British Expats - help plumberwants to go to New Zealand

Acronyms to help:-

NZIS - New Zealand Immigration Service
PGDB - Plumbing, Gasfitting, Drainlaying Board of New Zealand
EOI - Expression of Interest when first apply to NZ
ITA - Invitation to Apply
PR - Permanent Residency.
LTSSL - Long Term Skill Shortage List.
SMC - Skilled Migrant Category

Any links to forms and helpful websites will appear in blue.

Plumbing is on the Long Term Skill Shortages List so, in theory , he should be fine to emigrate to New Zealand under the Skilled Migrant Category, provided he has the correct level of UK qualifications & experience to start with.

I will also say that he shouldn't need to fork out for an agent. It's pretty straightforward if he has the correct quals.

To find out whether or not your brother has enough UK qualifications and work experience he would first send in all his details to the PGDB for a preliminary assessment. Cost $400.

Please be aware that the PGDB do not fully recognise any overseas qualifications. What they do is assess whether or not they consider overseas quals and work exp. to meet their parameters . If they do ,then they will state the overseas plumber is eligible to sit their PGDB Registration exam and assessment.

What he would want to see back is a letter from the PGDB stating that they have assessed his merits and that he will be eligible to take the exam and assessment for PGDB registration.

NZIS have a requirement that a plumber coming into NZ must be able to become NZ PGDB registered in order to meet their trade skill standard.

Once you have the letter , then that should be enough to satisfy NZIS that he , as a plumber, has the correct skill level.

The correct skill level seems to be set at around UK NVQ3 , C&G advanced or similar. In other words the PGDB of NZ will only really consider those UK plumbers that are considered fully qualified/certified in the UK. With gas , CORGI registration is needed.

Once your brother arrives in NZ , he can work as a plumber under a PGDB Limited Licence until he becomes registered. This means that all his work must be directly supervised and signed off. He cannot get this licence until he has a job offer and an employer to countersign it.

To become fully NZ registered he must sit the PGDB exam and undertake the 4 day assessment in Wellington . Cost $3500. If successful he can then buy his NZ PGDB Registration licence.

There is nothing to stop him sending in a preliminary assessment and if he gets a positive reply, then arranging through the PGDB to fly to NZ to take this assessment if he wishes. Expensive but possible.

It is not a course - It is an assessment and exam. It is a pass or fail situation. If he fails , then he can re-sit at the cost of another $2000.

Link to the PGDB assessment form and guide. Its a PDF download and file.

Your brother should be aware that there are aspects of NZ plumbing as a trade that do not match the UK as a trade. He will also be required to know about NZ standards , regulations, the NZ building code etc. NZ plumbers get involved in guttering ,as in making the stuff. They braze joints and still use crox tools. Fittings are frowned on. Boss white and PTFE is slowly coming in. They also must know something of drainage and maths.

Please have your brother take a look at previous registration exams to get an idea of what final year apprentices are expected to know when they sit the NZ registration exam .

This 4 day assessment and exam process is new. Once we hear from overseas plumbers that have actually done this, then we will all know more about the content.

It could be that a course will be available at Wellington or Auckland prior to taking the assessment, so that the overseas plumber at least has some guidance before parting with shed loads of money.

Your brother should also email [email protected] for information, details and guidance.