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'New Zealand wants you': the problem with tech at the edge of the world

theguardian.com

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Re: 'New Zealand wants you': the problem with tech at the edge of the world

#51

Post by RowanH »

johankmagnusson wrote: post #21

Why not reverse the immigration process? Instead of doing tremendous amounts of paper work after which the system takes a guess if you will be able to contribute to the country, run that process backwards instead and lower the threshold for IT professionals to enter NZ significantly and then they get to prove their worth. Start with a very rudimentary initial screening and after say a 2 year trial period have a selec…

Moving countries has a huge impact on people especially families. Not something you really want to leave people in limbo for - the first year or two can be quite rocky for some (it's usually tougher than people imagine). Realistically it's not a huge amount of paperwork to come to NZ if you qualify and you know with good certainty what your pathway is to residency.

Not perfect but is fair and reasonable.

Re: 'New Zealand wants you': the problem with tech at the edge of the world

#52

Post by peterburkimsher »

johankmagnusson wrote: post #21

Why not reverse the immigration process? Instead of doing tremendous amounts of paper work after which the system takes a guess if you will be able to contribute to the country, run that process backwards instead and lower the threshold for IT professionals to enter NZ significantly and then they get to prove their worth. Start with a very rudimentary initial screening and after say a 2 year trial period have a selec…

That sounds similar to the Working Holiday programme, which offers 1 year work visas with few strings attached.

Most people blow their chance on irrelevant work experience (farm work, café). I got relevant jobs (summer job coding control systems at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare in NZ, network administration at Lululemon in Canada).

My mistake was only staying for a few months - I should've spent a whole year there, and then I could add immigration points for working in the country for 1 year.

Now I'm trying to move back, and it's hard. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Re: 'New Zealand wants you': the problem with tech at the edge of the world

#53

Post by RowanH »

peterburkimsher wrote: post #52
johankmagnusson wrote: post #21

Why not reverse the immigration process? Instead of doing tremendous amounts of paper work after which the system takes a guess if you will be able to contribute to the country, run that process backwards instead and lower the threshold for IT professionals to enter NZ significantly and then they get to prove their worth. Start with a very rudimentary initial screening and after say a 2 year trial period have a selec…

That sounds similar to the Working Holiday programme, which offers 1 year work visas with few strings attached. Most people blow their chance on irrelevant work experience (farm work, café). I got relevant jobs (summer job coding control systems at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare in NZ, network administration at Lululemon in Canada). My mistake was only staying for a few months - I should've spent a whole year there, and…

Maybe visa sponsorship ? Sometimes with niche enough roles NZ employers can sponsor Visas if no one is upto standard locally.

Re: 'New Zealand wants you': the problem with tech at the edge of the world

#54

Post by peterburkimsher »

RowanH wrote: post #53
peterburkimsher wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds similar to the Working Holiday programme, which offers 1 year work visas with few strings attached. Most people blow their chance on irrelevant work experience (farm work, café). I got relevant jobs (summer job coding control systems at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare in NZ, network administration at Lululemon in Canada). My mistake was only staying for a few months - I should've spent a whole year there, and…

Maybe visa sponsorship ? Sometimes with niche enough roles NZ employers can sponsor Visas if no one is upto standard locally.

I think the word "sponsor" scares off the HR department. I'm able to pay all the fees, I just need the company's name (and a commitment to stay in the role for at least a year if I remember right).

Re: 'New Zealand wants you': the problem with tech at the edge of the world

#55

Post by Negitivefrags »

tzfld wrote: post #11

>Two guys in a garage Is this urban legend still taken seriously? I mean, it was a thing 40 years ago, but now there is hardly anyone "with nothing to lose" that can reach anywhere without a good amount of luck.

I started a company with my friend in his garage.

It was also a game company in New Zealand.

When I saw that part of the article it seemed like an odd coincidence.

Re: 'New Zealand wants you': the problem with tech at the edge of the world

#56

Post by zinckiwi »

prebrov wrote: post #34
madaxe_again wrote: post #9

They have a really odd way to attract tech talent.... I exited my startup in the uk two years ago, successfully, leaving a successful and growing technology business behind. I have several ideas which I am prepared to self-fund up to £0.5M, and want a good environment in which to start a new business. I know coders in NZ, and they’re a talented bunch, we began to hatch a plan. In short, the NZ gov’t don’t want it. Th…

I'm not in NZ, but seriously considered it as a destination. I agree with you, the article has nothing to do with reality and is just wishful thinking or, more likely, a PR shill paid up by NZ's foreign promotion board or however they're called. Jacinda Ardern had a strong anti-immigration position during her campaign, she literally promised to cut immigration by 20'000-30'000 per year, from 70'000. No surprise that…

I'm generally pro-immigration, but with a population of less than 5 million and a housing affordability crisis, 70k a year simply isn't sustainable.

Re: 'New Zealand wants you': the problem with tech at the edge of the world

#57

Post by Negitivefrags »

peterburkimsher wrote: post #54
RowanH wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe visa sponsorship ? Sometimes with niche enough roles NZ employers can sponsor Visas if no one is upto standard locally.

I think the word "sponsor" scares off the HR department. I'm able to pay all the fees, I just need the company's name (and a commitment to stay in the role for at least a year if I remember right).

You have to understand that it’s not as simple as that for the company.

In order to sponsor your visa they have to demonstrate that they attempted to hire New Zealanders for the role and there was nobody suitable for the role.

That means being able to supply proof that you made a reasonable effort to advertise for the role, and giving lists of NZ candidates who applied but where not suitable because they lacked the technical requirements for the role.

Re: 'New Zealand wants you': the problem with tech at the edge of the world

#58

Post by shankr »

ponzored wrote: post #28
madaxe_again wrote: post #9

They have a really odd way to attract tech talent.... I exited my startup in the uk two years ago, successfully, leaving a successful and growing technology business behind. I have several ideas which I am prepared to self-fund up to £0.5M, and want a good environment in which to start a new business. I know coders in NZ, and they’re a talented bunch, we began to hatch a plan. In short, the NZ gov’t don’t want it. Th…

Just sign up for a degree at a degree mill and you'll get a student visa and an easy route to permanent residency. New Zealand (and Australia) don't care about quality migrants, just quantity, to keep up demand for housing (both countries have housing-bubble-based economies) and to add extra consumption to national GDP. The migrants they really want are Indians who can put downwards pressure on wages. Go to Auckland,…

Unless you have lived in Poland, Romania or Portugal, I wouldn't be so sure in suggesting these places. These countries have their own challenges starting from language barrier to inefficient bureaucracy. I don't think either of these countries are well-known for their tech quality either.

Re: 'New Zealand wants you': the problem with tech at the edge of the world

#59

Post by ElCapitanMarkla »

tzfld wrote: post #11

>Two guys in a garage Is this urban legend still taken seriously? I mean, it was a thing 40 years ago, but now there is hardly anyone "with nothing to lose" that can reach anywhere without a good amount of luck.

Which game was it? The only NZ one I saw on the list was Flutter VR and I don't think they'll like being called "two guys in a garage" https://idealog.co.nz/workplace/2018/02/girlsbehindthegames-...

Re: 'New Zealand wants you': the problem with tech at the edge of the world

#60

Post by ElCapitanMarkla »

HumanDrivenDev wrote: post #35

Shit salaries, overpriced housing, and everything is expensive. Seriously, if you're American name me the last thing you just purchased and I can guarantee it will be at least 25% more expensive here, sometimes double. If you're an American you'd be crazy to come here unless you've already made your money.

I spent a couple of years in the UK and then moved back to sunny Dunedin. That first grocery shop tore me a new one, it was at least double the price.
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