Living in New Zealand - Understanding the Maori Culture

Tena koe kaipanui, kei te pewhea koe? Haere mai. (Greetings reader, how are you? Welcome.)

And that wonderful greeting and welcome to my reader in Te Reo Maori is the culmination of a year of study to attain a Level 2 competency in the language. Of course I learnt a lot more than just the basic greetings above, and I don't mean just the language. The insight into the wonderful world of the Maori has been a special and very personal experience for me and I am overwhelmed by the aroha (love) I received from my whanau (family) at Te Wananga O Aotearoa (The University of New Zealand). This included the inspiring kaiako (teachers) and my fellow tauira (students). 

I received the certificate in the mail recently and it was a humbling moment. Because this is not a mere piece of paper that says I achieved a certificate, it is much more than that. It is a significant milestone in making Aotearoa (New Zealand) my new kainga (home) and whenua (country). And getting into a country that celebrates its biculturalism (and now multiculturalism with the recent migration) means that it places a responsibility on each new migrant to understand the history and culture of the country. While the pakeha (European) aspects of New Zealand are something that most migrants usually come to understand eventually, I must confess I have not seen a lot of effort from the migrant community to understand the world of the Maori and the tikanga (customs and traditions) that is such an integral part of this world. I was the only Indian on the campus to the best of my knowledge and it was amazing how quickly and wholeheartedly I was accepted as one of the whanau. I have had the privilege of being part of a powhiri (welcome ceremony), of starting and ending my weekly class with a a karakia (prayer), learning the waiata (songs) and kanikani (dance) in my classroom, of partaking in community kai (food), of sleeping as one large whanau inside a marae as part of my noho (stay) and many other equally awesome components of the course. The bonding with the whanau during the noho and during later parties has been immense. One of my mates from the class who I fondly call teina (younger brother) has even committed to have my tamahine (daughter) married in his marae if we so desire. How much more acceptance does a person want?

I can go on forever with all these positive experiences but the point I am trying to make is that every migrant to New Zealand must and should make the effort to understand the world of Maori. It is a community of fantastic people who have amazing customs and traditions. The country itself is founded on the Treaty of Waitangi between the Maori and Europeans and if one does not make an attempt to understand the history and culture of Aotearoa then it is the loss of the individual. And it is not very difficult to do this. What is needed is some initiative and commitment especially when there are free courses offered in places like Te Wananga O Aotearoa. So make an effort whanau and go immerse yourself in really experiencing New Zealand in its entirety. I plan to create a plan of immersion for my clients and help them with this aspect of their settlement into the New Zealand environment.

Ka kite ano (see you later) and he ra nui (have a great day).

Nga Mihi (regards)

Arun 

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Living in New Zealand - The Magic of Autumn Colours

One of the nicest experiences for me being in New Zealand is the autumn season when the leaves start changing colours and the whole country becomes like one big magical painting. I really look forward to this season although it can get a bit nippy and wet with the chill and rains coming in as well. But on a bright sunny autumn day like this in the video, the sheer beauty of the nature around you uplifts the spirit and mentally you get more relaxed. The sky seems bluer, the grass seems greener, the leaves on the trees are a kaleidoscope of vivid colours, the songs sound better and...oh well I could go on forever!! There is a sort of mystery and somberness in the air too and for the avid writer that I am, it is the perfect setting to let the creative juices flow :)

Songs courtesy in the video: The local radio station and the respective artists. I got a pretty stern warning from YouTube about copyright of the music after I uploaded this video. But they are still letting me put the video up..so all good!! 

Enjoy the colours, the music and the drive around....just another day in paradise indeed :)

Nga mihi (Regards)

Arun

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SKILLED MIGRATION - OUR FOCUS ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CLIENTS
Our current focus is on high quality IT background clients for the skilled migrant category. We believe this is one of the most exciting areas for both skilled migrants as well New Zealand. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is currently on the Long Term Skill Shortage List of New Zealand as well being a government Identified Future Growth Area. In plain English, this means that the employment opportunity in ICT for new migrants is significant. Here are some more facts:

• The technology industry is New Zealand’s fastest growing sector. 
• NZ's largest recruitment website Seek shows IT jobs having highest vacancies in its search criteria.  
• Jason Walker, Managing Director of Hays in New Zealand says, "Across New Zealand, every region has seen an increase in the number of IT jobs that include both additional benefits and bonuses. In 2015 we expect to see opportunities across all aspects of construction and the IT sector as employers invest in full-time hires." (Hays is a leading global professional recruiting group)

We are very excited about working in this particular sector and have evolved an end-to-end solution for IT professionals from different parts of the world to come and make New Zealand their home. This is your chance to combine a unique lifestyle with a career in an industry that’s making people around the world sit up and take notice. This package we have designed includes processing of your visa application while you are still in your country and everything from the time you land in New Zealand. This includes an airport pickup, accommodation for 30 days, car, professional CV and cover letter preparation, active marketing of your CV by our in-house IT placement team in New Zealand and many other benefits. There is a detailed day-by-day breakdown of the services we will provide to ensure your migration and settlement foray into New Zealand is successful. We like to share the details of this pack only after the process of an interview to ensure you are the right kind of IT professional New Zealand deserves and vice versa. If you believe you fall into category of high quality IT professionals, we encourage you to contact us to know more about this migration solution we have created exclusively for people like you.

When we receive your enquiry to be a skilled IT migrant to New Zealand, we will first undertake an assessment of your eligibility based on the information you provide us. If you pass this stage, we will then call you from New Zealand to make sure you get all the information about this package. It is free till this stage and there is absolutely no cost till you decide to go ahead after receiving all the information and making your own enquiries. If you do not pass the first stage of our evaluation and are not eligible for our skilled IT migrant package, we will make free recommendations that can help you achieve your aspiration of migrating to New Zealand.   Start your New Zealand skilled IT migration journey by emailing arun.jacob@ajv.kiwi and attaching your current CV and that of your partner if you are married or in a partnership. We will revert to you within 48 business hours.

Note for Non-IT applicants: If you desire an opportunity to live in New Zealand, you may also email your CV if you fall under any of the other Long Term Skill Shortage List occupational groups. We will do an assessment and revert with possible pathways for you. 

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New Zealand Information Technology (IT) Skills Shortage

There is a long term skill shortage list that is published by Immigration New Zealand and currently the following occupational groups are listed on the list - Agriculture and Forestry / Construction / Education / Engineering / Finance and Business / Health and Social Services / ICT, Electronics and Telecommunications / Recreation, Hospitality and Tourism / Science / Trades (some) / Transport.

I have a specific interest in information technology because I am always overwhelmed by the power of this particular occupation group. I even got involved at a very serious level with it in the past by designing and creating an award winning portal for education. That process gave me a great insight into the possibilities that exist within information technology. And so I stay very fascinated with this subject. Besides the personal interest I also always align my practice to the requirements of New Zealand, which at this point is to attract global talent in the occupation groups listed above. And so as a licensed immigration adviser I am keenly developing a product specifically aimed at creating an end-to-end process for IT professionals from all parts of the world to migrate and settle in New Zealand. This should be available very soon and so I encourage you to stay connected via my Facebook page and this blog.

In anticipation of creating this product I need to gear up for the first question that is bound to arise from a prospect - "Are there IT jobs in New Zealand if I move there with my family?" I think this is a very valid question because eventually migration only makes sense if there is gainful employment and ability to live well after making a life changing decision. And so constantly I check to see how many jobs are actually available under each of these occupational groups and from my research as on today this is the information technology (IT) vacancies listed on the two leading job sites in New Zealand. 

From Seek website - 2314 vacancies and from Trade Me Jobs website - 1073 vacancies. Admittedly there will be overlaps between both the sites but if one were to account for all the unlisted jobs that are quietly advertised elsewhere I guess it is safe to say there are in excess of 3000 IT jobs in New Zealand as we speak. This is obviously not a scientific study or anything as such but a quick dipstick survey to see what are the opportunities. And there seem to be enough jobs out there for IT professionals. For the person with the right attitude, skills and knowledge of IT, I do not think finding employment will be a difficult task. But to bolster the chances, one component of the migration pathway I am creating for IT professionals also includes job search support. More on this later though as the product evolves. Stay tuned for an announcement soon :)

So if you are an IT professional from any part of this big world and want to come and create a future for yourself and your family in our beautiful part of the world, a warm welcome indeed. Get in touch at arunjacob@amazingnz.co.nz and I will be more than happy to get you started on the journey of a lifetime that will get you to one of the finest destinations on mother earth. Haere mai...welcome to New Zealand! 

Link to the current Long Term Skill Shortage List (INZ1093). 

Nga mihi (Regards)

Arun

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Living in New Zealand - Politicians

Irrespective of where you live on earth you can't escape politicians. But the ones I have encountered in New Zealand are very different from those I have met anywhere else. And different in a nice sort of way I mean. Way back when I was living in Auckland I encountered the then prime minister Helen Clark (now a UNDP administrator) ambling around the mall like anyone else. No airs, no shenanigans, nothing. Just another Kiwi doing her everyday thing. More recently I had an opportunity to run into the current prime minister John Key while he was on the campaign trail. He was quite happy to let people take selfies, have a chat and just be a good-natured guy. It was very disarming to see the head of the state just being a normal guy in the midst of people. And I could see it was not a pretense on the campaign trail. It was just him the way he is every day. A few days after the elections I noticed a person standing by the road with a big 'thank you' placard. Turns out it is the local member of parliament who had won and he had no qualms to stand with a placard and wave to people in his constituency and say thanks as they drove by. In a strange sort of way it was very humbling to witness that and gave me an insight into the down to earth attitude of the Kiwis. The politics within the country is also conducted at a level of decency where there isn't a lot of muck and filth being thrown around. The accountability is pretty high for elected members and quite a few have fallen out of grace and office due to various issues that would have normally been seen as 'minor' in other parts of the world. Its nice to see politicians of all hues participate in the democratic process with gusto and passion for their causes. Interestingly there is even a registered political party in New Zealand called "Legalise Cannabis Party." Admittedly this party does not create a lot of political waves but the very fact it is allowed to exist as a legal entity is an indicator of the liberal mindset of the country. I continue to be amazed by this amazing country and its people and I am glad I am able to experience this everyday.

Nga mihi (Regards)

Arun

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Overview of the New Zealand Immigration Visa System

The New Zealand immigration visa system under the Immigration Act of 2009 has undergone a change from the previous Immigration Act of 1987. Earlier there was a system of a visa and then a permit. But now there is only a visa and an emphasis on “entry permission.” What this means is that earlier the visa and permit were actually two separate documents. But now there is only one single document in the form of a sticker that is affixed into the passport of an applicant. From my own experience of having been granted residence under the Immigration Act of 1987, I remember two separate stickers in my passport. One was titled “Residence Visa” and the other was titled “Residence Permit.” With the changes in the Immigration Act of 2009 I can see how it is more streamlined to simply have a ‘visa’ with the conditions printed clearly on it. About the entry permission itself, it is more a formality at border control checkpoints for the officer to assess that the person seeking to enter is entitled to and will fulfill the conditions printed on the visa. However the border control officer can still stop a person from entering if there is a justification for such an action even if the person holds a valid visa. This applies to most visa except some categories of residence visas.

The visas are now broadly categorised into the following with sub categories within each:

1. Residence class visas.

2. Temporary entry class visas.

3. Special categories.

Further sub-divisions done under each of the categories is follows. Under residence class visas there is now a permanent residence visa and a residence visa. To graduate from a residence visa to a permanent residence visa certain conditions have to be met especially “commitment to New Zealand.” Under residence class of these visas there are also categories like business, skilled, family and residence from work. Each has a specific pathway and criteria.

Under temporary entry class visas, the sub categories are limited visas, interim visas and transit visas. These are further categorised as visitor, work, student, interim, limited, military and special temporary. The last category pertains to foreign government officials who need to visit or stay in New Zealand for the performance of official duties and to their dependents who may have to accompany them. This special category visa is a significant change from the previous Immigration Act of 1987 wherein there was no need for such officials to hold a permit. But that has been removed now and thus even for diplomats and officials there is better monitoring than before.

The current visa system is an improvement over the previous system and creates a more robust mechanism to identify the immigration needs of New Zealand and create specific visas for each such requirement. Further strength is added through the very clear and detailed guidelines set in the Operational Manual of Immigration New Zealand (INZ), which pertain to each individual visa. Like all systems this is bound to change in future staying abreast of evolving needs of both New Zealand and those seeking to immigrate here.

Do follow my blog for more information about New Zealand immigration visas for you and your family.

Nga mihi (Regards)

Arun

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School Children Activities in New Zealand

I am a very pleased parent to see my children going to school in New Zealand. My three kids are still young and they grew up in a system where it was a constant cycle of studies and homework and hardly anything else. After being in New Zealand now, they go to a school which has so many different activities that I can see their all round development right in front of my own eyes. The change has been gradual but I can see there is a definite aspect of creating all round growth and not just academics. The emphasis on sports and games, outdoor activities, new language skills, personality development, new skills like cooking, carpentry, working with machines and such has really transformed my kids into complete new beings. The emphasis on academics is also very good and I quite like the teaching style which is more relaxed and friendly. Kiwis who read this might wonder why I am going on about something that is commonplace in New Zealand. If only they could experience what schooling is like in developing countries. The average New Zealand school has more facilities, activities and opportunities than most schools globally.  

The other thing I like about schools in New Zealand is the safety aspect concerning the students. They are trained to deal with emergencies, there are supervisors and marshals for ensuring safety in all activities and the education itself instills physical and mental strength and confidence to the growing children. There is absolutely no class distinction among the students and I am yet to notice any overt or covert racism in the school where my children go. It is one big family of young people growing up together with good values, attitudes and skills. I can see a lot of fantastic inputs to help build strong and committed future New Zealand and global citizens. I am a very pleased parent indeed. 

Below are some pictures of an annual activity in the school where my children go. A giant hot air balloon is inflated on the school grounds and the kids get a joyride with the highest safety standards being practiced throughout the event. What an experience!! I wish I could go to school again :) Thank you New Zealand for making my kids so happy and aiding them in their growth.

        

Do follow my blog for more exciting information about New Zealand for you and your family.

Nga mihi (Regards)

Arun

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