qualification level on the NZQF (see SM14.5) that corresponds to the indicative skill level described for that occupation in the ANZSCO; or
the applicant has the relevant recognised work experience that the ANZSCO indicates may substitute the required qualification; or
the employment is in an occupation included on the Long Term Skill Shortage List and the applicant meets the relevant requirements specified in column three of the Long Term Skill Shortage List for that occupation; or
the employment is in an occupation that requires New Zealand registration by law to be undertaken and is included at SM19.5 and the applicant holds evidence of full or provisional registration in that occupation in New Zealand.
notwithstanding (a) (ii), applicants with Skill Level One Occupations can substitute the required qualification with five years of relevant work experience.

(my bolding)

So this shows that as long as your job meets the description of Fitness Centre Manager under ANZSCO https://www.acacia-au.com/anzsco/149112.php (you have all or most of the responsibilites shown there), you don't have to have a degree or other qualification. ANZSCO says three years' experience can substitute, and INZ say, failing that, five years' experience.

Therefore, it looks as though you will be all right to put in your application once you can prove three years' experience as a Fitness Centre Manager.

[fluffyunicorn]

Ahh I see.
So what makes me confused is if I am employed as fitness instructor at the moment. And I have essential skills visa.
What do I apply for next? As I am recently switching to my new position of Manager (do I also need to notify immigration about the change of employment even if its the same employer?)
How can I apply for SMC if I dont have that long experience as Manager?
Or do I keep applying for essential skills as Manager for another 3 years and then submit my SMC?
I am planning to do online course for Sports Management (I just still havent got confirmation of which level according to NZQA it is), do you think it would count at least as some kind of education? Its labeled as diploma but obviously it wont be the same as tertiary study.
I hope it all makes sense, it just makes me really confused.

Thank you so much for your help

[JandM]

Yes, you need to notify INZ about your change of job, even though it's with the same employer.

You can't apply for Residence under SMC yet, because the length of work experience is in place of a qualification for you. With the course not being a degree, your studies you intend to do won't make any difference to the need for INZ to see the three years' work experience.

[fluffyunicorn]

So now I will just need to apply for essential skills again as a fitness manager? and keep doing it for three more years?
oh wow

[fluffyunicorn]

Where can I check if I can apply for essential skills with Fitness Centre Manager job offer?

And what about the category work to residence?

Thank you so much

[fluffyunicorn]

Iam finally starting to get my head around it.
There is quite few degrees i could get only if they werent open to NZ and Australian residents only.
How is one supposed to get their qualification as I am working full time I cant study full time.
I guess I will really need to wait for three years hoping they wont take my occupation off the list...is it lot likely it would happen?

[JandM]

Where can I check if I can apply for essential skills with Fitness Centre Manager job offer?

And what about the category work to residence?

Thank you so much

You can apply under Essential Skills if your employer couldn't find anyone better fitted to do the job than you. See here http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra.../requirements/ under the heading I have a job offer from a New Zealand employer.

For you to be able to apply under WTR, your employer would need to be an accredited employer, because your job is not on the Long Term Skills Shortage List. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra.../caniworkinnz/

About the degrees you've been checking out - does it say literally, 'residents', meaning people holding a resident visa? Or does it mean resident as in someone living in those countries? And have you asked about part-time options? I did a degree alongside f/t work, juggling my hours to be able to attend courses one day a week.

INZ check the job market every year before revising the skills lists. They only take jobs off the lists if they are informed by people in the particular industry that there is a pool of skilled candidates around. But Fitness Centre Manager isn't on the essential skills list in any case, so any revision of the list won't affect you. It's a skilled job, and nothing is going to change that, so, being in that job, you can use it for applying under SMC once you have the experience to show.

[fluffyunicorn]

Thank you so much for your help.
Its even better than at immigration office. They werent able to answer me all of this. It all starts making a sense. You are awesome, really helpful!

The qualification says Courses are only available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents and humanitarian visa holders.
But obviously I have contacted them and waiting for their reply as well. I am sure I will find some qualification, the only thing with those distance or online studies I always want to make sure I learn something. Not just to pay money and get a qualification

That makes me calmer, i dont mind working for at least three more years I am just always stressing out if its gonna get taken off.

and about the change of conditions.
Iam confused again

Variation of conditions
Applying for a variation of conditions to an existing work visa

If you have a work visa through Essential Skills, you may be able to vary your current work visa conditions in the following circumstances:
If you are changing employer but staying in the same region.
If you are changing your occupation or region of employment and your occupation is on one of the Essential Skills in Demand lists and you meet the requirements of the list.

However, if the following scenarios occur, a new work visa application is required:
If you are changing both employer and region.
If you are changing occupation, job title or industry and your occupation is not on of the Essential Skills in Demand list.

I think i would need to apply for brand new visa once I am promoted

[fluffyunicorn]

And also could "relevant experience" count as working in the industry as a fitness instructor but also filling some administration tasks if i had it written in my previous job offer for fitness instructor?
So lets say that I have been working as a fitness instructor for one year now...but my job offer covers some of the tasks I will be doing as a manager.
Would that count as a relevant experience into my THREE YEARS?

Thank you again