Engineering Degrees and Skilled Job offer, but they don't match. Any ideas?

[Lizzard]

I've been searching everywhere and have yet to find a clear answer. I am going around in circles! I tried contacting an immigration advisor, but the cheapest quote I got was $15,000, which I just can't afford in addition to the visa fees and moving expenses.

I'm hoping someone on here might be able to advise my husband and I on our slightly odd situation.

We are both qualified professional engineers (level 7 university degrees) and have 4 years of experience in our fields. These are both future growth and absolute skill shortage areas (last I checked at least).

We have been in NZ for about 16 months on a working holiday visa (doesn't count for much).

However...my husband has been working as a comi-chef (ANZSCO skill level 2) and I have been working as a receptionist/assistant manager at a holiday park (ANZSCO skill level 4?). Our managers at both locations are interested in keeping us long term.

My husband and I have fallen in love with New Zealand on our working holiday visas and would love to stay as well.

So, the question is: can we apply for a visa? Which one/ones lead to residence?

We were looking at Essential skills, but I don't think we can apply for residence with that visa. We were also looking at the Skilled Migrant, which seems to be the best fit.

Theoretically both job offers are for skilled work, they just don't match our qualifications. Would we still be able to claim points for our qualifications and the job offers, which puts us over 160 points.

Sorry for the long post, just trying to figure out all the confusing details. Thanks in advance!

[JandM]

For SMC, you can't use the qualifications for one career in connection with doing another career. The most you could do would be to use your highest-level qualification to get the basic 'qualification' points, but that won't help you satisfy the requirements for LTSSL for the job you're doing.

Also, to get the points for Skilled Employment, you and the job have to satisfy the requirements here http://onlineservices.immigration.go...nual/46411.htm - that it is skilled, and that you can prove by qualifications or experience that you have the skills.

For Chef (and Commis Chef is under that heading also), ANZSCO says this about being qualified for the job.

Indicative Skill Level:
Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.

In Australia:

AQF Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or Diploma (ANZSCO Skill Level 2)


In New Zealand:

NZ Register Diploma (ANZSCO Skill Level 2)


At least three years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualifications listed above. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.

But INZ has this under LTSSL. http://skillshortages.immigration.govt.nz/chef/

Required standard

One of the following qualifications:
- New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (NZQF Level 4)
- National Certificate in Hospitality (Cookery) (NZQF Level 4)
- New Zealand Diploma in Cookery (Advanced) (NZQF Level 5) (Relevant strand is Cookery)
AND
a minimum of five years' combined experience in establishments offering a la carte/banqueting or commercial catering, with a minimum of two years at Chef de Partie (Section Leader level or higher)

If either of you can qualify for the Essential Skills visa - assuming neither employer is accredited - (then the other one could apply for the partner-sponsored temporary work visa to match it for length of time), that would buy you some time to extend your options, maybe by doing some part-time study to get relevant qualifications. (An accredited employer could sponsor you for a Talent (Accredited Employer) work to residence visa.)

In any case, even if you were qualified to submit under SMC, there is not time for that to be processed before your WHVs run out, and you would need to apply for some kind of work visas to stay in the country legally in the meantime.

Sorry not to be able to point out an easy path.