October 2007

Hi and welcome to the October newsletter. We aim to provide information regarding all facets of relocation plus immigration related updates. This month has a New Zealand focus with details regarding schooling and arriving at the airport. Also we have given a brief summary of CV preparation which our relocation consultants are happy to assist you with further.

Preparing a CV

One of the most common questions we receive is how to write a CV suitable for an overseas job market. The CV is a comprehensive document outlining your skills, strengths and capabilities and is a document a potential employer will often use to make their first judgement. The job search consultants at Network Migration Services are happy to assist clients in preparing a CV in the correct format and style.

It is important to remember that certain industries have specific requirements for a CV. For example a trade CV often requires detailed information regarding duties carried out on a daily basis, machinery and tools used, whereby a sales manager would need to elaborate on their responsibilities and achievements etc

Bearing this is mind, some key points to remember are:

• More often than not CV’s are sent via email, so a CV should be prepared in a suitable program which is easily accessible – Microsoft Word is certainly the preferred program to use.

• Give basic personal information at the beginning including name, address, phone number and email address. Some give interests and hobbies but it is not essential. However do not bog down your CV with this information

• Give a personal statement about you that serves as a marketing tool for the reader. This should include how you see yourself, what your goals are and should state the added value that you would bring to a potential employer

• Make sure you supply full details of your education (secondary and post-secondary). Give the name of the qualification obtained, establishment, dates of completion and major subjects. Courses of short duration should not be mentioned unless highly specific to the role applying for.

• List a summary of skills and attributes that you possess - this should be tailored to the role applying for

• List work experience in chronological order beginning with the most recent or current position. Include employee names, positions held, dates, responsibilities or duties, achievements and reason for leaving. The format for this can be varied but always make sure it is readable and not too in depth that the reader loses interest.

• Supply 2-3 references if possible of former employer or managers. Ensure they are aware that you are using them as potential references!

Always ensure that the CV is spell checked and in a professional font and format. It must be appealing to the reader so a confusing layout with graphics and a strange font will not leave a good first impression. As mentioned above if you require any assistance in preparing your CV be sure to get in touch with your job search consultants – jobsearch@netmigration.co.zaor 011 463 7060.

New Zealand: Arriving at the Airport in New Zealand

It is always overwhelming and intimidating for travelers when arriving in a new country and more so when they are first time travelers.

Below is a few tips and things to keep in mind when arriving in New Zealand:

• First and foremost you would need to show your passport and a completed arrival card (available in many languages). The passport would contain your visa status allowing you to enter. If you are traveling to NZ for a holiday on a South Africa passport you are not required to have a visa – this will be issued to you at customs. You will need a valid return ticket no later than 3 months past your arrival date. The arrival card is handed to you on your flight to NZ. The information you need to supply for the card is related to Immigration, Biosecurity and Customs.

• Customs comes into play as well:

New Zealand is very particular about what you bring into the country. Their agricultural industries are free of many insect pests, plant and animal diseases common in most parts of the world and are very adamant about keeping it that way. One can receive a heavy fine if caught carrying prohibited goods. By law one is required to declare all plant and animal material – and to do so you would need to fill in what is known as an “Agricultural and Customs Declaration” when you arrive.

These are the types of goods one must be wary of:

- food (any kind)

- plants and parts of plants (alive or dead)

- animals (alive or dead) or products of animals including eggs, egg products and biltong!

- equipment used with animals

- camping gear, golf clubs and used bicycles

- biological specimens

It is highly important that you abide by these regulations, if you do not and you are caught you will be heavily fined!

If you are not sure either to declare these items you can place them in the MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) amnesty bins provided at Customs. If items are declared you won't be charged with any offence – the items will be confiscated and you can continue on. Depending on the item – it may need to be fumigated or treated and thereafter given back to you. If this is the case, it will be at your expense

• Items that are prohibited! And must not be taken into NZ:

Firearms and weapons: are not allowed without a permit obtained from the New Zealand Police on Arrival at the airport (this also includes weapons used for sporting) – you must have a permit from the New Zealand Police.

Ivory in any form: tortoise or turtle shell jewellery and ornaments. Medicines using musk, rhinoceros or tiger derivatives, carvings or anything made from whalebone or bone from any other marine animals; cat skins or coats.

• Duty Free Goods

You are allowed to buy duty-free goods when you arrive in NZ.

Over 18's are allowed to purchase the following with restrictions:

- 200 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco or 50 cigars or a mixture of all 3 weighing no more than 250grams

- 4.5 litres of beer or wine (6 x 750ml bottles) and one 1125ml bottles of spirits, liqueur or other beverages

- goods up to NZ$ 700 are free of duty and tax but should you exceed that amount this may incur tax and duty.

Source: Immigration New Zealand – www.immigration.govt.nz

SCHOOLING IN NEW ZEALAND

Schooling is compulsory in New Zealand for all children from their sixth until sixteenth birthday although most start on their fifth birthday or soon after.

Schooling is free at state (government funded) schools until the age of 19, or 21 for special education students with disabilities. Parents are, however, expected to meet some minor costs, including the cost of school books, stationary and uniforms. Costs vary widely depending on individual school requirements.

The school day usually begins about 9.00am and finishes about 3.00pm (the secondary school day ends around 3.30pm). There is generally a short break in the morning, about an hour for lunch and sometimes, a short afternoon break.

Students are classified in year levels, beginning at ‘Year 1’ and moving up one class each year to the final ‘Year 13’. Years 1 to 3 are often referred to as ‘primers’ or ‘juniors’ and Years 4 to 6 as ‘standards’. Years 7 and 8 are known as ‘Forms 1 and 2’ and Years 9 to 13 as ‘forms 3 to 7’.

Class sizes are set by the school in accordance with Ministry of Education guidelines.

Some junior classes may include children of different ages and year levels in the same classroom; these are called ‘composite’ classes.

Student’s 16 years and over may choose not to finish their secondary education and leave in Year 11 or 12. By contrast, students can also attend school until the end of the year in which they reach 19 years of age if they choose.

State schools are co-educational at primary and intermediate level but some offer single-sex education at secondary level.

Primary Schools
Children must be enrolled at primary school by their sixth birthday. However, most attend from age 5 to the end of their sixth year of schooling. Many schools have waiting lists and it is consequently advisable to pre-enrol children before their fifth birthday.

Depending on local options, children in their seventh and eighth years either continue to attend primary school or move to a separate intermediate school. Intermediate schools operate only in urban areas.

Secondary Schools
From age 12 to 13 through to 17 or 18 (Year 9 to Year 13), students attend secondary school – also known as high school, college or grammar. Students are usually grouped in classes, but generally have different teachers and go to different classrooms for each subject. Some secondary schools enrol students early and it is advisable to contact schools at least 6 months before the official enrolment date.

Area Schools
Also known as composite schools, these usually operate in rural areas and combine primary, intermediate and secondary schooling in one location.

Enrolling your child at School

When enrolling your child in school in New Zealand you must provide a copy of your visa (work permit or permanent residency), school reports from their last school, birth certificate and their immunisation report card. Most schools take enrolments two weeks before the beginning of the new school year. Once you have identified the school/s, call the school office and arrange to meet with the school/teachers and to organise enrolment.

For further information the following websites may be of interest:

Australian Permanent Residency Processing Information:

Applications submitted on the dates shown below are currently being allocated to case officers for the initial review of applications. Once this review has taken place a letter requesting additional information such as medicals with be sent.

Priority ( includes all 137 STNI applications and those applications whose occupations are on the MODL list) 22^ndDecember 2006

Non Priority 15^th December 2006.

Information is updated weekly and can be obtained by sending a blank email to: aspc.processing@immi.gov.au.

This is an automated service providing processing information only. Please do not send any other inquiries or information to this e-mail address.

Communicating with the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship

In our September newsletter we advised you of the delays in communications with DIAC. The situation has not improved greatly over the past month.

DIAC have issued these time frames for processing applications:

• DIAC aim to accept payment within 12 – 14 weeks of submission

• DIAC will acknowledge an application 4 – 6 weeks after payment has been accepted

• DIAC will send an acknowledgment letter containing a client reference number and a receipt after this time.

• If your inquiry is not related to the acknowledgment or receipt of an application DIAC will aim to answer your query within 2 weeks but it can sometimes take up to 4 weeks.

Source: DIAC

Once payment has been accepted the applications will undergo validity checking. Once this checking has been completed you will receive an acknowledgment letter with a file number. There will then be a wait of approximately 6 – 9 months before your file is allocated a visa officer. The delay in acknowledging your application will not impact on the time taken for your application to be allocated a case officer if you have lodged a valid application. Case Officer allocation and expected date of finalization will be in line with DIAC's current processing times and service standards available on their website. ( www.immi.gov.au)

New Zealand Expression of Interest Fortnightly Selections

The latest fortnightly selection took place on 24^th October 2007

Selection criteria No. of EOIs

All EOIs at or above 140 points: 443

All EOIs with a job or a job offer claiming points between 100 and 135 points: 86

All EOIs claiming 15 points for work experience in an area of absolute skill shortage and with a points total between 100 and 135 points: 44

All EOIs claiming 10 points for work experience in an area of absolute skill shortage and with a points total between 100 and 135 points: 28

All EOIs claiming 10 points for a qualification in an area of absolute skill shortage and with a points total between 100 and 135 points: 34

All EOIs between 115 and 135 points where there is no points claim for a job or job offer, work experience in an area of absolute skill shortage, or qualification in an area of absolute skill shortage: 138

TOTAL SELECTION 773

The NIA, which is one of the three assessing bodies for accountants in Australia, has made the following announcement: 

“Applicants have normally been required to provide evidence in relation to the satisfactory completion of 9 of 12 core study areas. Two of these study areas have been Australian Company Law and Australian Taxation Law.

Effective immediately, applicants may now choose to provide evidence in relation to the satisfactory completion of Company Law and Taxation Law completed in their degree program in the home country (i.e. non Australian Company Law and non Australian Taxation Law). This change in assessment arrangements will apply to assessment applications already lodged and currently in process with the National Institute of Accountants.”

This change will be of great benefit to many applicants. To find out more, visit the website link below:

If you have any suggestions on articles or would like any additional information please do not hesitate to contact us on relocation@netmigration.co.za . If you would like to unsubscribe to this newsletter please click on the unsubscribe link below.

Warm Regards

The Team at Network Migration Services

Telephone: +27 11 4637060

Email: relocation@netmigration.co.za