Get Assessed Make sure before you start any serious plans to migrate to New Zealand, that you are actually eligible. While you may well need a job to get a visa, there is no point applying for jobs unless you will also qualify for a visa. To be taken seriously by New Zealand Employers, you need to demonstrate visa eligibility. So get assessed before you apply for any roles. Even if able to apply for a visa without a job, know your job & visa options!

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Beware the Myths There are many myths surrounding New Zealand skilled migration and it is confusing out there in the great world of the web. Common examples are:

You must meet shortage list requirements to be able to qualify. This is simply not true. Many highly qualified and experienced professionals do not meet the list but they can still get residence under the Skilled Migrant Category. Meeting shortage list requirements is enough to assure you a job. In fact, the shortage lists are not always in touch with the realities of the job market. There are many roles listed which are, in fact, extremely difficult to find in practice. You must have a recognized qualification to qualify as skilled. In fact, work experience is recognized as a substitute and how much depends on the skill level of the role.

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Get a strategy If you want a truly successful outcome to your migration plans, it pays to be strategic. Sometimes the solution to your problems lies in a route you may not have been aware of. Or you may need to set slightly different priorities to the ones you thought you had. Some applicants like to think they can get a temporary work visa first and then worry about residence later. Depending on your situation, this may not always be possible or advisable. You may also be lucky enough to have the choice of applying through the Skilled Migrant category without a job offer. However, this may also not always be advisable, depending on your circumstances and the type of work you do. You also need to factor in the needs of your family. Will you all migrate out together or will one of you forge the route ahead. What types of visas will they need to join you? At Armstrong Immigration we like to see migration plans come to fruition by design, rather than by luck. Your Strategy needs to take all the above and other factors into account. As with all best laid plans, the strategy also needs to be flexible enough to move with changing circumstances or opportunities that present themselves.

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At Armstrong Immigration, if assessed by us you will have the assurance of qualifying for a visa if offered a role. This means you can apply for jobs with credibility as the employer will also know that you committed to the process and will qualify for a visa if they want to employ you.

Budget wisely The New Zealand government does not stipulate how much money a skilled migrant must bring into New Zealand. However, migrating on a shoestring, especially with a family, is not a good idea. As a very rough guideline we would say that you should aim to have at least NZ$6,000 per person spare on top of relocation costs as a buffer to cover costs of setting up in New Zealand and contingency fees. Naturally, there will be variations to this figure, depending on the level of lifestyle you are used to; the number and age of your children and also whether you have a guaranteed income from day one in New Zealand. We will work with you to make sure you budget sufficiently and will also itemize all immigration-related fees so there are no surprises.

Get Job Search assistance The only person who will ultimately persuade an employer to employ you is YOU. However, there is no doubt that having professional job search assistance from a Licensed Adviser will greatly boost your own job search. Recruiters, whilst a key connection with New Zealand employers do only ever represent a proportion of roles that are available at any given time. They also work for the employer and their goal will be to fill a role the quickest and easiest way possible. That does not always include a migrant worker into their scheme of things. Unlike recruiters, we work for you, not the employer. This gives us complete freedom to explore all possible job search avenues with you, including opportunities that may not yet have been advertised. More importantly, we break down the Catch-22 of no job no visa, no visa no job because we work with you and the employer to get the visa and the job. We also have your migration needs and goals at the forefront. Unlike employers or recruiters, we can identify issues early on with any particular role that may not meet immigration criteria. This means you wont waste time or energy applying for roles that may well not get you the visa you need.

Visit NZ before making the final move Visiting New Zealand before moving here permanently is always a good idea wherever possible. It will enable you to get a feel for what life here can offer and make moving out seem more familiar. More importantly, look see trip can be used to look for work if carefully planned ahead of time. Ideally you will come out after undergoing a professional assessment and working with professional immigration consultants such as ourselves, so as to maximize the potential of the trip. With the right documents in place ahead of time, it is possible to visit NZ and to convert to a work or residence visa once over here, without having to return home. It all depends on the Strategy we have set in place together.

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Get your ducks in a row Once the strategy is set, you need to get all your paperwork 100% in order before you make any visa application if you want a smooth and successful ride. Problems are hard if not impossible to fix up retroactively. A well-prepared, well presented and well argued immigration application is one that an immigration case officer will want to tick off their list. Immigration New Zealand reports, however, that many applications are returned failed lodgement due to incomplete documentation. At Armstrong Immigration we know how to present applications that INZ will want to approve.

If applying with no job, be( a)ware of the process! Whilst it is not obligatory to have a job offer for a skilled migrant application in all cases, currently around 90% of successful applicants do. For some applicants, applying without a job offer in place is the most viable option and can lead to a successful outcome. However, this is not always the case. Applying for residence based on points alone does not always lead to a grant of residence outright. Some of you will instead be granted a 9-month Work to Residence visa to come out to NZ to secure skilled employment before your residence application will be finally approved. This is viable for those who are readily employable. However, not all applicants who get to this stage are viable candidates for work. As already mentioned, meeting shortage list requirements is not always a guarantee that the work is out there. At Armstrong Immigration we are passionate about making sure our Clients have access to the best immigration and employment advice from the outset. If we do not already know the situation in your area of work, we will do the necessary research to get a true picture for you. If you do apply for residence without a job, it will be part of a well considered Strategy which is all about minimizing the risks for you.

On arrival Be positive; be flexible and above all, do not compare too much with what you left behind. Immerse yourself in the things that define New Zealand; outdoor activities such as bush walking; kayaking; surfing etc.; natural scenic beauty; lack of crowds! Maori and Polynesian culture; home cooked food and BBQs; Saturday morning sport Get involved in your childrens schools and socialize through local groups. Get Skype. Plan a trip to the iconic beauty spots in the S.Island. Allow yourself to be homesick from time to time. When it rains, be thankful youre not in Australia and when its sunny be gleeful youre not next to the Equator! Above all, remember this is what you came for and that NZ is only a plane ride from anywhere!

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Always be in the driving seat Migrating to New Zealand requires energy and drive. Dont sit back and expect the process to happen on its own it will require input and drive from you. Delegate whatever you can to us so you can focus on your own priorities. We too, will be sure to be in the driving seat, making sure we keep your case moving and your goals in sight.

1 2010. Armstrong Immigration Ltd., Raglan, New Zealand 2011. All Rights Reserved.