Hi Karen,

Ok, lets sort you out! Firstly, have you taken the points test to see what score you acheive? If not:

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/pointsindicator

Your husbands job might not be on the occupational shortages list, but it is still skilled work. So, on the form, select that you have an offer of skilled employment, outside Auckland (as you are planning on Hamilton).
Select the number of years he has been in this trade, and select that it has been obtained in a comparable labour market. If you can also secure a job offer, indicate on the form that you meet the minimum standards of english required, and that you also have an offer of employment (not necassarily skilled).

When you submit the form, you get an automatic points score and you need to have a score of over 100 to stand any chance.

You may find that although your husbands job is no longer on the list for one area, it could well be wanted in another, so don't be afraid of checking out other areas in the first instance, after all, you can always move once you have been granted residence!

Let us know how that goes, and we'll see what we can do!