Frequently Asked Questions
Are all of your Licensed Immigration Advisers licensed?
Yes all of our Licensed Immigration Advisers are licensed by the New Zealand Immigration Adviser's Authority which is required by law. In fact, they voluntarily applied for their licenses before compulsory Adviser Licensing came into effect in New Zealand on 4 May 2009. In order to qualify for a licence each of our Licensed Immigration Advisers has had to go through a rigorous process examining their knowledge and understanding of Immigration law and policy, and has had to submit actual case files so the Immigration Adviser's Authority can examine the quality and accuracy of their advice and communications with clients. In addition, the Immigration Adviser's Authority has scrutinised the company's contracts and financial management to verify that you will be dealt with ethically, fairly and honestly as our client. This is your guarantee of quality and security.
I'm thinking of doing everything myself, why should I use New Life New Zealand instead?
It can be quite tempting to do everything yourself. After all you'll save yourself money which can be better spent on something else when you get here right?
There are two reasons why you should use us. First, the sad reality is that up to 1 in 3 people who apply for residence are declined. Mostly not because they are not eligible, but because they misinterpreted the requirements, didn't represent themselves properly and said the wrong things. We like to think of it like a court case. You know you are innocent but would you go to court without a lawyer? It's not so much a question of eligibility as knowing the system. If you do it yourself and get it wrong you don't get your money back. If you use our full service and we get it wrong you get the whole lot back including your Immigration fees. Our Licensed Immigration Advisers are licensed by the Immigration Adviser's Authority which is your guarantee of confidence.
Second, if any part of your visa application requires liaison and contact with people in New Zealand (such as employers) then it will really help you for them to have a point of contact who is physically in New Zealand and available during New Zealand business hours as that removes a lot of psychological and physical barriers for them.
If you really want to do it yourself you might want to take advantage of our visa checking service to ensure you have prepared the best application that you can before you submit it.
Do you only do work visas? What about family, business or other visas?
Our Licensed Immigration Advisers are experienced and competent in advising people on all types of visa applications. This includes Family visa applications for parents, siblings children and partners of New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, Long Term Business Visa applications for people wanting to set up or buy a business in New Zealand and Investor applications for people with enough capital to migrate to New Zealand as an investor and who do not necessarily want to work full time once here.
How can I work with you when you're in New Zealand and I'm not?
We have successfully worked with clients in different countries and time zones all around the world. Remember that our location in New Zealand is your biggest advantage in dealing with employers if your visa is dependant on a job offer, as it gives them a local point of contact they can talk to during business hours. We are easily contactable by email, phone and Skype (time differences permitting), and will get you to scan documents across to us for us to check before getting you to send anything physically. For callers based in the UK there is the added convenience of a freephone number to call us. If there are particularly important issues that need to be worked through over the phone as a case progresses it is not unknown for our Licensed Immigration Advisers to call clients from home in the evenings or weekends to work around time differences.
All the prices on your website are in British pounds. Do you work with clients from other countries?
We work with clients from other countries all around the world, however historically the majority of our clients have been British. Apart from the Eligibility Assessment fee which is paid online in British pounds, clients in other countries will receive contracts and invoices with fees in NZ dollars.
Why are you different from other immigration or recruitment agencies?
We are different from other agencies because we have looked at all the issues faced by migrants and employers, and by linking up with some key partners have come up with a system that removes the barriers. Other agencies will refer you to recruitment people or immigration consultants outside of their organisation (depending on their specialities) and this can lead to a breakdown in communication. We provide a “one stop shop” service so have control over the whole process. Also:
- All employers on our site are willing to employ people from overseas who come through us
- All of our job vacancies are current and updated regularly
- We are there to help you and the employer through the whole process
- We can get around the catch 22 scenario of "can't get a visa without a job/ Can't get job without a visa"
We have qualified and experienced recruitment and Licensed Immigration Advisers whose work bridges the gap between employers and skilled migrants. Most people are moving to New Zealand for a better lifestyle so we are also addressing the issue of settlement for you and your family to ensure that you adjust to your new life as quickly as possible and have a support network for you to tap into after you have arrived in New Zealand.
I know I'm eligible to migrate so why should I do an eligibility assessment?
If you feel confident you're eligible to migrate to new Zealand chances are you looked at the Immigration New Zealand website, you may have even completed the points indicator for the Skilled Migrant Category, which is good but it doesn't tell you the whole story. The points indicator only covers the Skilled Migrant Route. It also doesn't explain what a "Recognised qualification" is, what a "Skilled" offer of employment is and it doesn't look at health issues, character issues, rights to schooling and healthcare for family members etc. Just the other day we were contacted by someone who had given themselves 155 points on the Immigration New Zealand website calculator and submitted an Expression of Interest. Immigration New Zealand evaluated them as having only 80 points when they looked at the facts... If you are looking to invest in a new life in New Zealand we think it make sense to start off on the right foot and know exactly what you're up for.
How much are your fees? Do I have to pay everything upfront?
We are very transparent about our fees and we tell you exactly what it's going to cost you before you sign up so there are no surprises. We are very competitive with our pricing. If you engage our services from overseas you are exempt from paying VAT of GST which is already a huge saving. You don't have to pay the whole amount upfront, a 50% deposit will get the ball rolling with the balance due just before we lodge your application.
Why do you charge a 50% deposit on your full service?
We charge a deposit so that we can start working with you to fully prepare you for moving to New Zealand and to make you more appealing to potential employers in New Zealand if you need a job offer. They have told us that they really want to know people they are hiring from overseas will be well prepared and that their visa applications will go through smoothly and quickly once a job has been offered. Once you have paid the deposit you will have access to our Licensed Immigration Advisers to prepare your application up until the point of getting a job offer. You will also receive a package of books and DVDs that will help prepare you for the move to New Zealand including a fantastic practical manual with hundreds of pages of information on the practical aspects of living here which you cannot but in the shops. We will get you ready to make the move so that when a job is offered we will be able to submit your visa application quickly, and the process of making your visa application and moving can happen as easily as possible. The more prepared you are the more successful the move will be.
If you are applying for other types of visas paying a deposit first with the balance due before we lodge your application smoothes out the payments and makes the financial side of migrating that much easier.
What happens if my visa application fails?
If your application fails due to any errors or omissions on our part we will refund you our fees and your Immigration New Zealand application fees.
How long does the whole Immigration process take?
Every application is different and it depends ultimately on the workload at Immigration New Zealand but generally the whole process from Eligibility Assessment to arrival in New Zealand and permanent residency is about 6-8 months plus for the Skilled MIgrant Category, and 1-2 years for the the family category depending on the type of application. Processing times are often different depending on the branch where your application is lodged, and we will need to lodge it at the assigned branch for your physical location.
Do you guarantee me a job?
We have networks with employers and Economic Development Agencies across New Zealand and have our own dedicated in-house Recruitment Consultant. We provide you with help with your CV, we publish your profile on our website which is available to hundreds of New Zealand employers, we support you throughout the whole process and will assist you with your job search. We cannot guarantee you a job however, as the only person who can do this is the employer. We believe your job search will be made much easier with our support and our networks.
If I find a job myself do I still have to pay your Visa/permit fees?
When you are using our service you are paying us to assist with your visa application and help you make the move to New Zealand. We are providing with the assistance with your job search free of charge as a complementary service, so our fee will still be payable to lodge your visa application, even if you have secured the job yourself.
Will you arrange interviews for me?
If an employer is interested in your profile then obviously the next step is for you and the employer to make contact. We will facilitate this and will arrange phone, video or face to face interviews. We can prepare you for the interview and assist in any way you require.
Do I have to come to New Zealand for an interview?
The first step is usually a telephone interview which we will organise. If an employer is really interested then they may ask to meet with you for a face to face interview. Many employers will insist on this before they employ you and it is something you should consider. Remember they will be aware that you are traveling across the world for an interview which shows real commitment. When an employer is aware of our service and that we prepare our clients for moving to New Zealand they may even be prepared to over a job after a telephone interview.
Can you help with finding accommodation before we leave?
We don't just help you with the visa process, we support you when you get here too. Our partners can help you arrange accommodation before you leave and help you find a house when you get here.
What is an Economic Development Agency and why are they important?
There are 62 Economic Development Agencies throughout New Zealand. One aspect of what they do is to ensure the growth of their region and this includes helping employers to fulfill their staffing requirements, and increasingly to attract new businesses and investment to their regions. We work very closely with these agencies throughout New Zealand. Some have already signed exclusive contracts with us and more are to follow. They are our gateway to employers throughout New Zealand, and one of the ways in which we can ensure you have access to opportunities right across the country without being limited by geographic locations. We have assisted people to migrate to destinations all around the country from Northland down to Invercargill through these links.