jon/gas/fitter

hi guys im a qualified plumber and gas fitter in the UK, looking to move to NZ, what is the demand like? and if there are any plumbers or gas fitters reading this can u tell me what forms of heating and hot water systems are used in NZ. any info would be greatly appreciated.

Winnie

I reckon if you started your own business with competitive prices for central heating you'd have a winner. Business alone from the Brits would keep you comfortable. We're looking at buying a house at the end of the year and our top priority will be central heating! I've heard a lot of ex pats saying these last couple of weeks that they're also getting central heating, but it's expensive here. Maybe a winner for you?

sky

Beware though you have to go through lots of NZ exams and a lot of expense before you can go self employed or work even on your own without supervision. Do a search and see what old threads you can find on this cos I'm no plumber but I've heard horror stories from some who are.

BEVS

Or you could , of course, have directed the bloke to us for some actual help. You are very well aware which of us are plumbers

Jon. sorry mate for the above comment to Sky but how daft not to point you in the right direction. Had you been a brickie I would have pointed you to Sky with no problems.

--------------------------------------------

myself Apollo10 or Scottish can help here.

Jon.

Plumbers and gasfitters are on the immediate shortage lists for New Zealand.

Yes - plumbers are in high demand.

You will need to have your qualifications assessed by the Plumbing Board of New Zealand to see if they meet the standard.

It is possible for you to gain entry to New Zealand to work using your skills, as they are on the shortages list.

Are you looking to emigrate or simply to come and work for a couple of years ?

You will not be allowed to become self-employed until you have sat and passed at least three exams.

Even if your qualifications are recognised by the New Zealand Plumbing Board , you will not be rocgnised as a qualified tradesman in New Zealand until you pass one exam.

If they do not recognise your qualifications or feel you have enough work experience, then you will still be able to work as a plumber in a restircted capacity.

Are you interest to know more ?
Are you serious about coming to NZ?

I can give you ALL you need to know about plumbing in NZ.

It will be lengthy....................................

sky

I think you have covered this on the forum before and that's why I said do a search. I could have always said nothing My husband isn't in the building trade any more so why would you tell folk to ask Sky about bricklaying?
Now leave me alone

jon/gas/fitter

hi apollo 10, any info would be great im seriously looking to move to nz within the next 2 years, id be looking more for the gas side of the industry servicing and reparing central heating, is corgi recognised in nz?

BEVS

For them to gain help & insight from your true-life experiences as a UK migrant family that came out under the SMC , under your husbands considerable skills as a bricklayer, of course. No more and no less. You have always been happy to share what happened to you, your husband and your family , as a result of his employment in NZ as a bricklayer on any of the forums before.

So, asking you nicely, pretty please ---- if you see a plumber/gasfitter like Jon asking directly for help regarding plumbing/gasfitting drainlaying and all that lark, would you kindly point them directly in Apollo10 direction or Scottish for that matter, just as you have done for years, before you got the hump with me .
Please put your ire from elsewhere aside.
Its the would be migrant asking for help that suffers, is given the run around, spends money they don't need to otherwise, not you and not me.

BEVS

Hi Jon.

Yes CORGI is part recognised in New Zealand.

The majority of homes in New Zealand are not heated by central heating. Heat pumps are the new up-coming method of heating a home . Wood burners are still the norm. Underfloor heating is sometimes used - though expensive to run.

Much of the gas is bottled LPG . Most places don't have reticulated gas. Dunedin does . Parts of Auckland has . None in Christchurch city.
You wouldn't see a combi boiler in every day plumbing life neither would you see central heating.

You do get gas hobs, gas fires [ coming back into fashion], gas water heaters.
There are companies that do water filled heating systems. Thing is , unless the town has reticulated gas, then the LPG gas bottles need refilling every three months or so which puts folk off.

You will need to have your gas qualifications assessed by the PGDB - that is the Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying Board of New Zealand.

http://www.pgdb.co.nz/

You can find the form to download on the web site.

They will require proof of your apprenticeship and certified copies of your C&G or NVQs. You can get the copies certified at any Notary.
You will also need a certified copy of your current ACS/ACOPS module certificate and a copy of your CORGI gas registration.
Gather together all your work experience. A CV and reference about your work. When you look at the form you will see why.

Send the form together with the fees and paperwork off to the PGDB who will ASSESS your qualifications to see if they meet their standards.

If they do, they will send you a letter stating that they will recognise your qualifications.

That letter is enough to satisfy the New Zealand Immigration service that you are skilled for the Skilled Migrant Category. This will get you the p[oints for the skill.
Of course, you will get more points if you can obtain a job offer in the gasfitting trade.
More points the better for an application to migrate.

That the PGDB say they recognise your qualfications does not mean you can come into New Zealand as a qualified gas fitter . You can't.
They only really part recognise them.
You will be regarded as unqualified until you sit and pass a 3 hour registration exam.
Until that time you may work as a gasfitter in New Zealand for an employer under what is called a Limited License. That is, your work will be supervised and signed off by a New Zealand Registered Gas fitter.

You must work for an employer. You may not become self-employed or do 'private' jobs on the side. Just as with CORGI, there is a commissioning procedure.

If you are interested in becoming self-employed at some point then you can do so once you have sat two/three further exams. One is a business exam and the others advanced gasfitting.

You are not allowed to sit the business exam until one year after you pass your Registration Exam. You may not sit the advanced gasfitting until two years after you pass the Registration exam.

They are introducing competance bases gas licenses here. Rather like CORGI.
The licenses are renewable annually.

One good thing is that the gas exams are no where near as complicated as the plumbing ones

Gas association link. You may find this helpful.

http://www.ganz.org.nz/index.cfm/FAQs.

Any more questions, please ask away. Glad to help.

sky

Well it's ridiculous that you would talk to me on the open forum but not in a reply pm to the one I sent you last night or in a phone call to me. I phoned you this morning to sort this out but no return phone call as yet . Who has the hump with who I wonder ???
My husband is not a bricklayer anymore he wouldn't want to work in any of the trades in this country it's too low paid. He gets the same money now working in another industry and doesn't have all the travelling.
Now stop with the school mistress attitude and leave me alone please .... Thank you very muchly

BEVS

Sky . My husband part heard your message just 15 minutes ago and deleted it. I didn't get to hear it. We no longer have your contact numbers . I hadn't noticed there was a PM but it will remain unopened.
UK brickies could benefit from knowing the reality of your awful experiences, which was not just about pay rates. Your husband has had a very tough time as a bricklayer. No doubt about that.
You & Debs70, you don't get one of you without the other, - Power - whoever you both are on here, do have plenty of the hump with me. You've both shown that . I can remind you ,if you like.

You, Sky, know exactly who can be called on when it comes to help for a plumber / gasfitter. All I am asking is that you do just that. If you can't bring yourself to write Apollo10, then leave it. Its better than a vague , slightly alarming post.

I have no ill will towards you, unlike you towards me at the moment. [Yes - I am , sadly, somewhat aware of what you have been been saying ] . Thing is , its just sticks and stones at the end of the day and for all I know , I could become flavour of the month again in the future, and as quickly as I became unflavour of the month . Its happened with others that have posted with you.

Finally, if you are managing better and are happier , then thats good news in my book. Your family deserves a bit of good luck and happiness.; It's been a long hard slog for all of you these past two years & despite it all , despite taking your family dynamics to the brink, you have managed to hold in there . I do hope you have turned it round now.

Now - I am going to put you on 'Ignore' . I think thats best for me , you and the forum.

I will just repeat though - if you see a plumber or gasfitter asking for help then please don't give a vague reply, put them in my or Scottish direction. Thanks

BEVS

Hi Jon.

Yes CORGI is part recognised in New Zealand.

The majority of homes in New Zealand are not heated by central heating. Heat pumps are the new up-coming method of heating a home . Wood burners are still the norm. Underfloor heating is sometimes used - though expensive to run.

Much of the gas is bottled LPG . Most places don't have reticulated gas. Dunedin does . Parts of Auckland has . None in Christchurch city.
You wouldn't see a combi boiler in every day plumbing life neither would you see central heating.

You do get gas hobs, gas fires [ coming back into fashion], gas water heaters.
There are companies that do water filled heating systems. Thing is , unless the town has reticulated gas, then the LPG gas bottles need refilling every three months or so which puts folk off.

You will need to have your gas qualifications assessed by the PGDB - that is the Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying Board of New Zealand.

http://www.pgdb.co.nz/

You can find the form to download on the web site.

They will require proof of your apprenticeship and certified copies of your C&G or NVQs. You can get the copies certified at any Notary.
You will also need a certified copy of your current ACS/ACOPS module certificate and a copy of your CORGI gas registration.
Gather together all your work experience. A CV and reference about your work. When you look at the form you will see why.

Send the form together with the fees and paperwork off to the PGDB who will ASSESS your qualifications to see if they meet their standards.

If they do, they will send you a letter stating that they will recognise your qualifications.

That letter is enough to satisfy the New Zealand Immigration service that you are skilled for the Skilled Migrant Category. This will get you the p[oints for the skill.
Of course, you will get more points if you can obtain a job offer in the gasfitting trade.
More points the better for an application to migrate.

That the PGDB say they recognise your qualfications does not mean you can come into New Zealand as a qualified gas fitter . You can't.
They only really part recognise them.
You will be regarded as unqualified until you sit and pass a 3 hour registration exam.
Until that time you may work as a gasfitter in New Zealand for an employer under what is called a Limited License. That is, your work will be supervised and signed off by a New Zealand Registered Gas fitter.

You must work for an employer. You may not become self-employed or do 'private' jobs on the side. Just as with CORGI, there is a commissioning procedure.

If you are interested in becoming self-employed at some point then you can do so once you have sat two/three further exams. One is a business exam and the others advanced gasfitting.

You are not allowed to sit the business exam until one year after you pass your Registration Exam. You may not sit the advanced gasfitting until two years after you pass the Registration exam.

They are introducing competance bases gas licenses here. Rather like CORGI.
The licenses are renewable annually.

One good thing is that the gas exams are no where near as complicated as the plumbing ones

Gas association link. You may find this helpful.

http://www.ganz.org.nz/index.cfm/FAQs.

Any more questions, please ask away. Glad to help.
__________________
Apollo10

bramptonbrian

Logged on to this thread as a NZ licenced plumber but it reads like a pisspoor soap opera with your silly bickering. I'm sure this bloke doesn't want to hear your personal issues (although it does add a bit of spice to the usual licence queries). Oh yeah... spell licence with a C you big poof

sky

Sorry Bramptonbrian I won't carry on it's stupid and pointless trying to reason with Apollo10. I did try to sort this away from the forum through phone calls and pm's but as you read she just would rather do it on here.

Pinkie Pie

Good point bramptonbrian...let's leave the bickering out of this thread please ladies...

However, to those of you who are thinking of coming to NZ as a plumber, Apollo10 is a fountain of knowledge, help and advice on plumbing, has helped many people already and is very willing to provide information and advice to anyone looking to come to NZ as a plumber.

p.s. licence can be spelt both ways...

BEVS

LOL
Agreed Pinkie Pie.

Thing is - I know my oats when it comes to plumbing and gasfitting NZ style. No duff comments or posts there from me on this subject.
Thanks Bramble Brian . I think I'll carry on with the Queens English for now.