Virgin NZ wanabeeze

[q2.co.nz]

Haha, really? The British geht 6 months? Cool!. That turns the "just going there and looking for a job" method into a real option. If you haven't found a job in 6 months then the problem lies somewhere else but not not in the visa deartment.

Regarding those visa agencies: We did some research on Australia (thinking that if we didn't get an NZ work permit we could go there) and found out that you cannot apply for a work visa for Australia by yourself. Reason is that the process is more complicated and if you make a formal error, you have to start all over. The NZ process on the other hand can be accomplished by people without legal training or knowledge of immigration issues, paragraphes etc. All it requires is reading the NZ immigration site and the application material and follow the instructions. And as many people in other forums (mainly german forums) have said: you can actually call your application officer and ask questions.

Regarding which option to choose: if you want to do the work application before going to NZ, there aren't that many choices really. Right from the start you fall into one of the 4 categories (see Immigration Site FAQ)

Skilled Migrant Category
Work to Residence Category
Residence from Work Category
Employee of a Relocating Company Category

For most us it's the first or second one. Then you fill out a so called "Expression of Interest". If you filled it out correctly and have the necessary points you get an invitation to apply (which you can then do) which usually results in an acceptance. That's about it. It takes quite some time (less if you don't have to translate and validate work experience and education documents) and consists of many steps, but they are all well explained in the material. It's a bit like taking a home learining course. You do a bunch of different steps at home, one by one, send stuff back and forth, go to an interview, and after about a year you get your "degree".

Greetings
Petra

[alan&moyra]

Id just use the NZIS site do an EOI and see where you get, the costs are clear on the web site so if you use an agency anything over the displayed costs are profit to them.
On another note there is no preferential treatment for persoal applicant against agents, they all sit in the same que to be processed

Good luck, our whole thing took about 6 months

[Catweazle]

It only took 6 months!! it'd take me that long to clear the garage! they must have been keen to get hold of your skills.
Been doing a lot of reading and surfing from the great info everyone has been posting for us, am slowly digesting it, 6 months from now would be wintertime over there, maybe i'll leave it for a month or two He He!
We visited NZ during June and if that's winter, bring it on.
Catweazle