moving to new zealand chirstchurch

kai michael also our first place would of being the north island .but i believe not much work for plasterers thier is this true .any plasterers out thier could give me any advice would be great ta.any big firm in the north island at all.

Hi  kai michael,

Welcome to expat-blog!

This new topic was created from your previous post for better visibility on the  Christchurch forum.

Wishes you all the best

David.

Hey what does your wife do?

Hi Kai
How you doing, I posted a message a last month to move to Christ church, just saw your posting very similar to mine,
Have you had any luck yet, have you moved over?

Wage of $24/ hour would leave you earning about $960 per week before tax. Rents for a reasonable house are upwards of $400 per week. This doesnt leave an awful lot of money after tax and rent for you to establish life here. (most rentals are unfurnished).

I would talk to your prospective employer about accommodation options as many companies are finding they have to help to get the necessary workers into chch.

I have immigrated and am on the North Island. Have been here 10 months and am trying to get to the south island as I find the north island too crowded and too expensive. I spent a few months in Dunedin and loved it there but not much in the way of job opportunities. $24 an hour for a family of 4 does not sound like a lot. If your wife could work or you will be getting overtime it would probably be do able. You need about $1100 a week for a family of 4 so if you are working more than 40 hours a week  and getting overtime pay you will probably do alright. The country is lovely here. I am sure you will like it once you get here and get settled. See if your employer will put you in housing for a few months until you can look around and see which neighborhood you want to live in. Try looking on trademe.co.nz to compare prices and look at rentals.

hi john sorry for late reply being so busy .No we havent moved over yet got a few issues .Disapointed being told 24 dollars wouldnt really be good enough cost of rentals and living sounds pretty high dont know what to do really .We all was really looking forward but just doesnt sound do able on my income my wifes a medical receptionist but she is settling the children in first isnt working straight away.Sounds like id have to be working 7 days a week to just be okay and we want a better life and that wouldnt be at all ta.REALLY DISAPOINTED im not giving up though must be some way.

Hi thier and welcome thanks for reply really disapointed about the prospects 24 dollars just isnt enough id have to be working 7 days a week and that no life at all i want better quality of life and it just wouldnt be . But i wont give up we have got good amount of savings though we could put a big deposit on a house that could be possible.

she is a medical recepitionist but she wont be working straight away she is settling the children in first.

Hi thier really disapointed it sounds like id be working 7 days a week and that not what i want .We want a better life and that simply isnt we have got decent amount of savings might have to buy house which we didnt want to do straight away wanted to rent for a bit then look to buy not going to give in really wanted to go to the northland whangrai area but no jobs up thier or its hard to get job up thier .

cheers david

Don't give up on your dream - where there is a will there is a way! There are plenty of people earning less than $24 an hour and managing, BUT I think housing will be your biggest issue. Rents here in Christchurch are really high due to lack of supply and house prices themselves are just going up and up..... Depending on what area you buy in you will need a minimum of $350,000 to get anything half decent (and that won't be a palace by any means). If you here with residency you should be OK to get a mortgage although they are clamping down on lending over 80% of property value. Non residents need much more equity to be able to buy a house....
Christchurch is such a wonderful place though, and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, and that's coming from someone who arrived just in time for all the earthquakes!!