Hello, I'm Interested.

Hey folks,

Well today is a rather momentous occasion for me, and one that has been borne of a couple of years away from England and the ensuing hassles we know as Visas.

Today I have completed and submitted my Expression of Interest for Permanent Residency to New Zealand as a Skilled Migrant!

It's a bit of a strange system, whereby instead of Applying for Permanent Residency, you first submit an Expression of Interest which includes all your details, your education, your work history, what skills you have as a migrant, your English language level, etc etc. You accrue points for certain items, and once you get over 100, you can submit to go into a pool of applications where the nice people at the NZ immigration department pick people and invite them to then apply for Permanent Residency.

The pool is generally applications between 100 and 140 points, and over that, you should jump the pool stages into an automatic invite, as long as all your information is correct. I have 150 points (the job offer and living outside Auckland are very useful things!) so am hoping that this week I shall make it through this first step to becoming a Kiwi Resident!

The idea of having a stamp in my passport which allows me to live and work in another country without living under the eternal Sword of Damocles that we know as Visa restrictions, will be a breath of fresh air, and a new dawn of my time in Australia/NZ lands :)

Obviously this means that I don't have any real intentions of moving back to England for the foreseeable future, but then I don't think that will come as much of a surprise to many of you.

It does also mean that my time with Elinor on the upside down side of the world will be able to continue. We have chatted about plans B, C & D... just in case Residency doesn't come through for me - Plan D being a stint in England together, and B & C; looking into these agencies who can employ you as a skilled migrant and then 'temp' you out to other organisations.

I hope my Residency comes through though, it would be nicer to be free and easy as opposed to tied down to specific jobs etc. Oh, and I am applying as a Park Ranger, as after 2 years of experience working in the field (paid or voluntary) and securing my current job which largely mirrors that of a Dept of Conservation Ranger, I should have enough experience & back up to be classed as a Park Ranger for my application!

Well, I do now run the on-ground operations for the Punakaiki Restoration Project to a large extent, as well as an agreement with DOC to look after the tracks, weed control and plantings at Cave Stream Reserve. All good stuff for the application!

So please cross your fingers, toes, femurs and humerus'!