dlmckay

Strange you should say that. The company section I'm working for is predominantly made up of migrants. We have Chinese, British (majority), South Africans, Australians, Sri Lankans, Fijians, Malaysians, Swiss and German!

kwprwn

The company i work for has brits and a couple of aussies, a german, a south african (hes the boss) along with a samoan, an indian ..think I have everyone now

Dirk1971

It's this 'Kiwi experience' that holds you back. Or it could be a myriad other reasons why it is difficult to get that first job. From what I have seen working for three companies now it that the non kiwi's seem more switched on anyway. Perhaps they are afraid? Who ****ing knows? All I know is I found it extremely hard to get work there :Not because I was useless, not because my references were rubbish, not because I couldn't do the job.

My belief is that my face didn't fit. That simple. Life goes on...

dlmckay

Sorry to hear that mate, but I'm going to disagree with the "kiwi" experience thing. Most of the migrants in my section are recruited direct from the Expo, so you can't say they definitely after "kiwi" experience.

What kind of work are you looking for? If you're in engineering or project management, my firm's screaming for people atm - the list of vacancies came out yesterday with nearly 40 priority posts on it!

eeagles

Thanks for this posting. I'm in the 'undecided' category and yes sometimes have taken what's posted on these forums and been a little bit influenced by them, talking myself out of spending all that money on a trip out to NZ (this Feb) with hubby and having to take kids out of school / nursery, etc., to do so. But, it's good to go through the undecided process I think... I've thought more about the country I'm planning to leave (appreciating the UK more) and I've imagined worst case scenario in NZ and NZ is winning 'just'.
Anyway, I've given myself a deadline - this coming Monday to decide whether I will visit NZ mid-Feb. I've yo-yo'd all week and yesterday I wanted to, then I didn't, then I did and this morning, I didn't, then I did, now still do... argh! but .
The visit is to help me decide whether to transfer (to office in Wellington). I've been thinking of emigrating for a couple of years, and here's my chance.
I've appreciated positive and negative postings, subjecting and objective. I read them with an open mind and work out which ones are personal and which are representative of NZ as a whole. But, I'm glad there is a mix of negative and positive and not all negative (like on one site I read all last weekend).
Thanks
E.

Batty

I sent you a PM on that other site a little while ago telling you about here in case you didn't know about it

BEVS

Bit surprised at your post True Red. Do you feel you haven't been given good information or answers to your questions then

when it comes down to the decision to live in another country, or for that matter to move anywhere, be it just up the road or the next town , no-one can make the decision but you and only you should decide what sits happily with you.

You can read all the forum posts you like. You can collate all the info you want, but at the end of the day it's really up to you and how much you want to do the move.

Someone mentioned pioneering spirit. I guess thats about right for those of us without connections , family or friends when we first come here.

No-one would have stopped us coming , although we took on board all that was said and written to us and we still got some things wrong ... and some things right.

I'm afraid , if you want to look at forums like these, then you will simply have to take the rough with the smooth. i.e. you will have to read the things you don't want to read along with the stuff you most want to read. That's because everyone is allowed their viewpoint. Its all valid.

What you have to do , if it matters that much, is to try and see what, in all the posts , is pertinent to you.

If you will be like dlmackay who made good with an adult apprenticeship, mortgage and kids - then take the measure from that.

If you are P Dust who has a small holding , a boat , no kids and one working - take it from that.

If you are older like us, trades people , one income, a mortage , a house . Potential to earn more but no frills at the moment. Take it from us.

Get my drift?

We are all different. Just pick the bits you need and discard the rest. Its that easy . No need to knock how anyone chooses to post, vent or celebrate.

ps
When you get here, welcome to Nz and pm me for help with plumbing exams.

Batty

Karma for that Bevs - good post.

Dirk1971

Hmm. Well I can only tell it as I've experienced it. There are some companies out there who will take on the migrants and there is a link somewhere for a list of companies.

When I talk of migrants im speaking for all of us, not just the Brits. Check out the number of engineers who are driving cabs...Are they getting a fair go?

I don't really care anymore i've landed on my feet big time with a lucrative ozzie government contract.

mazi

You should still visit - it's the only way you'll get any idea of whether you think you'll like the place but be aware that a visit is just that. It is wildly different to living there. After a period of 'real life' there your view may be different to the one you held when you were a 'tourist', but that is just something you'll have to accept may happen and you CAN leave if it doesn't work for you (well, it may take some time to leave of course if your finances are not what you'd like them to be but nothing is impossible).

This is only my experience/opinion but I 'visited' for three months before deciding to take the job offer and stay. I was, and remain, very grateful for the experience but I make no secret of the fact that I found living in NZ truly awful and I returned to Europe a shadow of my former self (in the emotional/personality sense, not the physical). Contrary to some people's beliefs I do not 'just hate' NZ, I have valid reasons for not enjoying my time there - too numerous to go into right here right now, but take it from me I went with a positive attitude and liked what I saw...at first. I tried to deny how unhappy I was becoming for some time but as time went on it just got worse and worse until I had to accept that I couldn't accept all the things that were plunging me into despair (and those things were peculiar to NZ, nothing to do with me just being a miserable person or having the 'wrong' attitude). It took a few months to organise but I eventually left and while I definitely was not 'me' when I got back to the Northern Hemisphere, 'me' is nearly back in full!

I am not saying this to try to put you off, just to try to make you aware that Ok, it may not turn out to be your place but if you don't go in the first instance it will definitely not be your place. So I say stick to the plan and go for a look, if nothing else you'll have a holiday and you'll be safe in the knowledge that you bought the T-shirt.

southerner

Thats probably the most insightful post I've read in a long time

ps. I almost wrote inciteful, which if it is a proper word, is normally how I would describe your posts.

Anyway, your point was a good one, immigration is a challenge, requiring a certain fortitude to make the jump, let alone succeed. Witness the hordes of people in Britain who say "you lucky b**tard" when they hear you are about to move overseas, but never in a million years would they consider doing the same. They are not up to the challenge.

Ian & Sharon

Well these post's are great hey!

You might or might not know that I moved to Oz a few weeks ago after living in NZ for 3 years.

Let you in to a bit of a secret NZ is more picturesque than most Brisbane suburbs, Rangiora is still one beautiful place. But hey I came here for the job and I have made the right move

my advice (for what its worth) would be to move to NZ if you want a relaxed lifestyle and have enough emergency money to get you out of trouble.
If I had this job in NZ and the weather was a bit warmer I would not have moved over here, that's being honest

ian

kiwi_child

Same thing happens in OZ. Usually the problem is either verifying their quals or they need to take some further study to come up to the domestic standard. In the meantime they need to earn money like anyone else.

If you get a cab in a place like Sydney often these new drivers don't know where the hell they are meant to be taking you or the shortest route there! In Perth, well you just can't get cabs to turn up half the bloody time! And getting one in the street is nigh impossible (as was attested to when 'the amazing race' contestants visited.)

Nerine

Many people who make the move from NZ to Oz probably move for exactly the same reasons, yours are very much the same as ours: better climate, better job opportunities, better opportunities all round.

You've seen it said time and time again: "you can't eat the scenery" and as beautiful as NZ is it is doesn't 'sustain' as well as it should. It could be that it will get there in 20 years or so but I can't wait that long. That's another generation's slice of cake.

Sending you some karma you lucky thing. The forecast last night was for 38 degrees in Brisbane today, more like autumn here

Ian & Sharon

Thanks Luv

Wow, 38 degrees today eh! That will be me looking for shade then