What are my options for PR?

[Famed]

Hi everyone,

Situation is as under:

Work visa (linked to spouse study visa as dependent) valid till later this year. Spouse is on level 8 studies - same validity as mine few days apart.
Have a permanent job offer from an accredited employer outside of Auckland working with them since 7 months - however, appointment clearly states it's my responsibility to arrange for visa
Possible to get an essential skills visa as confirmed with office colleagues
Job profile is customer service in a call center (accredited employer as mentioned before). I believe this is in long term skill shortage list (ICT Customer Service)? Have been in the same industry for 13+ years back home including Manager in the home country
Have no NZ qualification. Maybe granted level 7 as per NZQA.

Please provide any inputs to be eligible and apply for PR.

• Can I apply for long term short skills visa or accredited employer work visa right away or apply for it later after my wife applies for post study work permit which lasts a year?
• If I apply for either long term short skills or accredited employer, is the visa validity counted from the day I get the visa or my previous stay as a work visa also gets considered - since I have been with the same employer since 7 months?
• Is the salary criteria really necessary of minimum $45000 (long term short skills category) or minimum $55000 (accredited employer visa) since I have come across colleagues obtaining resident visa (legally) who aren't even earning that amount of salary.

Thanks in advance.

[Mr.Ted]

For ICT jobs in level 1 you get package between 40-50K.... I have seen people applying for residence between these packages.
55K is for Talent Accredited employer for work to residence visa I believe..
Rest you can get information on the below link
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/empl...ited-employers

I think the best information can be provided by Admins of this forum and they are more experienced then me. My information is only on search basis

[JandM]

First thing. The visa you get, either following on from WTR, or by applying under SMC when on Essential Skills, will be Residence. PR is a totally different visa you can qualify for after being on a resident visa for at least two years.

You can apply for a Talent (Accredited Employer) work visa (WTR) https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...residence-visa or an Essential Skills work visa https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...ills-work-visa any time you meet the criteria (see Check Criteria button near the bottom of either page. One advantage for anyone working for an accredited employer in taking the first option is that his status means that there is no need for the labour market check which is involved for Essential Skills. (Your wife's visa status at the time you apply is irrelevant.)

If granted either of these visas, it will run from the date the label is put in your passport. Your present visa can't be changed into one of the other kinds.

[Famed]

Thanks for your responses.

I am a bit confused. I see people being granted for residence visas with salary less than $55000 through the accredited employer. Their previous visa was open work visa. How is this possible?

Can't I apply for for SMC visa or Talent Accredited visa directly if I work for an accredited employer in a long term skilled shortage list (call center rep or customer service rep) independently, instead of going through essential skills visa first?

[JandM]

I am a bit confused. I see people being granted for residence visas with salary less than $55000 through the accredited employer. Their previous visa was open work visa. How is this possible?

No idea. You can see the rules, as can anyone. If someone tells you, 'Oh, but X did this, and he only had (whatever),' the chances are that you are not hearing the full story, or a correct story. I'm afraid we often see evidence of an aspect of human nature on the forum, that people seem to WANT to bring those applying for a visa all kinds of gossip that will unsettle them and make them doubt that what they are doing is correct, or possible. It makes sense ONLY to go by what you can see on the INZ website https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas, or in the INZ operational manual http://onlineservices.immigration.go...nual/index.htm. After all, you can imagine that approaching INZ with a reason such as 'I ought to have a visa, because Fred at work said his brother got one' is NOT going to be any use.

If your employer is accredited, you don't have to have an essential skills visa before applying for a Talent (Accredited Employer) work visa. If you're on a visa that will cover you for the next year or so, so you would be legal while processing was going on, then yes, you could apply directly for residence under SMC. The reason most people get a work visa and THEN move on to applying under SMC afterwards is that a work visa can be processed in 1 - 2 months, so they can start work without keeping the employer waiting too long for their new employee, whereas an application under SMC can well take around a year.