thegl

Hi there!
Have been been browsing the forum for a good few weeks now and have found it a brilliant source of information on NZ, so have decided to join.

Me, OH and our two young children are hoping to be in Christchurch next year (would have been a little sooner but recent birth of our second child has slowed us down a bit!) we look forward to bringing up our kids in NZ.

EOI was submitted last March and NZQA of trade qualifications completed too. We are now at the stage of being asked to apply for PR, so need to start getting medicals sorted!

I visited NZ last January and loved it. I'm hoping to get work as a carpenter - if any one has any info regarding work availability for carpentry it would be much appreciated.

Thanks

happynz

Wow...Lotsa folks headed to Christchurch. Cool.

As`a carpenter you should have little difficulty in finding work. In my inner Christchurch suburb there's a lot of work going on and I'm sure you would be hired quick smart. Sorry, I'm not in the construction business so I cant give you any useful leads, but from what I see tradesmen seem to be flat out busy.

EmandKen

Hi

Yippee! Another Christchurch bound family! We too are hopefully heading to Christchurch middle of next year. We are applying for PR and our ITA is in. Just have to sell the house now - not proving too easy at the mo. I'm a teacher and hubby is computer porgrammer and it's us and our 2 cats. Let us know how you get on! Hope it all goes well and welcome to the site.
Emma and Ken

hjmilligan

Hi,
Moved to NZ in june this year,living 25 mins outside Christchurch.
Hubby a painter the trades here are so short of workers Chippys the main one,so no probs there with job

Good luck

Dustybin

No clue about chippies, but welcome anyway. I would try and get a pint out of you but i've turned over a new leaf!!

have fun!!

hjmilligan

Just type in the press on internet,then you find jobs for chippies and the herald


Helen

thegl

Thanks for the welcomes! Some encouraging feedback about work for carpenters - I'll try searching the Herald - thanks for the tip hjmilligan!

Looking at the other intro threads, seems as if Rangiora is a very popular place to settle for those heading to Christchurch - I must admit that when I was over in NZ last January I checked out some newbuild houses going up in that area and was impressed with what was available - seems as if Rangiora may be the place to be!

hjmilligan

Rangiora is a lovely town 25 mins from Christchurch an easy commute if you need to go into the city.
The town has everything you need on your doorstep friendly people and you are close to all the outdoor activities.

We love it here!

wilky07

Hi people

Im new to this, My names Mike, im 21 and i am very interested in moving to Christchurch, Someone is out there who is willing to help me find work when i get there but i need to sort out accomadation and flights. I am unsure how long i want to stay, i suppose it depends on if i like it. I am tavelling alone, just to get away from troubles at home. I live in Manchester and i would be very very grateful if someone could give me info on where and how to get cheap flights and accommadation. Also could you tell me which visa i would need to apply for and how !! Thanks you

Mike

happynz

You are young enough to qualify for a Work Holiday Visa. Then you could work at what you like without the need for a sponsoring employer nor would you need to show evidence to New Zealand Immigration Service that you have any particular qualifications. You'd also avoid medicals and police clearances. If you should decide that New Zealand is the place that you want to stay you then have further options that depend on your work experience, qualifications and/or relationship circumstances.

You can easily find a room to rent here from NZ$60/week (probably a bit grotty at that price) on up to whatever. NZ$100 week should find you something fairly satisfactory.

Sorry, I can't offer any advice about flights.

Good luck.

wilky07

Hi again........ I have a NVQ level 2 in construction civil engineering and i also have plant ( digger and dumper ) lisences. Ive had a look at some places to stay and my god its much cheaper over there than over here for a house to rent. So really i just need some info on cheap flights and how to get this workin visa and how long does it last?

Thank you for your help.. Very grateful MIke

wilky07

Avoidin police checks would be better aswell as i have some on going driving affences.

happynz

First off, a visa will state what your intentions are travelling to New Zealand and a permit is what allows you to do what is stated on your visa. Unless you can get a job offer outside of New Zealand and you are not going over on a Work Holiday Visa you are not going to be travelling on a 'working visa'.

Assuming you find a cheap flight and you are just going for it - damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead and all that - you will arrive in New Zealand and be given a visitor permit which has an initial validity of six months. You will not be legally able to work, but you are free to look for work.

Hop on a plane and come on down. Bring every scrap of work documentation that you have. Hit the job sites. Talk yourself up and hopefully you will get a job offer. With your skill level I believe you will need to have the employer show evidence that no local Kiwi could be found to do the work that you will be hired for. Take your paperwork down to the New Zealand Immigration Service in Cathedral Square and they should be able to fix you up with a work permit.

happynz

I'll try to ignore your spelling 'affences'.


From the NZIS site:

Good character
To grant you a New Zealand visa or permit we need to be assured that you and any family included in your application are of good character. We make this requirement to protect the well being and security of New Zealanders.

Under section 7(1) of the Immigration Act we will not grant you a visa or permit if:

* you have been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 5 years or more (this applies even if any of your offences have later been taken off the record)
* in the past 10 years you were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 12 months or more
* currently, you have a removal order from New Zealand in force against you
* you have been deported from any country, including New Zealand
* you have been involved in terrorist activities, or belonged to or supported any organisation involved in terrorist activities
* it is believed you are likely to commit – or to assist others to commit – criminal or drug offences, or an act of terrorism, in New Zealand
* it is believed you are likely – due to any international circumstances – to be a danger to New Zealand’s security or public order
* it is believed you are associated with an organisation or group that has criminal objectives or is engaged in criminal activities and for that – or any other reason – you’re considered to be a threat to the public interest or public order of New Zealand.

We carry out character checks on everyone 17 years or over included in residence applications or applying for temporary entry for 24 months or longer. We may also undertake a character check on anyone else that we consider may not meet our character requirements.



Providing evidence of good character
If you are coming to New Zealand for 24 months or longer you'll have to provide police certificates as evidence of your good character. We need to see certificates:



* everyone 17 years and over included in your application for residence
* everyone 17 years and over included in your application for a temporary visa and/or permit for 24 months or longer.




We need certificates from:



* your country of citizenship (unless you can prove you never lived there)
and

if you are applying for residence:

* any country you have been in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years, whether in one or more visits. If you are already in New Zealand, for example, under our Work to Residence category, this includes obtaining a police certificate from the New Zealand police,
or

if you are applying for a temporary entry visa and/or permit:

* any country you’ve lived in for 5 or more years since turning 17.



See how to obtain a Police Certificate for information on what to do.



If for some reason you cannot get a Police certificate, contact the Immigration New Zealand branch at which you will be lodging your application.