New members of the New Zealand forum, introduce yourselves here - 2018

Hi I am planning to move to NZ in the near future. It will be nice to meet new people.
Hoping to see the best of what my new home has to offer xx

Hi Folkes,
I have just signed up to try and find the best course of action to applying for a visa to NZ, I am 35  and my fiancé is 30 and we are looking to work and travel within NZ for 2 years approximately, with the intention of possibly Staying. WE are both degree qualified, Mechanical Engineer and Zoologist/ Environmental manager, both working in renewable industries with 8 and 5 years experience on top of various other working experience. I am unsure of the best visa application that we should take, and if to apply separately or together. If someone can point me in the direction of a thread to read or indeed give advise this would be great. We are looking to make the move at the end of the year.
Thanks Matt

Hi Matt,

My husband and I currently live in New Zealand.  My husband is a Mechanical Engineer.  We were able to get a skilled migrant visa based on his degree and experience, which also means we came in as residents.  I recommend looking into this option.  Here is a link to my blog which provides more information.  Hope it helps. 

libyourlife.com/?page_id=517

Please feel free to reach out with any questions, as we're happy to help.


Cheers!
Kristy

Hi Kirsty, thank you for getting in touch. Your link is under review right now so I cannot see it but I'm sure it will come through fine. Where is it you are based. I'm so keen to move from the UK as is my fiancé who it is easier for as she can go under the working visa should it come through. Any help or direction is great to receive. I have even been looking at the whole live in someone else's house option to garden clean etc for free board and food. Just to experience life out there more than a holiday.

Thanks Matt

Hi Matt,

My husband and I live in Christchurch.  We've been living here almost 18 months.   

It appears the link should be approved now  - http://www.libyourlife.com/?page_id=517.  This is the story of our visa process.  I thought it may provide some insight since you indicated you were a mechanical engineer and also over the age of 30. 

We found the visa process to be pretty straightforward and found the New Zealand immigration website to be user-friendly.  Please be aware that criteria for the skilled migrant visa has changed since we applied so you will need to check online for the most recent criteria. 

Cheers!
Kristy

Hi Kirsty,
Yes I believe it has although on the immigration site it appears to still be the same. Apparently you need 160 points now which is near impossible without a job offer. I can come on a 6 month holiday if need be. And just use savings..  going to get the application in next week and job hunting soon after.. if your husband knows of anything I would be grateful for a point in the direction.

Thanks again.
Matt

Hi All 

My name is Dominique my Fiance and I are both born and bred South Africans age 35 & 42 we are both hoping to be able to immigrate to New Zealand for a better and safer family life . We have a 7 year old little boy as well so the safety aspect is really a deciding factor for us. We love the Can do attitude of New Zealanders, the Climate, scenery and just so many different aspects. I joined this site to hopefully try and get a bit of a better understanding of how to go about things. I am currently employed as an intermediate life support paramedic, I know New Zealand has other medical requirements for this specific qualification. I have about 6 or more years administration experience in the health care sector . Currently my Fiance is a Coordinator for a provincial dispatch team in the fire fighting sector and is also studying disaster risk management. We both have various skills in other industries too namely English tutoring, tour guide experience, security management, Au pairing, call center experience. Any advice that can get passed along will be greatly appreciated.
Warm & friendly greetings from The Saffa's 

Hi there everyone, My name is Maureen and Hubby Shane Vermaak. Age 37 and 42. We have two daughters ages 11 and 13. We are both hoping to immigrate to NZ. We joined this site to hopefully see job offerings in the Petroleum industry. Shane is a National Operations Manager in the petroleum industry.  I am a Wedding Photographer. The way I see it is for him to get a job offering there. Any advice will be highly appreciated.
Warm Regards
Maureen and Shane

My name is Victor am a Nigerian living in Uae,but would love to move over to new Zealand. Am a cake decorator by training, I also have a BA in English/literature.So if there's any way I can be helped through this platform, I would be grateful.

Hello, I am planning to move to NZ in the near future, hope to get good help from this forum.

Hi everyone, I am new here, Just came here one week ago and until now everything has been fantastic. I am looking for a good private primary school for my daughter. Any recommendations?

Hi everyone, I am looking for jobs as a nanny, babysitter or fruit picking and packing. In every jobs I have experience and can give reverence. I am over 30, so I will go with another visa then work&travel.

You would definitely need the appropriate visa to work.
At present there is a large shortage of fruit pickers for the kiwi fruit harvest and so the Govt is allowing people on tourist visas to work at picking the kiwi fruit. The season is starting now.

Hello everyone! I'm hoping to immigrate to NZ with my family.  While searching for jobs I stumbled upon this forum. Based on what I've check with the recruitment agencies, many turned me down due to the fact that I do not have a visa and unfortunately I could not obtain a visa without a job offer. I hope there are some lucky ones who got their job offer.

hello everyone.i wana move to nz for work..how do i proceed to get an offer letter?i have tried applying many places but no answer..i have a degree in biotechnology and have working experience as a medical lab tech...can someone please help me?

Kia Ora folks,

Moving to New Zealand is going to be one of my life's milestones. I fell in love with New Zealand after I have spent two months in Auckland back in 2011.

Loved the simplicity of life, laid back easy going people, the native culture and the breath taking landscape.


I am here to make friends, and get myself the support I need through my journey.


Cheers,

Hi Maureen and Shane,
Hope you guys are doing great. I was pleasantly surprised when I read got to know that Shane is from the oil and gas industry. Infact,  I have been working in an oil refinery since the last 10 years.

I am planning to apply for New Zealand PR.  I will greatly appreciate if Shane can share some information on opportunities in the petroleum industry.

Hi my name is Nic and my wife is Jenni 3 children between us 17,8,7 yrs old . i am nearly 40 and the wife is 38. i am a carpenter by trade with 5 yrs experience behind me. We have decided on moving to New Zealand . so i would like to hear back from anyone in the construction industry who can give me the low down on what its like from wages to work life balance.

Hi and welcome to the forum Nicol_Jen 

Average gross hourly rate for carpenter is NZ$25.41 www.payscale.com
Tax rates vary www.ird.govt.nz
For living costs www.numbeo.com

Also take the time to read through posts here in the forum for information.

Hi everyone! I am Yora and I am from Manila, Philippines.  I got accepted at a school in Wellington. I went there for a vacation last March and I loved it. I love cooking and I have always wanted to learn more skills for this. Therefore, I decided to study again, this time in culinary.

I am still in the process of applying for a student visa, which I hope will get approved. This will be the first time that I am going to be staying in another country (where I do not know anyone) for more than 3 months, so I am quite nervous.

I joined here hoping to make new friends in Wellington and get advice or tips from people who are relocating or have relocated to another country, whether permanently or for studies.

Hi All.. a new- bie   here.
Been in the country for 2yrs Now...still getting to know around as well as making friends.
lovely to stumble on this forum
Thank You.
Nelly

Hi Nellie and welcome to the forum 

Hi expatriates

I am planning to take apprentice  for three years in New Zealand in the last of this year.
This very good chance to meet new people planning to move there.
I wish good chance and enjoy in wonderful New Zealand.

Good luck!

Kia Ora!
I am wishing and hoping to move to NZ soon. I am from Iran and as long as I remembered I adored this beautiful and peaceful country.
I studied architecture and worked in field of sustainable tourism
have some experiences in landscape design and textile design too
more than anything I am looking for pointers and tips that can help me find my way to NZ

hi sir i would like to work New Zealand  public transport

Hi,

Im a new mum of a kiwi baby (his dad a kiwi),  we are planning to process a partnership work visa withy partner together with the nz citizenship by descent with our little one.

Hope all goes well.

Hi, I am moving to Auckland in Oct. My husband works in I.T and we are immigrating through his job. We are looking at Avondale area and schools. We have two girls 7 & 12. Anyone any advice on this area?
I am currently a school secretary in Ireland and will be looking for work once the kids have settled in. I've also worked as a sales & marketing coordinator for 10yrs.

Hi all my name is Andrew Cameron and from Wales UK me and my partner are hopefully moving out to Hawkes Bay New Zealand , I've had the job offer but my Electrical qualifications needs to be assessed by the EWBR . I've had a look through it and it seems daunting can anyone share some advice or information on the process please.  What information or details do they require from the work references and is there any templates which i can have a look at  I've got my City&Guilds and apparently it's on their list of recognised certificates . What does this mean ?, does it mean I'm exempt from certain areas of the process . Any info would be appreciated.  Thanks

Kia Ora

Greetings from Indonesia, I hope things are going well for you.

Let me introduce myself, my name is Juliana, I've been to New Zealand for such a long time in 2016 because I have some relatives who live there and I wanted to let you know that I have a plan to apply for a job in  New Plymouth for next month and live with my partner. However, I am still hoping there are still opportunities for me to apply for any vacancies available at your place.

I will send you my updated CV if some of you are interest in me. I look forward to hearing from you. Do not hesitate to contact me if you need any assistance.

Warm regards,

Juliana

Hi everyone. Im Portia from Zimbabwe. Im a Certified Accountant looking for job opportunities in NZ.

Hi there,
We are a family with 3 teen sons just starting and not using an agent. We have so many worries and hope it's a smooth process. Hubby is an electrician and we believe he needs to register with the EWRB in order to even look at jobs in NZ. The plan is to then search on the seek website for work for him. Concerned he won't find work with a limited licence and not sure where the safety courses are to be done. (On/offshore)  . We are prepared to send hubby to NZ for interviews and to settle in before we leave SA.
I would love to be in Auckland by January so my son's can have a full year at the new school. It will be quite an adjustment for them and with one being in grade 9, not really good for him to change at this stage but we may make him repeat grade 9 just to get his feet under him.

So much to think about, so many concerns and we truthfully don't know where to begin, really. So we would appreciate any information or tips from you guys.

Thank you

Hi,
Have you moved already?

Hi. No, only just sent off for hubby's ewrb . Now we wait 6 weeks and hope there aren't any delays.

All the best...
Am yet to submit my expression of interest... waiting for PAR assessment of my wife..
If I may ask, at how many points he got invited?. How long did it take and any lessons learned during the process?
My domain is Procurement Manager but I don't meet the qualification they have stipulated in the job code. But I presume they will consider my work experience in lieu of the qualification. But I may be wrong..
Lastly, I prefer Wellington over Auckland and I understand there are points for making that choice too.. but don't know at what stage they are factored. Their self assessment tool does not give that option....
Thanks!

The ewrb is only the very first step.  We met with an agent and scored over 170 points but we are doing this without an agent now so we are going on steps not points.  Plan is to get his registration done then look for work. This is electrician which I believe is needed in NZ. It may be different for other fields.

Good strategy...which agency and what fees he charged for confirming points?

Good day All.
My name is Christoff Pretorius, I am currently in South Africa. Hopinh to get a job offer soon to move to New Zealand. I am a Senior Site Manager in Construction and been in Construction for 9 years. I am really hoping to do this change as my wife and I have a 1 year old daughter and we just want the best for her. Thanks for this site. Going through everything and learning a lot already.

Hi ChristoffP and welcome to the forum 

For some information that may be of interest to you please go to 'Discover'at the top of this page and check out the New Zealand Guide there.