chinooktechie

Hi there, we are really keen to move to new zealand and are just starting to find out info, any help/suggestions/advice would be greatfully received.

My husband has been in the Raf for 15yrs, and is due to leave in october, he is a multi skilled engineering technician airframe/propulsion, I am a stay at home mum and we have a 12 yr old daughter.

Where is the best place to start, should we be job searching first or applying for visas, we are going to an expo soon so will hopefully be clearer on what we need to do.

Also does anyone have any suggestions on the best places to be looking for work or any other advice.

Thank you in advance

Charlie

MrsFychan

welcome and good luck.

you need to get yourself familiar with http://www.immigration.govt.nz/ which will have all the immigration requirements. As you are a SAHM you and your daughter will probably get a family visa off the back of any visa your husband gains. You should look at http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...k/workperm.htm and see if your husbands skills are on any of the lists.

From our experience the Expo's are useless but go and see if you can pick up business cards for removal firms, bank accounts and things like that. Don't agree to sign up with any Immigration Advisors as they charge a lot for basically things you can do your self, even if it is a bit time consuming, and 1 we met and spoke to even gave us incorrect information. When we had a query we just called NZ House in London and asked direct.

We have a good responsive bunch of people on here so if you have any queries I'm sure someone would have experience of it and be able to give you their advise and lead you in the right direction.

chinooktechie

thank you so much for your reply, we have looked and he is on the list of skills required, and thank you for the warning about agents, does anyone have any suggestion on what we should do first as far as the visa is concerned should we apply first and then seek employment or vice versa, also are there any stumbling blocks we need to avoid.

many thanks

MrsFychan

I would say fill in the EOI online and see what points you get (don't submit it as that costs and if you don't have enough points its a waste of money)
then go from there as to whether you need a job offer, which has to be from an approved employer.
If you know of any medicals problems you may have that might hamper the process look into that now as well.
If you have property are you going to sell or rent? If you sell what are you going to do with the household stuff.
Do you have enough money for the move over, start saving.
Do you have pets? what are you going to do with them.?

You say you have a daughter so try and get her some contact her age in the area you wish to move to before you go. I have a 10yr old daughter and having at least one child they know to meet when they go out was an extremely good move for us. We were lucking in that we had befriended someone on FB and he knew a child in his road the same age as my daughter so we made contact via him and her parents.

chinooktechie

thank you

BEVS

Kia Ora and welcome to this wee NZ forum.

The first place to start is with the NZIs website as MrsFychan has suggested.

You mention your husbands skills.

Please check HERE and come back with which occupation best fits your husband's qualifications and work experience.

From that, please go to HERE and let us know if that skill set is on either of the shortages lists and which list - also which occupation

You may also like to try the POINTS INDICATOR for the skilled migrant category and see how you do. The more points the better.

This will get both you and us started on this long and windy road.

Cheers.

zaras dad

Hello there,

Im ex RAF too (air traffic/FOA) from 1990-2000, was at odiham (so spotted the chinook reference a mile off),northolt,akrotiri and MPA.

Im over here cos i met my kiwi Mrs on my round the world trip so visa wasnt an issue.

What careers have you had or are in?

I think RNZAF mechs/techs are civvie - i could be wrong but have a look at the NZDF website and go from there.

If you have any specific questions then chocs away.

chinooktechie

hi, thanks for your responses, will look into everything suggested, i have done the points check and it came out as 165.

I am currently at odiham and have been here 3yrs, before that i was 6yrs at wittering and 4yrs at waddington.

I joined the air force in 1997 as an airframe tech straight from college and have been doing it ever since.

zaras dad

Do you know Neil robinson at all? He was at Odiham (i think he was on 7 , not sure)until a few years ago. Great lad. I knew him from akrotiri.

I was at Odiham from 1991-1994 - seems like an eternity ago.

Have you any leads for jobs. I think my sister has 165 points but she has a job offer as a nurse so shes coming soon

hazeandsteve

You won't necessarily walk into a job just because you're an ex-forces air tech.
Do you have a licence to bring with you? NZCAA won't recogniose an A licence, so don't waste your time and money on that.
There is contract work about, but obviously not on Chinooks or Sea Kings.
If you have a good history of sheety work, then Airwork at Mangere have got plenty on for the next few months.
Best of luck, keep in touch if you want via PM. I'm ex military, currently maintaining Robinsons, Squirrels, Hughes and Jet Rangers. Took me a bloody long time to get this job.
Have you considered a transfer to the military here?

jill.dalton

I agree about not looking to an immigration advisor for help. They are way too expensive and most of it you can do yourself. The people that run the Mov**** site have just started offering immigration advice which is great. About work, well we have been here for 8 months in the far north and jobs are pretty scarce unless you are a skilled cook. A lot of locals leave to find work in Australia =(. It is really great living here but finding work is a challenge.