love30stm

If I had to choose it would be Auckland. Haven't been for a while but going for a weekend in may. And never visited outside the city and I've heard some lovely areas. Unfortuately wouldn't be able to live in a good area as expensive.

But I do love the vibrancy and life in the city and easy to see bands as they usually always go to Auckland. So lucky you Justcool

jmh

Well I haven't lived in ChCh since I was about 2 (was born there) and I live in Auckland mainly because that's where my family are. My only thoughts are if so many people are leaving, then that's a pretty clear message IMO. Many of those leaving have school age children and schools are having to lay off teachers due to falling rolls (their jobs were protected for a year). Maybe there are safe parts to live in, I don't know, but plenty of locals have decided to leave and not take the chance.

luvwelly

Agreed. Stacey, if you can choose to be based elsewhere, if I were you I would definitely avoid Christchurch. Be kind to yourselves, make your NZ adventure as easy as possible.

BEVS

Really. Perhaps you need to focus on how you can stay in NZ. We - me have put a lot of time and effort into this for you and I am beginning to get a bit a bit of a wiff TBH.
It seems to me you are much less about how you can arrive& actually stay and more about reading ,nd then posting comments about anyone you feel is a 'positive'.

Now. You stated you will be discussing your options over the weekend with your OH. Do just that & get back here with something concrete because most people that aim to emigrate have just this. A concrete aim to arrive. That should be your focus.

there is this....
is madness given how it can be here.

and this

and this has made me cross. I now live with people that no longer wish to live in the Christchurch area for very many, very personal reasons.

What?

BEVS

Welcome back.

I'll pick the bits of your post if that's OK. Too late - I already did.

Um. No. Not hard, if he is a fully qualified, time served UK plumber he just needs to do the practical skill test assessment and the registration exam. No need for a full apprenticeship. NZQA assessment these days first. NVQ 3 or above. C&G to advanced. 4 years.
Takes time mind you.


If my memory serves me , were you with the NHS?

Um - I'm not sure on the plumbing apprenticeship thing. It's not in shortage here. He would need to find work in the trade and then find someone to take him on as an adult apprentice ( dirt cheap, minimum wage). TBH many fail at this. Xch isn't yet needing plumbers down there that much. If they were , all those looking for work ( work has been very quiet ) would be flocking to the place.

Expat Kiwi

The problem with Christchurch is that it is still suffering from its natural disaster, whereas it's been a while since Auckland's had one.

I don't think I'd want to live anywhere I couldn't get insurance for and it is nice to come home and find your house as you left it in the morning.

Besides, Christchurch's recovery won't start until
a. it stops shaking and
b. people stop leaving it for Auckland and Australia where the jobs are.

I know people over here who have to do contract work in Christchurch and boy are they glad to get back.

BEVS

May I just also say that they leave for other areas of NZ also. Nelson is one such area.

daviesl

Hi everyone, thanks very much for all the replies. I knew it would be a lively one.

Sounds like there isn't much work going in either place at the moment. OH is C&G qualified and so we felt it would probably be best for him to sit his apprenticeship and get fully NZ qualified, as this time we hope to stay.

As always there are pro's and con's of both places and good to get peoples views and opinions. To be honest we are probably swaying towards Auckland (providing we can afford to live there) as we have friends in Auckland and dotted around the North Island. Our logic was that hopefully OH would stand more of a chance of getting an apprenticeship in a bigger city than a smaller one, but that may seem debatable now.

sparkytoad

Bevs, how do you do the big how thingy?

I'm going to Auckland btw....

scottishstacey

Well im sorry if i've offended people, wasnt my intention at all.

Dont think i'll be back here.

Take care everyone.

Justcol

Wow Bevs, you are on fire tonight baby...lol

theghostofdustybin

If you want an exciting citylife, you'd be nuts to choose to live in nz....

love30stm

And you don't know what you miss till its gone

Justcol

But we have massive prawns..

waikatoguy

I think it depends on what you're after and what your motives are. I think moving to Christchurch could turn out to be rewarding, if you're in construction. I don't know how it would feel helping virtually build a whole brand new city centre from scratch, but I can sort of imagine it. A lot of people are living quite happily there and the aftershocks 'seem' to be diminishing (touch wood). Despite popular belief, there has not been a mass exodus of people from Christchurch, from what I understand.