Change job with sponsored work visa

[Styg]

Hi guys, I am in NZ for some months and actually I have a sponsored working visa in hospitality (kitchenhand) and will apply a partnership visa for my wife.
I could not apply for residence because I have not yet the sufficient english level.
My area of work is with IT, but hospitality was the only chance to get a work visa quickly, so I would like to know from you:

1. Having a work visa will be easier to get a job in IT than when I had a visitor visa?
2. Is there any minimum time that I need to stay in this job before ask for change? I have been told that was 3 months.
3. The process for changing the category of visa is so complicated?
4. Is an option to apply a separated work visa instead of a partner for my wife? So I could after apply partner for me and get an open visa?

Please guys, help me with what is the better choice.

I will start an IELTS course soon, and in 6 months I intend to be ready to make the IELTS test and reach the requirements for apply an EOI.

Thank you!
Cheers

[JandM]

1. Possibly, but only a little. An employer will know that your health and character have been checked by INZ as okay. You will still have to convince them that you are the best person for their IT job.

2. That depends on your work contract. There isn't any rule from INZ about changing jobs while on a work visa, except that you must have a proper visa for any job you are doing. (The 'three months' thing has probably been told you because of the condition that is put on some people's Residence visas.) About your present job, you need to be sure that you give the right amount of notice, and work it fairly, so the employer has no complaint against you. NZ is a small society, and offending one employer can give you a bad reputation with many. Also, you need to be sure that you have another job to go to, and that you have organized a valid visa for that job before you start it. You can't stay very long in NZ with no valid visa, even with a reason like changing jobs.

3. No, it's not complicated if you have the offer of a new job, that is either skilled, or there are no NZers available to take it. It is the same process you have already gone through to get your present visa. You have the advantage that you have already done health and police checks once, so that evidence can probably be used again.

4. Yes, if your wife can get a skilled job offer, she could apply for her own work visa, and could then sponsor you.

[Styg]

Hi JandM, thanks for reply. I work as a kitchenhand, i think strange this position be a skilled, because in my point of view is a job that anyone can do.
We are thinking in looking something in housekeeping or cleaning for my wife.
For this 2 job positions she won't can apply for her own work visa? I have some flatmates that have a work visa and work in housekeeping.

And another question: The fact that this time we do not apply a partner for her, could be used by immigration in future to recuse a partner application? With the argument that if we were partners we should apply for this kind of visa?

[JandM]

You must have seen the rules for getting a work visa (Essential Skills). EITHER the job must be skilled, OR the employer couldn't find a suitable NZ citizen or resident available to do the job (labour market test - they would have had to advertise, and show they got no suitable applications). Being JUST a cleaner or housekeeper is not skilled, but possibly supervising and organizing the service (e.g. in a mobile business, or in a hotel) might be, depending on the seniority. Maybe your flatmates got their visas on account of the labour market test, or perhaps they're on WHVs, which allow you to work at any job offered, which is also the case for a partner sponsored work visa.

When filling in forms for INZ, you always need to state that you are married, then there can be no suggestion that you hid this fact. There is no problem in each of you having your own visa, if you qualify for it. If your wife is in NZ and you are living together, you need to collect evidence to prove this, in case later one of you wants to sponsor the other.

[Styg]

Thanks for the replies man, you're awesome!

I checked with my flatmates and is exactly what you said, one got an whv and after a sponsored one and the other got an LMT like me.