Recent experience with WP and EOS (May 2018)
Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2018 4:21 pm
Just an update on my recent lived experience (yes, yes, yours may vary) with work permits and extension of stay.
I've been plugging away to get the $130 work permit online for the past few months and am in a cycle of resubmit/review/resubmit. The final issue is that I'm applying as a teacher, and my letter of employment must not only bear the school stamp but now must also bear a stamp from Ministry of Education showing it's a registered document. I've tried to resubmit a couple of versions of this document without the MoE stamp but it keeps coming back for review on this point. Oddly, none of the other school staff have had this requirement, but they all pay more than $300pa to an agent and I'm determined I'm not doing that.
The fines for previous years are a separate amount.
I submitted a visa EOS for myself and Mrs Stroppy (who is Australian) at everyone's friend Lucky Lucky last week and needed to provide the letter of employment document (only) along with passports and photos, which is now a requirement for all teachers, apparently to stamp out fake employment letters being submitted by "teachers." Oddly the letter I provided didn't have the MoE stamp (despite the government sample on the wall showing one) and LL stated they would sort it out. We'll see. Cost was $285 each for the year, and my employment letter had to state I was responsible for Mrs Stroppy and that she is a non-working spouse. This last part was checked carefully by several staff.
As stated, YEMV, and probably will.
I've been plugging away to get the $130 work permit online for the past few months and am in a cycle of resubmit/review/resubmit. The final issue is that I'm applying as a teacher, and my letter of employment must not only bear the school stamp but now must also bear a stamp from Ministry of Education showing it's a registered document. I've tried to resubmit a couple of versions of this document without the MoE stamp but it keeps coming back for review on this point. Oddly, none of the other school staff have had this requirement, but they all pay more than $300pa to an agent and I'm determined I'm not doing that.
The fines for previous years are a separate amount.
I submitted a visa EOS for myself and Mrs Stroppy (who is Australian) at everyone's friend Lucky Lucky last week and needed to provide the letter of employment document (only) along with passports and photos, which is now a requirement for all teachers, apparently to stamp out fake employment letters being submitted by "teachers." Oddly the letter I provided didn't have the MoE stamp (despite the government sample on the wall showing one) and LL stated they would sort it out. We'll see. Cost was $285 each for the year, and my employment letter had to state I was responsible for Mrs Stroppy and that she is a non-working spouse. This last part was checked carefully by several staff.
As stated, YEMV, and probably will.