# Temporary Work Visa



## mutsugo (Sep 18, 2012)

Hi All!

I have a question about a temporary work visa. I am applying for a temporary work visa under Essential Skills. I have a job offer from New Zealand Employer and my profession is on the Long Term Skill List. Would it really make a difference to ask a immigration lawyer to lodge my application, though I know exactly what to submit and how to fill out application form? I hear that hiring immigration lawyer/agent will increase my chances of obtaining a work visa but I dont know how this is true when I know how to fill out and what to submit exactlty.

Thank you!


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

mutsugo said:


> Hi All!
> 
> I have a question about a temporary work visa. I am applying for a temporary work visa under Essential Skills. I have a job offer from New Zealand Employer and my profession is on the Long Term Skill List. Would it really make a difference to ask a immigration lawyer to lodge my application, though I know exactly what to submit and how to fill out application form? I hear that hiring immigration lawyer/agent will increase my chances of obtaining a work visa but I dont know how this is true when I know how to fill out and what to submit exactlty.
> 
> Thank you!


As long as you are sure you are doing it right then I see no reason why you need to hire an Immigration Consultant to do it for you.

I've not heard that your chances will increase if you used one. It all goes off the points you are claiming and it would be immoral of INZ to look more favourably on a person who had used an Immigration Consultant.

We used one for our process as we knew it wasn't going to be straight forward, but if it had been we would have done it all ourselves.
In my opinion Immigration Consultants are good when things aren't easy or if an issues crops up during the application process, otherwise you would be paying them for nothing.


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## mutsugo (Sep 18, 2012)

Thanks for your quick reply! 

Did you get yours under Essential Skills?


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

No problem.
Yes we applied for Resident Visas on the basis my field of expertise is on all three if the Skilled Shortage lists - Electrical Engineer


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## mutsugo (Sep 18, 2012)

Hi again!

How long did it take for you to get your work visa approved?



escapedtonz said:


> No problem.
> Yes we applied for Resident Visas on the basis my field of expertise is on all three if the Skilled Shortage lists - Electrical Engineer


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

Didn't apply for a work visa. Went straight for Resident Visas as I had over 150 points and we wanted the trip to be permanent. Unfortunately we knew there would be a delay due to a health issue my wife suffers from but not a delay to the extent we had. Ended up to be a bit of a fight but we got there in the end  
From formal application to getting the passport stickers was........16 months!!!


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## mutsugo (Sep 18, 2012)

YAY..My work to residence visa has been granted. Only two days after I sent in my application!

What is " first entry date set, which is 4 Jan 2013?" Does this mean that I must enter the country before the fourth of Jan 2013? I hope so because I told the Embassy that my employer wants me to start this month.

Am I right?

Thanks!



escapedtonz said:


> Didn't apply for a work visa. Went straight for Resident Visas as I had over 150 points and we wanted the trip to be permanent. Unfortunately we knew there would be a delay due to a health issue my wife suffers from but not a delay to the extent we had. Ended up to be a bit of a fight but we got there in the end
> From formal application to getting the passport stickers was........16 months!!!


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## mutsugo (Sep 18, 2012)

Hi Again!

I was just checking on driving license in nz. I have a current valid California driver's license. Wll I be able to start renting a car on my first day with that? I know eventually I will have to change it to nz one.

Thanks!



escapedtonz said:


> Didn't apply for a work visa. Went straight for Resident Visas as I had over 150 points and we wanted the trip to be permanent. Unfortunately we knew there would be a delay due to a health issue my wife suffers from but not a delay to the extent we had. Ended up to be a bit of a fight but we got there in the end
> From formal application to getting the passport stickers was........16 months!!!


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## temasek (May 29, 2011)

Congrats! 


With regards to international license you have up to 1 year to convert to NZ license.


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

mutsugo said:


> YAY..My work to residence visa has been granted. Only two days after I sent in my application!
> 
> What is " first entry date set, which is 4 Jan 2013?" Does this mean that I must enter the country before the fourth of Jan 2013? I hope so because I told the Embassy that my employer wants me to start this month.
> 
> ...


Yes Im sure that means you have 3 months from the date the visa was granted to you passing over the border to activate it so yes you must enter by the end of 04/01/2013 or it becomes invalid.
Our Residence Visas gave us 12 months and the letter from Immigration said much the same statement.

Well don't. Congrats !!!


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

mutsugo said:


> Hi Again!
> 
> I was just checking on driving license in nz. I have a current valid California driver's license. Wll I be able to start renting a car on my first day with that? I know eventually I will have to change it to nz one.
> 
> Thanks!


Yes you will be able to hire a car or drive a hire car so long as you show your California license and it is a full one without any restrictions for the car you are wanting to drive.

As the other reply says you can only use your country of origin license for up to 12 months before you must apply for an NZ license. You must have a valid NZ license before the 12 months runs out.
I expect the process for you to be much the same as ours. 
We both had full UK licenses - we went into an AA shop, handed over the one page license exchange form, paid $59 each, had a simple eye test and that's it. They give you a receipt and the NZ photocard license comes in the post approx 3 weeks. Make sure they don't forget to give you your country of origin license back and check the receipt before you leave toile sure none of your entitlement has been missed.
The woman in the shop forgot to tick my full motorbike entitlement first time round and had to scrap it and start again......would have been a tragedy if I had missed that!!!


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## mutsugo (Sep 18, 2012)

Thanks for your response!


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## Renee236 (Apr 16, 2012)

Hi! So you do get your original license back when you get a NZ one? I was a bit worried about that, over here they keep it!


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

Renee236 said:


> Hi! So you do get your original license back when you get a NZ one? I was a bit worried about that, over here they keep it!


Yes they hand it you back with the receipt etc

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum


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