Shingi

It's not for want of trying, but we have decided if we don't get a job offer by the end of this month we will be on the plane back to the UK. We just have to draw the line at some point and try and salvage at least some savings. We've been here since the end of January, have had a couple of potential job offers, which came to nothing. We'll be very said to give up on our plans, but we have our daughter to consider. If we do head back we will need to sell our car, its a Honda Stream, 7 seater. If anyone is heading out here in July and are coming to the Christchurch area, send me a PM if you are interested. Thanks guys, onwards and upwards!

NQT2010

Hi

I just read back through your other posts, and I wanted to say I really hope something comes up for you.
We have recently put our house on the market and were planning on coming over as visitors as you did (and my hubby is a graphic designer too!) so I am really keeping my fingers crossed for a happy ending for you all.

Helen

Debbie2NZ

Yup, can relate to that. My kiwi husband and I came to NZ in February of this year, four days after the Earthquake happened in Christchurch ! We had sold our house, quit our jobs and said our goodbyes to family, friends and neighbours. Basically we were past the point of no return. My husband has applied for dozens and dozens of jobs. He's had a few interviews but no offers, he feels he's not getting taken seriously. He's a management accountant with 20 years experience. He went to Wellington for 2nd interview just to be told that they decided not to appoint anyone. Well that was £500 down the swanee e.g. cost of flights, hotel room, airport transfers. Not funny on savings and no income. We're waiting for the outcome of a couple of interviews he's had and that will determine whether we stay or go. We will leave Christchurch anyway as the jobs are in other towns in NZ. I'm into office admin. I've had the total of four weeks temporary work which I believe I did well at. The employment agencies won't even return my calls now as work has dried up. BTW I can't afford to buy your car ! We had a rental car but returned that to save costs. I'm just about done with living like this. Returning to Britain is daunting as we will be starting from scratch with even less money than we came with to start from scratch in NZ. Good luck.

Charlie Paynter

Why not start your own business or purchase one / buy into an existing one?

You have spent thousands on getting out there, which would be a complete and utter waste if you gave up and came back. And don't forget, the UK is currently not a hotbed for jobs, plus of course you will come back to the same problems which were here when you left.

Shingi

Hi everyone, thanks for the posts, glad we're not the only ones having a rough time of it. Husband got a call from an agency today about a job in Christchurch, no interview yet, but hey ho. He also has an appointment with a company in Nelson next week, so I guess anything could happen. Thanks for the suggestion for buying into a business, but we don't have any more disposable income. With our flights booked for the beginning of July, its all going to be last minute decisions whether or not to stay or go. Thing is, even if he gets offered something now, it will take atleast a month to sort out his work visa, plus we will all have to pay for medicals etc. I think we've out stayed our welcome with the inlaws, they say not, but for us, we just cannot be here anymore. Perhaps its just not meant to be after all. I called a few contacts in the UK and may have the possibility of a job offer this week. That is our Plan B anyway, atleast if one of us can get a job back home it will be something. With no house or car my brother has offered to put us up for a while. If it was just the two of us, we would probably slog it out til the death, but we have our 10 year old to think about. I've been home schooling for nearly 6 months now and its no joke, she needs to be interacting with other kids her own age, not stuck in her bedroom all day. Anyway, enough of my ranting, alot can happen it three weeks I guess, so I'll put up another post at the end of June!

janeyk

Hi Deb
Do not mean to tell you to suck eggs but has your husband spoken to Hudson, I am in Auckland and am a Management accountant I have 20 yrs CIMA qualified experience and had no problem in either Wellington or Auckland, He should also be able to claim back expenses for the last interview ask!
Also there is a small agency called Solutions based in albany North Shore who I recruit from all the time the owner Brent is great pm me if you want to know more!

ExKiwilass

Shingi I just wanted to wish you luck. Keep us posted.

Shingi

Thanks guys, will keep you posted as to what happens. Cheers for now.

MOSO

I'm puzzled, but I must have missed something somewhere. If your parents-in-law live in NZ, why are you here on a visitor's visa which doesn't entitle you to work? Isn't there a visa you could get through them sponsoring you or something that would entitle you to work? I didn't come here via the visa route so I could be completely wrong.

Another tip for getting a job is to come to Wellington/Auckland and literally walk into the job agencies, hassle hassle hassle and get your face known. Remember NZ is all about contacts. Another possibility is to call every suitable company in either/every city and ask the receptionist for the name of the best person to send your CV to - head of dept or Personnel Manager etc. My husband sent off CVs using both these approaches to get a job when we arrived (he is Kiwi so no visa issues).

You may have already thought of these options. A friend of mine who is an accountant literally walked the streets of Wellington, dropping CVs in anywhere and everywhere that was a possibility for a job and managed to get one (he isn't from UK though so don't know his visa status). A hard slog but it paid off.

GOOD LUCK, it would be a pity to have to go home, but surely being in a big city would be a better bet than on the West coast of the south island (but there are obvious financial implications I know).

josephine123

i am afraid to say i am a little lost too. can i ask why you are home schooling your daughter? i know living with in laws is never good even with the best of friendships but i would say doing that is far better than returning the UK as someone as already said work is tough here too.

i am assuming you have put your c/v out to every company on the net etc.

i know this may sound a little calous and i don't mean it too but have you considered doing some other work, cafe, bar just for the time being? and if your daughter was in school she would mixing with kids her own age and you could be making networks that could lead to a job.

i feel for you i really do and up rooting to go to the other side of the world is very hard but as already said remember why you left as it certainly hasn't got any better here in the UK.

MOSO

Hi Josephine

I assume if they're just on a 6 month tourist visa her daughter doesn't have any rights to go to school here, just as they have no rights to work, which is another reason why I'm puzzled like you!

They sure must be brave to take such a gamble, so I do sincerely wish them luck and hope it works out for all their sakes.

MikeAlly

Nooo dont go back to the UK, I am here at the moment and it is a dirty scruffy dump (hey i'm in London). If you come back the novelty will soon wear off when you see how bad everything is. Our situation is that we really want to go to NZ but as there is a recession on over there at the mo we are going where we are needed and thats OZ, I much prefer NZ as I have been to both countries but we will start in OZ for the required 2 years then if we still want to go to NZ we will move across but I guess thats not helping you guys much when your working visa is for NZ!

Fingers crossed for you

Shingi

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice, much appreciated. Yes we have my husbands parents here, but you still need a job offer to go down the sponsorship route. We saw an immigration consultant the other weekend, who confirmed there's no simple way around the problem, we just need a job offer. Our daughter can't attend school as we are on a visitors visa, we have spoken to the local school about this as well. My husband has been over to Wellington and pounded the streets, registered with numerous agencies, same for Christchurch to. He's also attended various networking seminars held in Christchurch and has made lots of contacts in Wellington through colleagues and friends, but nothing doing.
Yes, it was very risky to come out on a visitor visa, when we spoke to someone from immigration who was visiting the Nec in Birmingham, he encouraged it and said we would have no problems and there was no rule to say we couldn't look for work whilst on a visitor visa. All that said, I appreciate your thoughts and comments, its a stressful time but will keep you updated on what happens.

simonsi

Hi shingi, my only suggestion would be to try Auckland but understand you may not have time or resources for that now, if you want to have hubby try it and he needs a bed to crash for a night or so just shout up...

Remind, me, what role(s) are you looking for?

Shingi

Thanks for the offer, appreciated. Today we have made the decision that we will definitely be heading back to the UK. Onwards and upwards, who knows, we may end up back here in a few years time. Good luck to everyone, at least we achieved our dream of getting here, we will have no regrets as we've had an awesome family time together. Take care.