20/12/2013

(My Mission To Find A Job In New Zealand & Get A Work Visa)

Various people told me that this work visa process was going to be a frustrating experience. For me, the process hasn’t been all that bad, up until now. Ok it’s taken a bit of time to get the first stage of the process completed – gathering the documents, getting the medical exams done etc but I’ve done pretty well I think so far. The frustrating bit is now – dealing with immigration procedures.

I submitted the application on the 29^th November. My immigration advisor told me that my application was sitting in a queue for two weeks waiting to be assigned a case worker. In the past three months, most of the student, work and visitor visas in the Christchurch office, (where my application is being dealt with), have been processed within twenty five days. But that won’t apply to me, or so it seems.

I heard a few days ago that immigration sent off my medical to medical assessors for review and comments. This happens quite often with work visas but the advisor told me that this will add another three to four business weeks to the process, with the possibility of a further delay because of the holiday period. So it could be near the end of January before the medical comes back. The good news is that immigration have said that my application looks good.

I explained this to the company who offered me the job. They really need me to be down in Lake Tekapo over the Christmas/New Year’s period, as it’s their busiest time of the year. The frustrating thing for me is the fact that it could be another four or five weeks before I can officially start the job but they really need staff now, as they’re short a receptionist or two. The whole point of offering me the job in October was to have me there hopefully for the busy summer period.

I could volunteer for them but according to immigration rules, I’m not allowed to receive any gains, or rewards or reimbursements for expenses, or back-pay if the visa comes through. Immigration doesn’t like us volunteering. But if I do and immigration finds out, then the company would have to prove that I’m not gaining anything by volunteering there, not even discounted or free lunches/accommodation, nothing. But that’s always possible.

I’d like to get started doing the job but it’s difficult to know what to do and frustrating. I already did offer to volunteer for them a few weeks ago but it was suggested by my advisor that I don’t volunteer, for the above reason. If they’re so busy though, I might have a serious rethink about volunteering.

Regarding hobbits, I haven’t spotted any recently but I did see some short, stout, beardy looking people at The Embassy Theatre two weeks ago. I went to a charity gala event there, for the pre-screening of the second Hobbit film, The Desolation of Smaug. It was great. The champagne flowed, it was a great chance to get dressed up, get talking to some lovely people and be part of the whole evening.

There were six dwarves from the film in the audience and they all stood up and took a bow when introduced by the compere. Jed Brophy (Nori), William Kircher (Bifur), Stephen Hunter (Bombur), Mark Hadlow (Dori), John Callen (Oin) and Peter Hambleton (Gloin) were all there to grace us with their presence. The theatre was full and all the proceeds went to the Island Bay Marine Education Centre. Its facilities include The Island Bay Bait Shed, now called The Bait House Aquarium and houses one of the largest collections of local marine life in New Zealand. Visitors can see, learn about and have close up encounters with some of the marine animals and plants that live in the Cook Strait.

There was a slight mix up somehow with some customers not getting the required 3-D glasses to see the film. So one of the theatre staff went off and promptly came back with the goody bags, which contained the 3-D glasses. Along with the glasses, was a miniature collection of The Hobbit stamps, two Hobbit pin badges and a poster of the film. I really enjoyed the whole experience. The film itself was good but I must admit that I preferred the first film. Of course I couldn’t go to the real premiere which was on in L.A. a few days previously but this was a good second best.