How can i emigrate with no qualifications

[polecat]

Hi im new to this forum and i have read some of the threads posted on here and wondered if maybe somebody out there could help me.
Im 32 years of age and left school with no qualifications and not knowing what i wanted to do, after many years of doing mundane jobs i decided to travel to New Zealand on a 1 years working holiday visa, it fair to say that i fell in love with the country and wanted to stay but obviously my work visa only allowed me to stay for only 1 year so i had to return home, Since then I have been trying to search for some way that i would be able to go back and stay indefinitley even though i do not have any qualifications and would not even be close to gaining enough points to emigrate,
I know some options for me are to go back to education and train myself up in a job that Nz is in need of but that is not an option due to the time it would take and the fact that i could not give up my job to go back to education for 3 years,
Are there any other options that i have? i.e a fast track way i could gain a qualification that would take less that 3 years or another way or skill that would help me, i am open to any suggestions whatsoever, and would consider anything that would hopefully allow me to start a life in this country
Cheers

[Taffy]

Hi Polecat,

Welcome to the forum

Without qualifications, there are 2 options. One option is points gained thorugh work experience. You say you've only done mundane jobs, was there anything in there that could be classed as skilled?

The second option is starting/buying a business. This is a bit of an expensive route though, and usually you need some kind of business experience.

There's not many, if any, qualifications you can do in under 3 years that would benefit you points wise. Maybe you could consider a trade qualification, like plumber or electrician? I think they are 2 year courses, and those jobs are also in high demand in NZ.

[MotherBear]

to the forum, Polecat.

As I?m sure you realise, it is very difficult to get into NZ to stay long term without skills, qualifications, having a job offer, family there or being able to invest in the country. The rules and regulations are pretty strict. It could be very difficult to be accepted for a position without the relevant qualifications

What a lot of people have done is to travel to NZ on a Visitor?s Visa, look for work and then apply for a Work Permit to allow them to work in NZ legally. This is only a temporary measure, but can give you up to 3 years before needing to reapply, providing the job is still ongoing. Whether you would be able to find a job that qualifies you to get a WP, depends on what you do for a living and what skills, if any, you have that NZ is in need of. It would be a great risk to your current job if you packed it in to travel to NZ on the offchance you could find the type of work that would allow you to gain a WP.

This NZIS link gives you some insight about all the different visa types that are available. Perhaps you can read down through it to see if anything at all fits your circumstances. Three conditions for applying for a WP are that, if you do find a job, it has to pay at least $45,000 to comply, must last for a minimum of 2 years and be with an accredited employer.

I?m sorry I can?t be more encouraging, but, without qualifications and a good deal of experience, it is very difficult to stay long term. I?m not very clued up on fast track qualifications either, I?m afraid. I suspect there is no quick fix, but perhaps someone else can come up with an idea.

[polecat]

Unfortunately when i say mundane jobs i mean labouring work and nothing that could be classed as skilled at all,
Regarding the Work Permit though would that be allowed only for skilled jobs or could somebody get that by doing any type of job even if a New Zealander could be used to fill the position? For example if i was fortunate enough could i get a work permit if i was a cleaner in a hotel or worked as a kitchenhand?
Also the only skill i do have is that i am an advanced scuba diver and have considered working my way up to divemaster if it would help?
Thanks for your replies and help it is greatly appreciated

[MotherBear]

Originally Posted by polecat

For example if i was fortunate enough could i get a work permit if i was a cleaner in a hotel or worked as a kitchenhand?
Also the only skill i do have is that i am an advanced scuba diver and have considered working my way up to divemaster if it would help?

Cleaner and kitchen hand - no, I don't think that would be classed as skilled and they are jobs that any kiwi could do, if they wished to. NZ is looking to import people who can do jobs that kiwis can't do themselves.

As for scuba diving, do you have paper qualifications for that? You may just find a niche in the tourist industry. Sounds like a better bet.

[polecat]

For scuba diving i guess it would be possible to get paper qualifications but i know that it's a long shot getting work in this field, but i am considering studying to be a mortgage advisor which would take me around 6 months to be qualified, would this stand a better chance of gaining a WP?
As far as im aware this would not be classed as a skilled job...or would it?

[MotherBear]

The thought was that you might be able to find work in the tourist industry teaching scuba diving. NZ is keen to promote tourism in the country and there may be some place, like Queenstown in SI, that you could find a job.

I very much doubt that mortgage advisor would be classed as skilled. I'll try to check up on it but, to my mind, it doesn't sound like it.

[Taffy]

Being a mortgage adviser wouldnt really help you as, when you move to NZ, you would have to start again from scratch to learn the regulations for NZ, and pass tests before you can give financial advice.