# Working holiday visa vs Skilled migrant entry



## jbbean

Hi!

My boyfiend and I are currently in the process of sorting things out for the big move to New Zealand. We've been preparing our EOI but have recently become hesitant due to the potentially long processing times. Ideally we'd like to move by the begining of September but this looks unlikely with the long application process.

We are both 28 and so could move out quickly via the 2 year working holiday scheme and then apply for permanent residence while there. So at the moment we're weighing up the options of Working holiday visa vs skilled migrant.

If anyone has any experience of having done this then it would be great to hear your advice! Particularly we'd like to know...

How difficult is it to find skilled work while on a working holiday visa? (and I'm guessing bank accounts/accomadation is harder too?)

Is it easier to apply for the skilled migrant visa while in the country?

We don't have job offers in NZ but are high on the points threshold due to qualifications and having family out there already.

Thanks!


----------



## toadsurfer

Hi

I haven't got any experience of going down this route but I'd be careful about it if I was you. The working holiday visa is just that - designed for people who want to holiday in NZ and working is a secondary intention to fund the holiday. If you apply for one with the intention of getting a fulltime job and simply living in NZ there could be a technical breach of the visa conditions which could obviously damage a future application for any other visa.

Am sure many do go this route but if it was me I wouldn't want to do anything to jeopordise my future chances of getting a residence visa. 

You could apply for your res visa and then literally go on a working holiday but you would have to be travelling and stuff in NZ rather than simply living.

What industry do you guys work in? Another option could be getting a job offer from an Accredited Employer in which case you can get a work to residence visa v quickly. I have just got mine and the visa took 2 days to get approved (although getting all the medicals and stuff done took an extra month). That would be the quickest route in. I'd only get a working holiday visa if I was going to NZ to go backpacking for a year as that's really what it is for.

If you did have a holiday visa am sure it would be fairly easy to find skilled work if your skills were in demand, although you would be restricted to working for a max of 12 months for any one employer so most of the options would be temp or maternity cover etc, but I guess depends very much on your industry.

Good luck!


----------



## Mizz

This is very interesting, we are in the same position, both 27, about to submit our EOI but worried about how long it might or might not take as we're also selling a house. 

Does anyone know how long is the rough max and min time an EOI and subsequent successful application take? 

We thought about trying for the silver fern but dont want to be in a position where we are constantly dealing with visa's, we would just like to get residency and permanently migrate if possible.

Cheers to the poster above, definitely confirmed what I was thinking!


----------



## jbbean

Thanks for your comments! We were worried about the working holiday visa for the same concerns you mention but are still unsure which option would be best.

Industry wise I'm a research statistician (qualifies for skills shortlist) and my boyfriend is a research chemist. We both have 2 years work experience after our PhDs. While we could apply for jobs from here, a lot we have seen say that you must already have permission to work in NZ. And also, although we would ideally like to relocate to NZ permanently, we would like to travel around a bit too, rather than getting there and having to start a job immediately. So in that respect our application for a working holiday visa wouldn't be false, we would like to holiday too, but would like a "proper job" before too long.

When you mention applying for a res visa and then going out on a holiday visa is that possible? Originally we thought that would be a good plan... go for the long route and if that is too slow go on a working holiday while we wait. I thought that could potentially be problematic thou as you have to send off your passport with the full application.

Good luck with the decision Mizz, let us know what you do!


----------

