http://newzealand.govt.nz/directory/

Source: stuff.co.nz

By AARON LIM – BusinessDay

Employment confidence has fallen to a historic low as gloom continues to stalk the job market, according to the Westpac McDermott Miller employment confidence index.

The index fell to 93.2 in the March 2009 quarter, the first time the confidence index has hit a sub-100 level since the survey began in 2004.

“After holding firm through most of 2008, employees are now admitting defeat,” Westpac senior economist Donna Purdue said.

“Continued bad economic news has seen concerns around current employment conditions reach fever pitch, while expectations of future conditions have worsened.”

The survey found 54 percent of respondents said jobs are hard to get, compared to 26 percent in December. A year ago 57 percent of respondents said jobs were plentiful.

In the March quarter, 28 percent of the people surveyed thought jobs would still be hard to find next year.

Purdue said the collapse in perceptions around current employment supported the view that the 0.9 percent rise in employment growth recorded in the December 2008 quarter will be more than unwound in Q1.

“Against the backdrop of perceived poor job opportunities, job security has fallen even further.”

“That is telling for consumer spending going forward. The less secure people are in their jobs, the more conservative their spending decisions are likely to be,” Purdue said.

Perceptions around current and future earnings also suffered, with 25 percent of people expecting to be earning more in a year’s time, down from a net 37 percent in December.

Managing director of McDermott Miller Richard Miller he wasn’t surprised by historic lows in employment confidence given the economic climate.

“It is hard to see employment confidence recovering until New Zealand begins to pull out of recession.”

Source: stuff.co.nz

It just got a lot cheaper to visit Queenstown, with hotel prices falling by 35 percent.

Queenstown had the third biggest drop in city hotel prices in the world in the three months to Christmas, according to hotels.com Hotel Price Index.

The index looked at hotel prices for October to December, 2008, compared to the same period the year before.

It revealed hotel prices fell 41 percent in Mumbai, 36 percent Reykjavik, 35 percent in Queenstown, 32 percent in Manila, and 31 percent in Las Vegas.

The website’s president, David Roche, said hoteliers were being forced to lower their prices in order to fill rooms.

“This year really will be the year of the deal.”

The website found hotel prices fell 12 percent globally, in 2008.

On average prices were 1 percent higher than they were five years ago.

Prices in North America had the greatest decline, falling 12 per cent, while Europe shed 10 percent.

Caribbean and South American hotels dropped 7 percent in the final quarter of 2008.

The index tracked the rates paid per hotel room rather than advertised rates, and was based on prices paid by customers at 68,000 hotels across 12,500 locations, hotels.com said.

- AAP

Source: stuff.co.nz

Whenever there is an economic downturn migrant workers cop it in the neck.

The welcome mat is put down when employers want skilled or unskilled workers in short supply but the rug is pulled away quickly when jobs become scarce.

The latest manifestation of this is a complaint from welder Stephen Bovett that he and other New Zealand workers were made redundant from New Plymouth firm MCK Metals while Filipino welders on work permits were kept on.

Stephen Bovett is furious and most of us will have sympathy for his plight. He has two young children and a mortgage. If anyone is going to be made redundant he says it should be the Filipinos. The issue has been taken up by Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman who says Stephen and his co-workers may not have been treated fairly.

It appears the Filipino workers were employed to do specialist welding but the company later applied for a variation in their agreement with the Department of Labour so these migrant workers could do general welding work. The department agreed and two weeks later the company showed Stephen and others the door with migrant workers taking over their work.

A similar situation developed at CWF Hamilton in Christchurch recently when 29 New Zealand workers were made redundant while migrant workers on work permits were kept on.

The unions involved have taken the side of New Zealand workers and no doubt public opinion will be with this view. But it’s a narrow parochial view which squarely misses the most important point and targets migrant workers who are only here to earn money to feed their families.

Those to blame are neither the migrant workers nor the New Zealanders who are losing their jobs.

Consider this for a moment. Most employers think the free market is their gift from God and the laws of supply and demand are writ in heavenly stone. Until, of course, it doesn’t suit them.

When the supply of labour diminishes, as it has this past decade of low unemployment, then wages should increase. But look at pay rises for New Zealanders in recent years and there is no evidence of any change in our low-wage economy.

The two main obstacles to wage rises are our pro-employer, anti-worker laws which make it very difficult for workers to negotiate collectively, particularly across companies in the same industry, and the readiness of government’s to bring in workers from overseas on low rates of pay.

Most areas of the economy are involved. Orchardists, Southland farmers, Auckland hotels and security companies are just some who have persuaded the government to allow migrant workers in to plug so-called skill shortages. Often it’s simply so employers can continue to enjoy some of the lowest wages in the developed world.

(You might remember these same employers stood by and applauded as National destroyed apprenticeships in the 1990s and then wondered why we have a skills shortage 10 years later).

With this background it’s deeply disappointing to see New Zealand workers and unions attack migrant workers as though they are somehow to blame for New Zealanders losing their jobs when the economy dives. Once here they should be accepted with the same rights to earn a living as anyone else. Don’t migrant workers’ kids have the same right to be fed as New Zealand kids?

Unfortunately the attack on migrant workers is a pattern we’ve seen here many times before.

In the 1970s the government cracked down on Pacific Island overstayers when unemployment rose. The government and employers were very happy to make use of their unskilled labour in the previous decade but a thinly veiled campaign of racism against them was led by politicians as unemployment rose in the 1970s. The infamous “dawn raids” and random stopping of brown-skinned people by the police was a routine part of the Pacific experience of living in Auckland.

The fault doesn’t rest with Stephen Bovett but neither does it rest with the Filipino welders. It rests instead with an economic policy which sees workers as a resource to be used and abused – welcomed when there’s a skills shortage or the need to keep New Zealand wages low but then shunned as soon as an economic downturn arrives.

These migrant workers have often spent their life savings to get to New Zealand in the first place after paying huge fees to various parasitic agents who specialise in trafficking workers for capitalist enterprises. The simple fact is they are here and they deserve a fair go just as did our parents, grandparents or earlier antecedents who themselves were migrants to New Zealand.

Instead of seeing them as the enemy our unions need to show leadership in recognising there is common cause between New Zealand workers and migrant workers. Both groups are victims of uncertainty and exploitation in the unreliable world of the so-called free market. Recognising this is the first step to change.

Source: drivesouth.co.nz

Dunedin computer graphics company Animation Research Ltd has taken the chequered flag in a race to win a contract to provide graphics for this year’s Formula One series for the BBC.

The contract is a coup for the company, as it hooks up with what managing director Ian Taylor called “a major, major event”.

“To be delivering this from Dunedin, let alone New Zealand . . . it’s a big deal,” he said.

Staff had been working 16- to 18-hour days to put together a graphics package for Sunday’s Formula One season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, and yesterday, Mr Taylor proudly showed off the fruits of their labour.

That included a detailed 3-D depiction of the Melbourne track and, as the series progressed, it was hoped data from the vehicles would be used for graphics showing lines the drivers took; where they accelerated; braked; their speed; gear choices, and the G-forces they had to deal with.

As well, commentators would be able to “drive” the virtual cars during analysis before or after race coverage, choosing the lines they would take into corners, and how they might have dealt with crashes.

The contract had stretched the limits of the company, as it worked to “build” 17 virtual tracks, as well as all the vehicles involved, their drivers, and had a level of detail down to bumps on the track.

“We said the time-frame could not be done; they said that’s not an option.

“In the end, if they say they want it done, it’s got to be done.

“Our job was to put everything we could into it to get it done on time.”

Mr Taylor said the company heard the good news just before Christmas and seven staff had worked “flat out” since then.

Once Melbourne had been completed, staff would begin work on Kuala Lumpur, then the rest of the tracks used in the series.

Staff members were already overseas photographing the tracks.

The detail was important, from showing reflections on water to getting the track measured to the millimetre.

He said he was unable to disclose the cost of the contract, but its success had hinged on personal relationships he had forged with members of the McLaren racing team.

McLaren had recommended the company for the job, and data it was providing had proved invaluable in completing it. – David Loughrey

Source: Monster While there are as many different possible interview questions as there are interviewers, it always helps to be ready for anything. So we’ve prepared a list of 100 potential interview questions. Will you face them all? We pray no interviewer would be that cruel. Will you face a few? Probably. Will you be well-served by being ready even if you’re not asked these exact questions? Absolutely.

• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• Who was your favorite manager and why?
• What kind of personality do you work best with and why?
• Why do you want this job?
• Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?
• Tell me about your proudest achievement.
• If you were at a business lunch and you ordered a rare steak and they brought it to you well done, what would you do?
• If I were to give you this salary you requested but let you write your job description for the next year, what would it say?
• Why is there fuzz on a tennis ball?
• How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team?
• There’s no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
• How would you feel about working for someone who knows less than you?
• Was there a person in your career who really made a difference?
• What’s your ideal company?
• What attracted you to this company?
• What are you most proud of?
• What are you looking for in terms of career development?
• What do you look for in terms of culture — structured or entrepreneurial?
• What do you like to do?
• Give examples of ideas you’ve had or implemented.
• What are your lifelong dreams?
• What do you ultimately want to become?
• How would you describe your work style?
• What kind of car do you drive?
• Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict on the job.
• What’s the last book you read?
• What magazines do you subscribe to?
• What would be your ideal working situation?
• Why should we hire you?
• What did you like least about your last job?
• What do you think of your previous boss?
• How do you think I rate as an interviewer?
• Do you have any questions for me?
• When were you most satisfied in your job?
• What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?
• What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
• What negative thing would your last boss say about you?
• If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
• What salary are you seeking?
• What’s your salary history?
• How do you want to improve yourself in the next year?
• What were the responsibilities of your last position?
• What do you know about this industry?
• What do you know about our company?
• How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?
• Are you willing to relocate?
• What was the last project you headed up, and what was its outcome?
• What kind of goals would you have in mind if you got this job?
• Give me an example of a time that you felt you went above and beyond the call of duty at work.
• What would you do if you won the lottery?
• Can you describe a time when your work was criticized?
• Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did you handle it?
• What is your personal mission statement?
• Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it?
• What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?
• What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
• What is your greatest fear?
• Who has impacted you most in your career, and how?
• What do you see yourself doing within the first 30 days of this job?
• What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in school?
• What three character traits would your friends use to describe you?
• What will you miss about your present/last job?
• If you were interviewing someone for this position, what traits would you look for?
• List five words that describe your character.
• What is your greatest achievement outside of work?
• Sell me this pencil.
• If I were your supervisor and asked you to do something that you disagreed with, what would you do?
• Do you think a leader should be feared or liked?
• What’s the most difficult decision you’ve made in the last two years?
• What do you like to do for fun?
• Why are you leaving your present job?
• What do you do in your spare time?
• How do you feel about taking no for an answer?
• What was the most difficult period in your life, and how did you deal with it?
• What is your favorite memory from childhood?
• Give me an example of a time you did something wrong. How did you handle it?
• Tell me one thing about yourself you wouldn’t want me to know.
• Tell me the difference between good and exceptional.
• Why did your choose your major?
• What are the qualities of a good leader? A bad leader?
• What is your biggest regret, and why?
• What are three positive character traits you don’t have?
• What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
• If you found out your company was doing something against the law, like fraud, what would you do?
• How many times do a clock’s hands overlap in a day?
• How would you weigh a plane without scales?
• What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue?
• If I were to ask your last supervisor to provide you additional training or exposure, what would she suggest?
• If you could choose one superhero power, what would it be and why?
• What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the last year?
• Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them.
• What techniques and tools do you use to keep yourself organized?
• If you could get rid of any one of the US states, which one would you get rid of, and why?
• With your eyes closed, tell me step-by-step how to tie my shoes.
• if you had to choose one, would you consider yourself a big-picture person or a detail-oriented person?
• If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90 days?
• Who are your heroes?
• Tell me 10 ways to use a pencil other than writing.

Pre-Departure Registration

Filipino emigrants or those leaving the country to settle permanently abroad are required to register with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). Part of its registration requirements is attendance in the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) to prepare them for settlement overseas. Those who are 12 years old and below are exempt  from attending the PDOS. They must, however, be registered, even if by proxy. Children of emigrants, aged 13 to 19, are required to attend the Peer Counseling Program to  help facilitate their adjustment to a new environment.

The registration of Filipino emigrants started in 1981, or a year after the CFO was created. The registration process generates an information resource on Filipino emigrants, which provides  reference for policy formulation and program development.

Pre-Departure Orientation Seminars (PDOS)

Country-specific pre-departure orientation seminars are conducted for departing Filipino emigrants to address their adjustment concerns in their destination countries. In these seminars, various topics are discussed such as:

• Travel regulations;
• Immigration procedures;
• Cultural differences;
• Settlement concerns;
• Employment and social security concerns; and
• Rights and obligations of Filipino migrants.

Registration Guidelines

Reservation must be done at least five working days before the target date of registration and attendance in the CFO PDOS/Peer Counseling.

 Please call tel. no(s) : 563-1965 or 561-8321 loc. 103.  Reservation hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please provide the following information:

􀂃Registrant(s)’ name(s);

􀂃

􀂃

􀂃

􀂃

Note: Reservation is subject to availability of schedule. 

Relationship with petitionerVisa classification; andCountry of destination;Age(s) of registrant(s);

Requirements

 The following are required for the registration of an emigrant :

1.

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

 

9.

 

 

10.

 

 

11.

 

 

Attendance in the PDOS or peer counseling session.Payment of PhP400.00 registration fee; andDuly completed registration form (downloadable at www.cfo.gov.ph);Photocopy of employment contract (for immigrant workers);

Original and photocopy of letter of approval for Work to Residence visa (for New Zealand-bound

Original and photocopy of Immigrant Data Summary (for USA-bound emigrants);Original and photocopy of Confirmation of Permanent Residence (for Canada-bound emigrants);One (1) valid identification card with photograph;One (1) 2×2 or passport-size photograph ;Original and photocopy of visa;Original valid passport;

emigrants);

Schedule

MANILA OFFICE – PDOS SESSIONS MORNING SESSION AFTERNOON SESSION

USA and other countries Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. Monday to Friday 02:00 p.m.

 Canada Monday to Friday 09:30 a.m. No session

 Peer Counseling Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. Monday to Friday 02:00 p.m.

Emigrants who are exempted from attending the PDOS/Peer Counseling, and Filipino spouses or partners of foreign nationals who have completed the CFO Guidance and Counseling Program may register at CFO Manila or CFO Cebu Office on walk-in basis between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.  Registration and attendance in PDOS/Peer Counseling in Cebu remain on walk-in basis. Emigrants may call up (032) 255-5253 for registration requirements and schedule at CFO Cebu.

 

 

 

Fees

Pursuant to CFO Board Resolution No. 2006-02, CFO fees are increased effective 01 August 2006 as follows:
Registration Fee	PhP 400.00
Replacement of lost  Guidance and  Counseling Certificate	PhP 800

 

Contact

Contact Numbers

CFO Manila Tel. Nos.: (632) 562-3848, (632) 561-8321 ext. 104, 105, 201- 203Fax No.: (632) 561-8332 E-mail Add.: info@cfo.gov.ph;                  mieo@cfo.gov.ph CFO Cebu Telefax : (032) 255-5253 E-mail Add.: cfocebu@cfo.gov.ph

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXEMPTION FROM PDOS/PEER COUNSELING

 

Children 12 years old and below are exempt from attending the PDOS. They must, however, be registered, even if by proxy. The following additional documents are required if the proxy is not the legal/natural/adoptive parent of the registrant.

􀀹

􀀹

Special Power of Attorney or notarized authorization letter from the parent/s or guardian/s authorizing the proxy to register the minor children.

The following emigrants are exempt from attending

 

the PDOS and registering in person with the CFO, provided that they are registered by a proxy:One (1) valid identification card with photograph of the proxy; and

Children 12 years old and below are exempt from attending the PDOS. They must, however, be registered, even if by proxy. The following additional documents are required if the proxy is not the legal/natural/adoptive parent of the registrant.

􀀹

􀀹

Special Power of Attorney or notarized authorization letter from the parent/s or guardian/s authorizing the proxy to register the minor children.

The following emigrants are exempt from attending

 

the PDOS and registering in person with the CFO, provided that they are registered by a proxy:One (1) valid identification card with photograph of the proxy; and􀂃Those who are 65 years old and above;

􀂃

Those incapacitated due to permanent or long-term ailments; and

􀂃

Those with mental illness or psychiatric disability.

In the registration of the above immigrants, the proxy is required to present the following requirements in

addition to the usual requirements:

 

􀀹

Medical certificate/report (except those 65 years old and above);

􀀹

Letter of authorization from the emigrant (if applicable to the case); and

􀀹

Original and photocopy of a valid identification card with photograph of the proxy.

 

Source: CFO

]]>

Source: immigration.govt.nz

NEW VISA FEES

Effective 12 January 2009

TRANSFER OF VISA CHECKLIST

A Guide for Applicants

It is important that you provide all the relevant information requested below so we can accept and process your application promptly. If any of the following are not received, the application may not be accepted for assessment.

All documents not in English must be translated by a translation service. A translation service may NOT certify documents as original.

Application forms can be downloaded and other relevant information may be found on our website www.immigration.govt.nz.

1. APPLICATION FORM

2. APPLICATION FEE

3. PASSPORT OR TRAVEL DOCUMENT

Applicants must supply their current valid passport and either their old passport with a visa endorsed or evidence they reported a lost or stolen passport to the police or their Embassy.

4. LODGING YOUR APPLICATION

You can request your application to be collected by courier from anywhere in the Philippines by calling (2) 845-9222. You will be charged a return courier fee to collect the passport and have it returned to you after processing.

Applications can be lodged in person from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday at the VIA center, Unit 1003, 10/F One Corporate Plaza, 845 Antonio Arnaiz Ave (Pasay Rd), Makati City. You will need to pay a one way courier fee to have your passport returned. The courier fees are outlined below:

* applies when there is more than 1 passport associated with the application being returned to the same address

NOTE: Please prepare separate payment for courier/postage fee in the form of either cash or cheque payable to PIASI for those applications with Direct Lodgements thru the VIA Centre.

LODGING APPLICATIONS FROM NEW ZEALAND: You can courier applications directly to the VIA Center at the address on the header. You need to indicate how and where you want the documents returned, either to the applicant in the Philippines or to the representative in New Zealand. If we return the documents to the applicant in the Philippines, the applicant needs to pay the One Way Rates as above. The applicant can pay collect. If you would like us to return the documents back to New Zealand, please provide a prepaid courier fee.

5. PROCESSING TIME

We aim to process your application within 10 working days. If you application will take longer we will advise you of this in 10 working days.

· A letter of leave from your employer or school. Letters from an employer should include annual income, length of employment and position held. Also, it must be on company letterhead, bearing the stamp of the company and the signature of the head of the company or the responsible person of the personnel department. If you are self-employed, business or company registration certificate showing proof of ownership and company bank statements must be submitted.

· Evidence of any previous travel i.e. clear copy of visas on passport.

· Your travel/flight bookings/itinerary if available

Children under the age of 16 years travelling alone or with only 1 parent must provide a written letter of consent from both parents which include the parents contact details and identification.

7. X-RAY FOR TUBERCULOSIS SCREENING

Applicants for temporary entry to New Zealand must have an acceptable standard of health

All applicants from a high incidence TB country (which includes the Philippines) intending to be in New Zealand for more than 6 months must undergo TB screening and provide a Chest X-ray certificate (NZIS1096) completed by an approved INZ Panel Doctor. Please check our website to find the Panel Doctor nearest to you. Pregnant women and children below the age of 11 years are not required to have a chest x-ray.

8. OTHER REQUIREMENTS

FULL MEDICAL: Applicants intending to spend more than 12 months in New Zealand are required to supply a full medical certificate (NZIS1007). Medical reports must be completed by an approved INZ Panel Doctor. Please check our website to find the Panel Doctor nearest to you.

POLICE CLEARANCES: Applicants over 17 years intending to remain in New Zealand for more than 24 months are required to supply a police clearance certificate from their country of residence and any country the applicant has been in for five years or more since turning 17.

9. LODGING YOUR APPLICATION

You can request your application to be collected by courier from anywhere in the Philippines by calling (2) 845-9222. You will be charged a return courier fee to collect the passport and have it returned to you after processing.

Applications can be lodged in person from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday at the VIA Center, Unit 901, 9/F One Corporate Plaza, 845 Antonio Arnaiz Ave (Pasay Rd), Makati City. You will need to pay a one way courier fee to have your passport returned. The courier fees are outlined below:

· applies when there is more than 1 passport associated with the application being returned to the same address

NOTE: Please prepare separate payment for courier/postage fee in the form of either cash or cheque payable to PIASI for those applications with Direct Lodgements thru the VIA Centre.

LODGING APPLICATIONS FROM NEW ZEALAND: You can courier applications directly to the VIA Center at the address on the header. You need to indicate how and where you want the documents returned, either to the applicant in the Philippines or to the representative in New Zealand. If we return the documents to the applicant in the Philippines, the applicant needs to pay the One Way Rates as above. The applicant can pay collect. If you would like us to return the documents back to New Zealand, please provide a prepaid courier fee.

10. PROCESSING TIME

We aim to process your application within 10 working days. If your application will take longer we will advise you of this in 10 working days. In some cases we may take up to 2 months to process your application, for example, if your medical certificate requires referral to New Zealand.

VISITOR VISA (Parent and Grandparent Multiple Entry) APPLICATION CHECKLIST

A Guide for Applicants

A new multiple visitor’s visa allows multiple visits by parents and grandparents of New Zealand citizens or residents for up to six months, totalling no more than 18 months in any 3 years.

It is important that you provide all the relevant information requested below so we can accept and process your application promptly. If any of the following are not received, the application may not be accepted for assessment.

All documents not in English must be translated by a translation service. A translation service may NOT certify documents as original.

Application forms can be downloaded and other relevant information may be found on our website www.immigration.govt.nz.

1. APPLICATION FORM

2. APPLICATION FEE

3. PHOTO

4. PASSPORT OR TRAVEL DOCUMENT

Passports must be valid for 3 months beyond intended date of departure from New Zealand.

5. EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT WHILE VISITING NEW ZEALAND

6. EVIDENCE OF THE NEW ZEALAND IMMIGRATION OR CITIZENSHIP STATUS OF THE SPONSOR

7. EVIDENCE OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN APPLICANT AND THE SPONSORING CHILD/GRANDCHILD

Birth certificate of the sponsoring child duly authenticated by National Statistics Office (NSO).

8. EVIDENCE OF ACCEPTABLE STANDARD OF HEALTH

Applicants are required to supply a full medical certificate (NZIS1007) including X-ray. Medical reports must be completed by an approved INZ Panel Doctor. Please check our website to find the Panel Doctor nearest to you.

9. LODGING YOUR APPLICATION

You can request your application to be collected by courier from anywhere in the Philippines by calling (2) 845-9222. You will be charged a return courier fee to collect the passport and have it returned to you after processing.

Applications can be lodged in person from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday at the VIA Center, Unit 901, 9/F One Corporate Plaza, 845 Antonio Arnaiz Ave (Pasay Rd), Makati City. You will need to pay a one way courier fee to have your passport returned. The courier fees are outlined below:

· applies when there is more than 1 passport associated with the application being returned to the same address

NOTE: Please prepare separate payment for courier/postage fee in the form of either cash or cheque payable to PIASI for those applications with Direct Lodgements thru the VIA Centre.

LODGING APPLICATIONS FROM NEW ZEALAND: You can courier applications directly to the VIA Center at the address on the header. You need to indicate how and where you want the documents returned, either to the applicant in the Philippines or to the representative in New Zealand. If we return the documents to the applicant in the Philippines, the applicant needs to pay the One Way Rates as above. The applicant can pay collect. If you would like us to return the documents back to New Zealand, please provide a prepaid courier fee.

10. PROCESSING TIME

We aim to process your application within 7 working days. If you application will take longer we will advise you of this in 7 working days. In some cases we may take up to 2 months to process your application, for example, if your medical certificate requires referral to New Zealand.

Note: Fill-out the

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONNAIRE TO ACCOMPANY

APPLICATION FOR VISITOR VISA

There are reports power has returned to most of Auckland’s eastern and central suburbs affected by today’s major outage.

nzherald.co.nz readers report power has returned in the suburbs of Meadowbank, Parnell, Orakei, Remuera, Newmarket, Greenlane, Three kings, Ellerslie and Penrose.

Auckland was hit by a major power outage around 1pm today, stretching from the suburb of Mt Wellington to inner city Newmarket.

Inspector Chris Tait said power to traffic lights is starting to come back on but there are already moderate flows on the Southern motorway between New Market and Penrose heading north.

But nzherald.co.nz readers say the lights were still out at the intersection of Mt Eden and Balmoral Road at 3pm.

Meanwhile at Greenlane Hospital some appointments have had to be cancelled.

Auckland District Health Board spokeswoman Hayley Callard said most out-patient clinics rely on computers and those have had to be re-scheduled.

She said critical services are still up and running because the hospital has its own generators.

The cut happened after a substation in Penrose went down.

Transpower spokeswoman Adele Fitzpatrick said the power cut hit 74,000 homes and businesses.

She said one of the three transformers was out of action due to routine maintenance. The other two were handling the load until a malfunction in one of them that caused the third to trip.

Ms Fitzpatrick said the cause of the malfunction is not yet known and it was not clear when the power would be restored.

Earlier reader Adam Collins wrote that “the power is out from the street lights in Mt Wellington to Market Road lights”.

Fire communications shift commander Mau Barbara said firefighters have rescued four sets of people stuck in lifts as a result of the power cut.

He said two were in the Central Park complex in Penrose, another was in the Wella building in Ellerslie, while the fourth was on Newmarket’s Broadway.
Mr Barbara also said fire fighters have responded to 15 alarm activations, some of which were burglar alarms mistaken for fire alarms.

He said fire fighters were also called to power lines on fire in Parnell and a smoking transformer in Ellerslie.

Police confirmed traffic lights were out across east Auckland and have warned drivers to be careful.

“The areas reported are from Onehunga to Orakei including Balmoral and Greenlane,” said Inspector Kerry Watson.

He said when traffic lights are down, the give way to the right rule should be used until power is restored.

Traffic lights were also reported to be out in St Helliers, Kohimarama and Mission Bay.

Police said too many sets of traffic lights were out to arrange officers on points duty.

At 1pm shops in Remuera closed doors and were in darkness.

Cameron Brewer, general manager of the Newmarket Business Association, said the power meltdown was a disaster for local business owners.

“Businesses in Newmarket have been without power since just after 1pm,” Mr Brewer said.

“With the sales and fine weather there were a lot of people in Newmarket and this couldn’t come have come at worst time for local businesses.”

He said some shopowners had closed, others were milling around hoping the power would return.

Newstalk ZB reported Sylvia Park shopping mall in Mount Wellington has been evacuated.

Staff at the deLongi premises in Mt Wellington were being sent home because of the outage.

Source: NZ Herald