Kia Ora! My name is Ivy, we moved to New Zealand May 2021.
Before moving to New Zealand, I worked and lived in Singapore for 12 years. I worked in the Medical-Surgical unit
What was your husband's job in Singapore?
He's an Engineer. -When you were in SG did your son returned to the Philippines? What's your son's name?
Mikel. -Did Mikel went back to the Philippines?
He was in the Philippines. -Oh! All along he was in the Philippines?
Yes, he can only ever visit SG for maybe a month...
Q1: When did you start your NZRN application?
I started my application back in 2019. Pre-covid pandemic outbreak.
How long did it take you to process your NZRN license? -Well, I didn't have an English Test Result then, so I had to take that exam first.
*I think all in all it took around 6 months (to take the English Exam, and submit all my documents)
Yeah, about 6 months I think.
Did you sign up for a consultancy/recruitment agency or did you just complete your application by yourself? -Just DIY. The agency fees are quite expensive as well.
Yeah, so I completed my application by myself. -How about the English test? I took OET and I did sign up with a formal review center in SG. It took about 2 months to prepare.
I paid 800 dollars for the 2month OET review package in SG.
Review classes were I think 2hrs/session. It was quite expensive really. -Well you know, sometimes some people prefers to sign up with agency or review center, and if they feel like they are getting the benefits from it then I think it's okay.
I think it's also a matter of preference, I have friends who were happy to review online.
Especially when the pandemic happened, online review sessions were preferred. But for me, I learn more in a classroom, face to face type of session, so although it was quite expensive, it paid off in the end because I pass the first time around.
Q2: What did you complete first: English Test or CGFNS Application?
During my time, there was no CGFNS yet. I started with my English Test first because that was one of the requirements by Nursing Council.
So yeah, I started with the English Test first and I took OET.
Q3: After securing your NZRN license and job offer, what was it like applying for Critical Purpose Visitor Visa?
Yes, it was all the application was online. When I got the job offer, I researched how to apply for the visa. I didn't know that in NZ, you actually have to do it yourself!
Yes! In NZ there's a lot of DIY process. Even if your employer can sponsor you for your work visa, you actually have to submit and complete your papers. See these table behind me, I had to build it by myself 😂😂😂
In the Philippines, if you ordered a table it gets delivered to your home or someone can assemble it for you. Here, you assemble everything yourself 😂😂😂
In SG, we submit our requirements to HR Dept and they process our visa. Here, we have to submit everything directly to NZ Immigration. So, when I got my job offer, I first secured the ITA.
*Invitation to Apply for border exemption (for critical health workers) then we applied for CPVV. You can complete the application via online and I think you have 1 month to submit all the requirements and lodge your visa application.
We submitted our visa application March 2021 and got the result after 3 days. -That's quick! and did you just include your husband and son in your CPVV application?
Yes, we are just under 1 visa and I think I paid around 190NZD (at that time).
It's also good that your husband did not had any challenges traveling and picking up your son from the Philippines-
Q4: How did you book your plane ticket and MIQ Slot?
So did your husband flown from PH to NZ ? -No...
No, he booked a flight from PH to SG and we left SG (Changi Airport) together the flew to New Zealand.
Our plane tickets were really expensive but it was good because at least we were together. With my husband ticket from PH-NZ -that airline was the only one with a layover in SG so I can travel with them at the same time.
So yeah, when we finally saw each other in SG I could really breathe a bit better and was less worried.
How about the MIQ booking? Did you experience the new system with the online MIQ Lobby? No, that was before my application.
I started looking for MIQ slots February 2021, during that time, you have to refresh the MIQ booking page and see what's available. I think I spent almost a week just refreshing, refreshing the page.
So when I am on a break I just checked the webpage. My husband also created an account so he can check and refresh the page see what's available.
So yeah, it took about a week before we finally secured for a May 10, 2021 MIQ room.
It was really nerve wracking at that time because we booked our plane tickets without knowing if our visa will be approved, just to secure the MIQ room.
Fortunately, everything was approved. Thank you Lord! -True, I guess before you can book things in stages but now you almost have to do everything in parallel of each other and just pray that it'll be approved.
So true! You really have to pray A LOT!
Q5: What was it like looking for a job in New Zealand while you were still in Singapore
And just going back, how did you find a job in NZ? Was it difficult because you were offshore? How long did it take to find your first job in NZ?
I received my NZRN license (APC - Annual Practicing Certificate) December 2019.
Before that, around August 2019 I thought that my family and I can move to New Zealand in time for my son's birthday, December 2019.
Because, based on the people I talked to, they easily moved to NZ as soon as they got their APC.
But Covid-19 Pandemic happened, and it really caused a lot of delay with my job application! 😢
Initially, I talked to an agency who can look for a job for you. But during that time, even them were struggling what the application process was -because of Covid. There were a lot of changes...
Middle of 2020, Covid is still around... I was waiting, waiting and I felt like I really have to do something.
I just can't keep on waiting. Specially that we can't be with our son everyday, I want to be with him on his birthday. I want our family to be complete on that day.
I was kind of okay waiting early 2020, until about around June 2020.
It was 6 months before my son's birthday, and I was worried that we won't be together again. So I was really motivated to find a job and look for options.
Other than the agency, because I just can't keep on waiting.
I started applying on different websites (like seek.co.nz) but at that time, it was really difficult because I was outside NZ. There were a lot of vacancies but during that time, they preferred applicants who are already in NZ.
So yeah, I sent my resume everywhere, applied on all the vacancies, and I got a lot of rejections. Sometimes, it kind of hurt as well when you get rejected so I took a break from applying.
And then eventually, around December 2020, I saw your vlog about an SGRN who went through a lot of challenges, dilemma but she eventually secured a job while she was outside NZ.
So I got motivated and resumed my job hunting... I finally received a job offer end of January 2021.
And as soon as I got my job offer the rest of the things that I needed to do to move to NZ happened as well. But yeah, I think finding the job was the most challenging.
I think looking back, when Covid 19 was at its peak, it was really a struggle because there was no definite process for offshore nurses (at least early on)... there were a lot of uncertainties so it was difficult for the employers as well.
But you know, at least 1 year later in this pandemic, we do have a pathway for offshore nurses - you need to book for MIQ, for x duration etc. So now they can estimate when the offshore nurse will likely arrive in NZ.
So I think in my opinion and at least from the UKRNs and SGRNs that I talked to, they are getting more job offers this year than last year. Last year, it was even difficult for some to get a follow up after getting the date for their interview... I think.
There are even employers who pays for the MIQ booking. -Wow, did your employer paid for your MIQ? -Sadly, no.
Did you write down how much you spend for MIQ? -Yes, I was actually trying to forget about that. 🤣🤣🤣
Question of the Day: Are you also thinking of moving to New Zealand? Why New Zealand?
Q6: What tips can you give to other nurses who are also thinking of moving to New Zealand?
Be well informed, so do subscribe! -Goodness, thank you for promoting! 🤣🤣🤣
But really, before I used to just google a topic but now it's good to check vlogs for real life experiences. I also do my research via google.
I also joined a FB Group: Pinoy Nurses in NZ, they also now have different group chats depending on what stage you are in, in your application which is very helpful.
It's very handy to talk to people, experiencing the same challenges. -You won't feel alone and your challenges are not so different with what other applicants are experiencing.
It also gives you an idea about what documents to bring and submit.
You also get to be updated if there are any new changes.
Specially now, the process is really fluid... in 24-48 hours there can be changes with the application process so it's really important to be informed.
and be ready in all aspects. Sometimes, it easy to have negative thoughts and it becomes unhealthy...
Sometimes, you are too focused on one path and you missed other opportunities. Sometimes, there may be redirections which is actually a better path for us.
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