where do I start?

:icon_biggrin: hello everyone, my name is Jess, I live in the UK and I am so plaesed I have found this site (did a google).

Feel free to move this post if it is in the wrong place but I am after some advice as to where to start the emigration process to NZ.

My husband and I are both primary school teachers (my husband is a Head Teacher) and we have two children, one aged four and the other aged ten WEEKS.

After careful thought over many years.............................we have decided this is what we really want to do for our family. PLEASE can someone tell us where to start??? Eleven years ago when my husband and I first got married we tried to emigtrate to NZ then and found an agency to help us. We paid about four thousand pounds out and then the agency went bankrupt and we never saw our money again, so it kind of put us off the whole thing..........but we definitely feel now is the right time for us.

Looking forward to receiving all of your expert advice!!

Love
Jess

Hi Jess,

Welcome aboard.

I should think that if you went as far as shelling out 4grand before then you've already done a fair bit of research on jobs and where to live etc..

If you trail through this forum you'll probably find most of your questions answered, there are a few teachers on here looking to do the same..

Look through the immigration FAQ and follow the links..

With a 10 week old in the house ,use the sleepless hours to read through all the info on here..

If after all that you still have questions to ask,.. this is the place..

Good Luck..

Hi Jess,

Wow I'm not suprised your experience with that agency put you off for a while! Glad to see it didnt have a permanent effect on you anyway :icon_biggrin:

As Craig said, have a nose around the place, take it all in then ask any questions you have. Feel free to join in with any topics that take your interest too, more the merrier!

[moggy]

I think you probably can do the application process yourself. There is a huge amount of information on these forums. If you haven't found it yet. This is the official NZ immigration website
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/ which should have most things you need about the application process.

[jess]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate you taking the time to reply - you must get fed up with getting asked the same things over and over!! I will use the sleepless hours (lol) as you suggest to have a browse through and find out as much as I can. We have filled in our EOI form, but are at a standstill until we get a passport number for our little girl (awaiting it in post).
I'm sure I will have loads of questions (I'm a worrier) so please bear with me! :icon_rolleyes:
Thanks again

Jess

[SteveyC]

Do the points calculator on the New Zealand Immigration Site, see Moggy's link and look at quick links on left of immigration homepage.
It gave us a massive list and a spurr to start the ball rolling when we found out we could get enough points to submit an EOI.

[jess]

Thanks Steve - from what I can gather, between us we have 135 points so next we need to think about how we get a job offer.
My husband has registered with the NZ ED Gazette so he gets details of jobs so it is just a case of applying for all of them and seeing if we get any interest!!

Jess

[SteveyC]

Yeah sounds like you've got it well planned. seek.co.nz is good for jobs and also netcheck.co.nz (I think). If nothing else they may be suitable for guaging salaries availability etc.
By your original post I gather you are over 30 so working holiday visa might not be an option but if may be 35? If so then you could consider doing what me or Taffy planned (not together I hasten to add :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif ). Get a WHV which enables you to visit for up to 2 years and work for 12 months, thus sorting out complications with 'chicken and egg' like 'visa and job' problems.

[moggy]

if you have 135 points, then there is no need to get a job offer before apply for PR. You may be limited in who will give a job offer to someone without either PR or a work permit and then once you are over there, no matter how bad the company turns out to be you will be stuck working for them for 3 months.
If you have PR first I think you will find it easier and get a better job offer. (usual disclaimer, this is my personal opinion)

[SteveyC]

Oh..I assumed that the 135 points was with a job offer by the way Jess said 'now we just need a job offer'. Apologies if I misunderstood.
However bear in mind that sithout a job offer it will take alot longer to process application so whilst Moggy's point is vallid it may require considerably more patience as if you don't need enough already :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif