[Neil M]

I'm in the familiar catch-22 where the vast majority of jobs advertised claim you must have a "right to live and work" in NZ in order to apply, and yet NZ immigration says you must have a job offer to get a work visa. I know now there is a "Skilled Migrant Visa" that can be gotten without a job offer, but that takes 7-9 months to process, or so I was told by an immigration officer. I'm submitting resumes but I can tell from the lack of web visits to a web reference page that they are not being considered, and maybe not looked at at all. I suspect it's due to the lack of work visa. My profession in the skilled shortage list (IT).

I've seen others here report getting job offers, so my question for those of you who've done it is how you were able to get your foot into the door? Did you know someone inside? Were you persistent in submitting resumes? Cold contacting of employers? It's a bit disconcerting that there seems to be a significant disconnect between NZ Immigration rules and employers with their conflicting and counterproductive standards. It makes me think that there is not so much a shortage of skilled labor in NZ as NZ Immigration advertises. Otherwise NZ employers would not be insisting on domestic applicants.

I do have to admit one thing I don't like to do *at all* is sales and marketing, and unfortunately, looking for a job is exactly that --- selling yourself. So anything to ease that pain is very appreciated.

So thanks for any suggestions, and cheers.

 

[toadsurfer]

My industry has a traditional shortage of locals at the junior level as they all clear off to the UK or Oz for a few years so there is a genuine shortage. Also I have spent the last 2 years making sure I got experience in my field that was as transferable as possible.
I approached several firms directly and ended up with 2 interviews. One led nowhere as they decided not to recruit but the other offered me a job. Both firms are accredited employers so are used to recruiting overseas workers. Have a look at the accredited employer list to see if there are any companies in the list that are from your industry and make sure you approach them.
Other than that it was just perseverance, hard work and not getting down with the rejections that finally got me a job offer. Am going over on a temp visa and will apply for PR when I get there.
Good luck!

 

[greggwebbstock]

I'm in the familiar catch-22 where the vast majority of jobs advertised claim you must have a "right to live and work" in NZ in order to apply, and yet NZ immigration says you must have a job offer to get a work visa. I know now there is a "Skilled Migrant Visa" that can be gotten without a job offer, but that takes 7-9 months to process, or so I was told by an immigration officer. I'm submitting resumes but I can tell from the lack of web visits to a web reference page that they are not being considered, and maybe not looked at at all. I suspect it's due to the lack of work visa. My profession in the skilled shortage list (IT).

I've seen others here report getting job offers, so my question for those of you who've done it is how you were able to get your foot into the door? Did you know someone inside? Were you persistent in submitting resumes? Cold contacting of employers? It's a bit disconcerting that there seems to be a significant disconnect between NZ Immigration rules and employers with their conflicting and counterproductive standards. It makes me think that there is not so much a shortage of skilled labor in NZ as NZ Immigration advertises. Otherwise NZ employers would not be insisting on domestic applicants.

I do have to admit one thing I don't like to do *at all* is sales and marketing, and unfortunately, looking for a job is exactly that --- selling yourself. So anything to ease that pain is very appreciated.

So thanks for any suggestions, and cheers.

My name is Gregg webbstock from South Africa.I my self want to get a job in the hospitality industry but with all the paper trail and the migration bureau's and money spent and later still no results.They talk about the skills shotages and I am going through every site I can .How do we get just a maybe an okay .How do we do it the legal way.Maybe you have found out

 

[Neil M]

My name is Gregg webbstock from South Africa.I my self want to get a job in the hospitality industry but with all the paper trail and the migration bureau's and money spent and later still no results.They talk about the skills shotages and I am going through every site I can .How do we get just a maybe an okay .How do we do it the legal way.Maybe you have found out

Hi Gregg. I've largely given up on getting an NZ job or moving to NZ. I thought NZ had a high demand for workers in my field (IT), as the NZ gov lists the IT sector on a couple different skill shortage lists, but the catch-22 I described seems to prove that there is, in reality, no significant skills shortage in the IT field. I can believe that IT workers in NZ don't have any problem getting a job, but the fact is that if there truly was a substantial IT worker shortage in NZ, then IT employers would be welcoming foreign IT workers. But according to the Seek job site, they are apparently not as just about every job I've ever seen there (all but one, which wasn't in Auckland) requires that applicants have a legal right to live and work in NZ to even apply. That tells me they are doing just fine with the the current domestic supply of IT workers.

If I was under 30 and could get the Working Holiday Visa, and could then be in the pool to be considered, that would be one thing, but I'm not so my options are limited. I could pursue a skilled migrant visa, but I understand that's 9 month processing time, and given my circumstances, that requires more patience than I have.

I don't blame NZ Immigration for requiring a job offer to get a worker visa. It's logical that they instituted this condition as a way of verifying, from NZ employers, that the worker shortage really exists, and the employers are pretty much saying that the shortage does NOT, in fact exist. It's the job of NZ Immigration to protect NZ workers, and their current policy does that well.

Things can change so maybe I'll get there yet, but for now, I'm exploring other career possibilities that have nothing to do with NZ.

Good luck to you and everyone else.

 

[80cmills]

We moved over to nz last July after getting a job offer before having a visa. My hubby was on the skilled shortage list as a highways engineer. We found all websites like seek a waste of time, it was a recruitment agency that got my hubby a job by ringing employers on the accredited employers list. It didn't happen over night , it took about 5 months with lots of knock backs. However do worth it now.

So don't give up it can be done

 

[Neil M]

Thank you, 80cmills. I believe I have found the accredited employer list at

Accredited Employers List

I didn't know about this. I'll give it a look. Thanks & Best....

Neil

 

[themountain]

We moved over to nz last July after getting a job offer before having a visa. My hubby was on the skilled shortage list as a highways engineer. We found all websites like seek a waste of time, it was a recruitment agency that got my hubby a job by ringing employers on the accredited employers list. It didn't happen over night , it took about 5 months with lots of knock backs. However do worth it now.

So don't give up it can be done

Hi,
Can you provide me with the recruitment agency name or web site?

BR

 

[Guest]

Funny is people get extra points if married and with children. Do you have anything like that? I found it funny in that so many people want in certain countries they go just to find a spouse to short cut. Which is actually illegal if found to be fake but NZ is really strict it seems. Only a small amount of territory to fit the millions wanting in.

 

[yulchik]

Please,provide with details of recruitment agency.I also feel it can be done through applications but requires so much patience and time.I started applying in all possible places on the web to get into New Zealand but receive rejection letters daily Anyways never give up!For those who are looking sales or merchandizing jobs check out Farmers it is farmers.co.nz They hire overseas emoyees.

 

[topcat83]

Please,provide with details of recruitment agency.I also feel it can be done through applications but requires so much patience and time.I started applying in all possible places on the web to get into New Zealand but receive rejection letters daily Anyways never give up!For those who are looking sales or merchandizing jobs check out Farmers it is farmers.co.nz They hire overseas emoyees.

I think you are highly unlikely to find a recruitment agency that will help potential immigrants with this unless you are lucky enough to have skills in an area that they have a job already on their books, and there are very few local candidates available.

The bottom line is they are in it for the commission - that's what pays their salary. And it much easier for them to find jobs for people who are already eligible to work, and are more likely to be in a position to accept a job offer. This cannot be guaranteed with people who have not yet been through the visa application (and acceptance) process.

Also (and in line with the UK now, if I remember rightly) they won't go searching for a job for you. The agent will receive jobs from companies, and if your skills match it - great. Otherwise they won't do the chasing for you.

I believe that there are some immigration agents who will do a certain abount of job chasing for you - but you'll pay for the agent's time, of course.

 

[yulchik]

Ok,then what can be the possible way to get a job if you can't apply through skilled program?Country looks so welcoming to outside candidates.

 

[topcat83]

Ok,then what can be the possible way to get a job if you can't apply through skilled program?Country looks so welcoming to outside candidates.

There are ways, or we'd never have any immigrants

All I'm saying is that you are unlikely to find a recruitment agent who will go out of their way to help you personally to hunt for a job - regardless of whether you have a visa or not.

I'm afraid all the legwork will have to be done by you.
Unfortunately that can take time, and requires a little bit of luck to have your CV with the right skills in front of the right person at the right time.

 

[escapedtonz]

I agree with Topcat.
In my experience the employment agents we're useless.
Unless your a prime candidate they're not going to waste time and money searching the job vacancies for you. They are in it for the commission to pay their salaries as Topcat says and that's it.
Not once did they get in touch to let me know of any positions that I could be matched with.
I did all the research and leg work myself. Trawled job websites like seek etc daily and it was me who forwarded on potential jobs to the agents for them to investigate if I was suitable and approach the employer on my behalf.

In the end I gave up and contacted the employers directly myself - the result.......within 6 weeks I had two offers and contracts on the table and my employment agent supposedly put me forward for both of those jobs!!!

I admit our circumstances were different.
We already had PR visas and we had already booked the flights to travel out regardless if I had a job or not, but it is possible to land a job whilst still in the UK, I am proof of that and unfortunately it took a lot of personal effort to get the result.
I know many people in my business (electrical engineering) who applied for their jobs from overseas, we're interviewed and offered the jobs then had to secure the working or work to residence visa before they could emigrate here.

Maybe IT is a more difficult area to find jobs from overseas ? Don't know enough about the subject to know what the market is like here - sorry.

I'd just keep plugging away at the employers in the hope someone will take notice soon.

You could maybe come over for a "holiday" to find a job. Kiwi employers love meeting people face to face and ones who take the initiative. Shows you are serious about coming etc.
Doesn't have to cost the earth. Flights relatively cheap until around the 8th / 9th December and you can hire a cheap hatch car and stay in backpackers accomm.
Maybe an option?

 

[jsharbuck]

I would encourage you to keep trying. We sent a resume out may 18th to an ad from a recruitment firm. Phone interview and followed within a week and we were on a plane to interview in 5 days. My husband secured a job offer while here and we arrived with a work visa by the end of July.

We found the recruiter to be utterly useless but he had the right contact with an approved employer. The rest was up to us. Another person stated that recruitment firms are not helpful and as a former recruiter I agree. There are many who are new and have limited experience. Most cannot make it on commission only and quit the first year. That said, look at their experience levels and of they have been with a firm for awhile. Best of luck.

 

[vs1969]

We moved over to nz last July after getting a job offer before having a visa. My hubby was on the skilled shortage list as a highways engineer. We found all websites like seek a waste of time, it was a recruitment agency that got my hubby a job by ringing employers on the accredited employers list. It didn't happen over night , it took about 5 months with lots of knock backs. However do worth it now.

Learned new lessons.

 

[alphamomega]

Job Offer and a Work visa Drama

I find it very frustrating because l did encounter same predicaments from both sides actually be an IT? I was almost countless time could not even remember even to this date that l was almost employed but unfortunately due to my current visa which was a student visa they cannot proceed on? I even explained that if they are will to take me on all l need is an assurance of a job offer but again was turned down... So l called immigration and was told that there is nothing much l could do but acquire a job offer? I also explained the same scenario to the immigration officer that the any companies will need a full working visa? STUCK in the MIDDLE? How can you get either one? Seems to be an endless drama and again how could you even proceed without having one of each?