What is the quickest route into NZ?

[nickydwuk]

We have been planning to come to NZ with PR through the skilled migrant category (I already have a job offer). We aimed to arrive in September 2008. It seems that fate has intervened - we were relying on OH's voluntary redundancy payout to help with the relocation costs. The company did have a redundancy policy whereby those who wanted to leave just had to apply and they would be given a payout of ?10k at any time throughtout the year. However they have reveiwed the policy and have limited the package to those who apply in November and who will then leave sometime between November and April at a time to suit the company. They may have a package next year bit no guarantee.

So if OH takes redundancy now we will need to be in NZ within the next 3-4 months or even earlier as we don't want to spend too much of his redundancy payout before we go. We planned to submit our EOI in January and was working on a 6 month timescale. If we need to come sooner what options have we got? I have looked on NZIS at WTR as this seemed the next option bit would we have to wait 2 years before we applied for PR? If we come anything other than PR would we have to pay school fees as international students?

So many questions and not a lot of time.

[ebianca]

Hey Nicky.

What a dilema.

If you already have a job offer is there anyway you could bring your start day forward?

I would imagine that you could still submit your EOI with your job offer anyway and then your OH will be able to start work in NZ as soon as you arrive. (maybe MB can find info on how soon you would have to start work on the position you apply for PR with).

Hope you sort something out.

[MotherBear]

Ah, that blessed spanner at work again! Someone will have to lock it in a cupboard out of harm's way, although I'm sure Beth is happy with the way her spannerism worked out.

Nicky, as Beth says, you can start your PR process now. At least it would be under way. If your hospital will bring forward your start date to the near future, you could apply for a WP to get you into NZ and into work. With this, your family can also get in off your back and your kids should be able to get Student Visas, which means you wouldn't have to pay international fees although it's not straight forward for tertiary education if Jenni is coming with you.

A dependent child of someone who holds a New Zealand work permit will be regarded as a domestic student for primary and secondary school, so will not need to pay international fees. For tertiary education, however, your child will need to meet our general requirements as an international student, including paying foreign student fees.

E4.5 Spouses or de facto partners and dependent children of student or work visa or permit holders

Spouses or de facto partners of student or work visa or permit holders may be issued with temporary visas or granted temporary permits of a type appropriate to their needs for the currency of the spouse or partner's visa or permit.
To be eligible for a temporary visa or permit, spouses or de facto partners must be in a genuine and stable relationship*. For de facto partners the couple must also have been living together in a genuine and stable relationship* for at least 2 years immediately before the application is assessed.
Dependent children* of student or work visa or permit holders may be issued with temporary visas or granted temporary permits of a type appropriate to their needs for the duration of the parent's visa or permit.
Spouses of full fee scholarship students, who receive a 'dependant's allowance' from MFAT, require MFAT's approval to be granted a work permit.

Your WP could run alongside your PR application and you just switch over when the PR comes through.

If you go the WTR route, you would have to work for 2 years before you can make the transition to PR.

[nickydwuk]

Thanks for all the advice guys. My start date is felxible so I could start earlier if I wanted. OH is trying to see if another redundancy package is likely to be announced next year - if so he will take that one in April/May which should mean us moving earlier than planned but not much earlier allowing for my older son to finish his GCSE's.

Just need to get on with clearing the house of unwanted rubbish - ooops where did OH go?