Work visa

[froggy]

Hi,

My boyfriend and I have decided to make the move to NZ next september and we are planning to buy a return ticket and look for work once there, as we understand that we need a job offer to get a working visa.
We hope to have it done within 3 months after our arrival.

My boyfriend is a Truck mechanics and has many years experience. Is there anybody out there with the similar background who could advise us if if is easy to get a job in this area and how much are the wages more or less ?

We are thinking of moving to Auckland, as we think it would be easier to get a job around there to start with, especially for me, as I work in the tourism industry and am more likely to find tour operators in a bigger city.

Also, if my boyfriend gets a job offer and asks then for his visa, can I apply for a visa as a partner as soon as he makes his requests, or do I need to wait for him to get his visa ?

I hope somebody can reply to our numerous questions.
Thanks.

Froggy

[MotherBear]

Hi Froggy,

If your partner's job comes under 'Automotive Mechanics' then it is on the long term skills shortage list. If he doesn't have a recognised qualification, it could be that the only way he'd get work in NZ would be to go there and apply for jobs from within the country, which is what you intend doing anyway. If he does have a qualification, all well and good. According to this link there is a shortage of skilled mechanics in the Auckland area, so it would appear you'd be off to a good start.

The question of partnerships and visas throws open the old chestnut of having to prove that you've been living together for 12 months or more in a stable relationship. This is quite a sticky one if you haven't. You would have to make a separate application anyway under the type of visa you require. You couldn't go on his application form and to apply as his partner, he'd need to supply evidence of a work permit or elegibility to apply for one as stated here on page 3 under Family Work Policy.

[froggy]

Hi,

We are now definitely going to NZ in september ! We just bought our flight. We will go to Christchurch, as this is where we would like to live, and if it is too difficult there eventually try Auckland.
We had to buy a return flight, as we only go as tourists to start with. If things take longer than 3 months (my passport allows me to stay 3 months maximum), I will then ask for a visitor visa to extend my stay, as we want to try our hardest to get a job once there.
My partner is in the process of getting his qualifications (City and Guilds), that he passed years ago, but he's got plenty of work experience anyway. So hopefully that should help a lot. If he gets a job before me, then I will ask for a visa under the family stream (we've been 12 years together).
I have 2 worries. First is regarding the police record, as my partner has got 3 offences over 10 years ago (one is for false document - car insurance certificate and the other one trespassing and thief about 23 years ago). I hope this won't be a problem.
Also, I have been checking job offers on the website and some of the jobs only accept applications from permanent residents or people with 2 year visa, which I understand, you can only get if you have a job offer anyway. I am a bit confused with that. How can you get a visa without a job, and vice versa ? It seems a bit of a catch 22. Can somebody advise us on this ?
Is it possible to ask for a work visa from the UK without a job offer ?
Also, would it take much longer because of the police record ?
Many thanks
Froggy

[MotherBear]

Froggy,

Before you go any further down the line, do you think it would be wise to give the NZIS a ring to check whether your partner?s previous convictions will affect his chances of getting into NZ and being allowed to stay? You?ve already mentioned in another post (if I?ve read it correctly) that he?s already been refused PR in Canada on account of this. I have no idea whether NZ has the same criteria as Canada in this respect, but I would think it might be worth a phone call to check before you finalise your plans so, at least, you will know where you stand. I don?t know how serious a conviction has to be for someone to be refused permission to stay in NZ. Better to find out now than after you?ve invested a lot of time and money on this.

Aside from this, you can get a job without having a permit/visa beforehand, but not all companies like to do it that way. If you?re in NZ and are offered a job, you can then apply for a work permit. It?s often more difficult trying to find a job from outside NZ anyway, as potential employers are a bit skeptical about whether you will make the journey down after all.

I second what MB says, that amount of convictions spread out of such a long period of time doesn't look good. NZIS used to only want to know about convictions in the last 10 years, but now they want to know if you've ever had any. The insurance and trespassing aren't major issues, but theft is, even though it was some time ago.

Give them a call before making any further plans - as his last conviction was over 10 years ago they might not be concerned about it.

[froggy]

Thanks for your replies Mother Bear and Taffy. It is always helpful to read your comments. Now we have asked NZIS online if the police record would be a problem, and I had a reply that it had to be checked obviously, but they would take into account the fact that it was 10 years ago. But I don't quite understand what they mean when they say:
"You will need to write a lette to your nearest receiving office advising the office about the offences and asking for a Special Direction to travel to New Zealand". It's not clear. Does my partner need to contact the NZIS now in London even if he goes to new zealand as a visitor ? I thought he would have to do that once he asks for a work visa/permit. What do you think?
Also, i have 2 other queries:
If I am in new zealand on a visa waiver and I want to extend my stay applying for a visitor visa, that's no problem to do it if I am already in New zealand ?
The other thing is once I am granted a visitor visa for X months, can I apply later on apply for a work visa/permit, obviously once I have a job offer ?

Thanks a lot
Froggy

[MotherBear]

Froggy,

Harking back to what Taffy posted a while ago

When you are due to arrive in New Zealand, every passenger is required to fill out an arrival card. The arrival card is a legal declaration which you must fill in, or they wont let you in.

If you do not declare everything truthfully, and happened to get pulled by an immigration officer or customs official, you're in very deep water!

Just because you are only a visitor, doesn't mean you're not a threat to the security of the country! (Not that I'm suggesting you are, of course!)

perhaps applying for a Special Direction is a preventative measure so that your partner will be allowed into NZ. It possibly shows he has had official permission to enter and will clear the way for him without any unforeseen and unpleasant problems with immigration when he arrives.

I?m having difficulty finding anything connected to converting a visa waiver into a visitor?s permit once you are in NZ, as I assume that?s what you would be hoping to do. It just says if you have a visa waiver you can only visit for the time granted when you enter the country. If you wish to stay longer (than the 3 months) you should apply for a visitor's visa. As a 'visitors visa' is applied for outside of NZ and a 'visitors permit' is what you get when you apply from within the country, it sounds like you'd be better off applying for a visitor's visa before you travel to NZ. If you were able to do that (get a visa) and then had a job offer, I?m sure you would be able to apply for a work permit, which is what a lot of people have done.