# American -> New Zealand WITH job offer



## JRdaMacman (Feb 17, 2012)

Hi all!

I've been lurking on the forums for some time, and wanted to get some advice from those of you who may have had the experience of trying to relocate WITH a job offer, or at least with a small NZ company who is willing to sponsor you and hasn't done so in the past.

My family and I had the opportunity several years ago to do an extended trip to Australia that included a few months in New Zealand, for my job. I spent about 9 months traveling the east coast of Australia, with several 3-week trips all over the N. Island, and even a quick jaunt to Greymouth for a couple of days. 

Fast-forward to today: Ever since our travels there we've been wanting to go back. I've been with 2 different American companies that planned on relocating us, but both opportunities fell through. In early December the second company had massive layoffs, and I didn't make the cut. 

Since then, I've reached out to almost everyone I met while there, and found an opportunity with a NZ company who is willing to sponsor me, but I'm learning quickly that the role isn't on the short- or long-term skills shortage list. (Although the position is as a GM, so it's in the Skilled Occupations category.)

My (first?) question: Have any of you been in this situation, relocating from USA to NZ, having a sponsor company in NZ willing to move you, but with the role not listed on either of the skills shortage lists? (Trying to gauge not only the difficulty of getting approved, but also the time it may take.)

I'm still digging and reading as much as possible about what it will take, and am now in a position where *I* am required to do all the legwork and educate my sponsor on what would be required. I've only learned of this yesterday, so I know I have a long journey ahead of me, but believe it will be worth it.


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## inhamilton (Jun 10, 2011)

I believe it's a lot easier to get into NZ if you have a job offer. Have you worked out the number of points you have for immigration on the points calculator? Generally the cutoff seems to be about 140 points and I think some people have been getting in with 130 points. 

Here's the link Points


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## JRdaMacman (Feb 17, 2012)

Thanks inhamilton!

I took the points assessment, and scores range between 185 & 240, depending on how I interpret the specific parameters. 185 is bare-minimum, leaving out a lot of things my partner and I may qualify for (Skills shortages, specifically.), and 240 if we include everything.

My concern is more toward what the employer may need to go through. I'm reading up on what they must do on their side, and part of it includes proof of inability to find a qualified local candidate. Due to the nature of this role, it's a *very* specialized role, and I believe it could be justified that there are only a few people *globally* that could fulfill all of the requirements, but I'm not sure how hard they'll be grilled to loosen the requirements. (Sure, they could hire someone to learn the market, learn the specific dynamics of the business, and learn the existing relationships... Or they could hire me, already familiar with all of it - I worked very closely with them while there and have kept close tabs since leaving.) 

In short: I'm not sure how much interrogation they'll get for being specific about candidate requirements - It *could* be perceived as cherry-picking and setting up local candidates for failure just so they can hire me.


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## inhamilton (Jun 10, 2011)

I guess you've just got to hope that the employer is willing to go through all the rigmarole of filling out the forms etc. I'm not sure how strict immigration is in these matters, but I would imagine that seeing as how your points are so high, you shouldn't have much of a problem?? But I'm no expert. Your points may well be enough without a job offer to get in on your own merit. What do your points work out as, without a job offer? The general consensus seems to be that 140 points will give you a skilled immigrants visa.


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## JRdaMacman (Feb 17, 2012)

Good point. I just did the points calculator, and unfortunately, without the job offer I'm all-of-the-sudden at 105. (I literally toggled the one radio-button off, calculated, then back on, calculated, and it's an 80-point difference.)

So it looks like the employer needs to get their paperwork in order. In all actuality, since they've never done this before, it looks like *I* need to get their paperwork in order. Off for more research!


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

JRdaMacman said:


> Thanks inhamilton!
> 
> I took the points assessment, and scores range between 185 & 240, depending on how I interpret the specific parameters. 185 is bare-minimum, leaving out a lot of things my partner and I may qualify for (Skills shortages, specifically.), and 240 if we include everything.
> 
> ...


However you are interpreting the parameters of the points indicator or the expression of interest, it must be incorrect. Those scores are way to high to achieve.
You can only claim the majority of points for one person - whi will be the primary applicant so you will earn points for skills experience qualifications age etc.
A partner or secondary applicant can only claim 20 points as a maximum assuming they meet the criteria and have a minimum level 7 qualification. 
Maybe post the questions and your answers and we can point out the bits where you are going wrong ?


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

JRdaMacman said:


> Good point. I just did the points calculator, and unfortunately, without the job offer I'm all-of-the-sudden at 105. (I literally toggled the one radio-button off, calculated, then back on, calculated, and it's an 80-point difference.)
> 
> So it looks like the employer needs to get their paperwork in order. In all actuality, since they've never done this before, it looks like *I* need to get their paperwork in order. Off for more research!


105 sounds more reasonable however I don't get how toggling one radio button increases / decreases the score by 80. What is the question relating to this radio button answer ?
Difference between having a job offer and not is 50 points and there's the possibility of another 10 points if the job offer is outside Auckland. 

You will need minimum 140 with or without a job offer to guarantee selection. If you have less than this and no job offer you are unlikely to ever be selected.
If you have less than this and do have a job offer you have a slim chance of selection.


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## JRdaMacman (Feb 17, 2012)

OK, here goes. I'm using the points calculator at: ww.immigration.govt.nz/pointsindicator (I apparently can't post links yet, but imagine this URL with a full "www" in front of it.)

Checking "Yes" to questions 3, 6, 7 & 9. 10 years relevant work experience. Age 30-39. Questions about Partner, answering "Yes" to questions 1, 2, 5 & 6. 

This provides a score of 195. If I change my original (non-partner) question 3 to a "No," it provides a score of 105.

Tried on 2 different browsers just in case there's some sort of hangup with browser preferences and/or browser cookies. Same results.


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

JRdaMacman said:


> OK, here goes. I'm using the points calculator at: ww.immigration.govt.nz/pointsindicator (I apparently can't post links yet, but imagine this URL with a full "www" in front of it.)
> 
> Checking "Yes" to questions 3, 6, 7 & 9. 10 years relevant work experience. Age 30-39. Questions about Partner, answering "Yes" to questions 1, 2, 5 & 6.
> 
> ...


Ok.

First thing I've spotted.
You've clicked Yes for question 9, but you haven't clicked Yes for Question 8 which question 9 relates to ?
If you have left Question 8 as No, I have left question 9 as No which gives you 185 total with the job offer.

Second question relates to the job offer - is it skilled ? 
Correct GM is not on any skill shortage list, but more specifically it is not found in the skilled occupations checker when you type in "General Manager"......Corporate General Manager is, but not General Manager......so can you provide sufficient evidence that the job offer meets the expectations of the ANZCO code related to Corporate General Manager - if not then you cannot claim the points ?
Also, where is the job based as you have ticked NOT in Auckland ?

Finally my questions relate to qualifications for you and partner.....Are they exempt from assessment or are you just guessing on the equivalent level ?

Cheers


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## JRdaMacman (Feb 17, 2012)

Aha! Good catch. Yes, looks like 185 w/ job offer.

Regarding the job description, yes, the role would fulfill the description of Corporate General Manager, ANZSCO 111211, out of Wellington or possibly Hamilton.

Finally, my partner earned her Associate degree recently, which doesn't appear to be exempt from assessment. Excluding that, we're still at 165, so I think we're still positioned well.

From what I'm gathering, this process *could* take up to 6-12 months, but possibly quicker?


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

JRdaMacman said:


> Aha! Good catch. Yes, looks like 185 w/ job offer.
> 
> Regarding the job description, yes, the role would fulfill the description of Corporate General Manager, ANZSCO 111211, out of Wellington or possibly Hamilton.
> 
> ...


OK so if your partners qualification isn't exempt you cannot claim for it unless it has been through the nzqa assessment process, however as you say youll have healthy 165 points without partner points so it wouldn't matter.
Your eoi would be selected immediately at the next selection date after submission. These are every fortnight.
Preliminary checking takes around 4-6 weeks until ita received then you'll have 4 months to submit all of your evidence. Since you have a job offer your application would be treated as a priority but the delay time is the period until the application is assigned a case officer. This should be within a few weeks but can be up to 6 months depending on the immigration office used.
So at worst case, 6 weeks for ita, 4 months to submit then 6 months for a case officer = 11.5 months before processing even starts.
Best case, 4 weeks for ita, 2 months to submit then 2 weeks for a case officer = 3.5 months before processing even starts then a few months processing and a month for the visas to be applied etc.
In this scenario 6 months is doable if everything goes to plan and there are no issues but I'd say a minimum 7.5 months maybe!

If you need to be in nz sooner then you need to decide if another path is required.
You have the option to also apply for a temporary work visa at the same time - eg an essential skills work visa. These take a matter of weeks generally, give you 3 months to get here and allow you to live and work for up to 5 years depending what the job offer states. You can have the resident visa just ticking away in the background and can transfer the application to an immigration office in nz when over here.
These visas are individual so a partner will also need one of their own but the application for theirs is based on yours via the family stream - partnership route and they would not need a job offer. Their visa length would be matched to your temporary visa length.
You would only need these if you need to be here sooner than 6-12 months.


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## JRdaMacman (Feb 17, 2012)

Thank you so much! This is extremely helpful.


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## inhamilton (Jun 10, 2011)

JRdaMacman said:


> the role would fulfill the description of Corporate General Manager, ANZSCO 111211,


Given that, I doubt you would have much problem with immigration. I agree with escapedtonz.


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