Question...

[daisukey]

Hi there everyone, I have been living in NZ for nearlly 6 years and i'm currently on graduate work permit. I recently got a job offer and my graduate work permit is expiring in early Feb!
I should submit my expression of interest form to become a skilled migrant. How long does this process take? My guess is that my graduate work permit will expire before I even get a response from the immigration.. While waiting for the response, am I eligible to stay in NZ? or I need some kind of VISA, such as a work visa to be able to stay?
In that case, which visa/permit suits me the best?
- working holiday permit
- work permit
- work visa

[MotherBear]

Daisukey,

Welcome aboard. You would certainly need some sort of visa or permit before you can work legally in NZ. As you're already in NZ, you would be looking to get a permit as a visa is for those applying from outside the country.

To get a WHV you need to be 30 years old or under and have not applied for one before. I'm not sure whether you can apply for one if you're already in NZ.

However, as you have a job offer you should be entitled to apply for a work permit, which usually doesn't take long to come through. The process of applying for Permanent Residency can take anything from a few weeks to several months. It all depends on things like how many points you get for your degree etc. and how many other applicants are in the pipeline at the time. You can hold a work permit whilst your application for PR is being processed so there shouldn't be a problem.

Good luck and congratulations on the job offer.

[daisukey]

I appreciate your kind help. Thanks. I have sent you a PM.. something I didn't want to make public on the board.

[daisukey]

I just had a brief read and there doesn't seem to be too much that I need to to do to apply for the work permit.
I'm applying for the permit that allows me to work in NZ and live in NZ, the annual salary may not be more than $45k.(prolly less at the start)
My question is that am I applying under
work to residence or general work policy

-how much money am I supposed to have in my bank account?

[MotherBear]

You can get a Work to Residence visa if you have a job offer from an accredited company and the annual salary must be more than $45k. After 2 years with that company if you are still on more than $45k you are entitled to apply for permanent residence. ?With the WRT via the Long Term Skills Shortage route your occupation must be on the Long Term Skills Shortages List. ?After 2 years your WTR is converted to PR.

With a Work Permit (WP), if you get one for a year, it should hopefully give you sufficient time to apply and be granted PR without having to go through the medical and police certificate thing twice, which you?d have to do if you?re going on to apply for PR. ?You can put in your EOI about the same time so that it can be under way while you start work under the WP. ?The WP tends to tie you to one employer which is fine if you enjoy the job, but not so good if it goes belly up. You will need a copy of your contract to show NZIS.

It appears the WP route is the easier and probably the quickest as the WTR one has more strings attached. ?It can happen in some cases that, instead of offering PR, NZIS may give you WTR anyway. ?This usually occurs when they feel they need you to prove that you can make a go of your job and will settle happily in NZ. ?If your salary isn't going to hit the $45,000+ bracket it doesn't look like the WTR will be a goer anyway. ?I'll post this quick check for WTR anyway in case you want to look through it.

The amount you should have in your account should be in the region of $10-12k which would give you approx. $1,000 per month to live on.

[daisukey]

Am I required to show my bank statement?

[MotherBear]

I think you may have to and it must be a bank statement, not a letter from the bank. ?They need evidence that you can support yourself and I assume they like to see reasonably healthy figures in the account. ?If they're asking for it, I would think they'll need to see it.

I would add that sufficient travellers cheques or a bank draft would do as well. You're not limited to bank statements.

[MotherBear]

I've been searching for ages to find out more about this proving how much funds you have thing and have come up with zilch. I'm wondering if it only applies to people without jobs or job offers. I'd think, if you had a job to go to, you would be able to support yourself anyway.

I know you have to prove finances with some of the visas but perhaps not when you have a job. Unfortunately a lot of our members who could answer this are already in NZ and often aren't around to answer questions like this. :( I'll try to dig more, but the NZIS site, particularly, is very difficult to negotiate.

[MotherBear]

I found this

For the purposes of temporary visa policy, mandatory requirements means that applications must be made on the application form relevant to the type of visa required, which must be completed in full and submitted to a visa officer, together with:

the applicant's valid passport or travel document, or if this is unavailable, a birth certificate or other identity document; and
one passport-sized photograph of the applicant; and
the appropriate fee (if any); and
evidence of funds for maintenance in New Zealand or evidence of sponsorship; and
any other information, evidence and submissions the applicant considers show that the applicant should be issued with a temporary visa.

on here . ?It does say evidence of funds for maintenance but also says it can be evidence of sponsorship. ?That would have to come from your employers if they are sponsoring you.

[daisukey]

Thanks Mother Bear, you have been very helpful.