Jhouse_101

Hi all,

My name is Josh, I'm 22 from the not so sunny Wales. I've just completed my degree in Quantity Surveying at UWE in Bristol.

Whilst in work, a colleague of mine was browsing LinkedIn and came across an advert for Graduate/Assistant QS's required for the EQR projects in Christchurch. Being rather fed up of my current job I applied and successfully completed a telephone interview last Thursday.

I now have a Skype interview on the 19th of this month after which, if sucessful, I should be offered the job almost straight away. I've always been keen on a move abroad to broaden my horizons, but I'm unsure as to whether I should take the plunge.

I'd be coming over alone and I have no ties in the UK bar friends and family.

I'm after any advice from anybody!

The starting salary is $65,000 NZD, which I'm told is above the market rate? They would also put me up in accomodation for 6 weeks and pay for my flights over.

I live a comfortable lifestyle in the UK and I wouldn't want to make the move should I be worse off. Is the salary good? Could I live comfortably on this wage?

Also what is Christchurch like as a city? I'm a keen triathlete and like the occasional night (or two) out.

Sorry for all the questions in advance.

Thanks

Josh

Snap Shot

Hi Josh,

Give it a go, why not ? As a single man you will be ok on $65,000 nz dollars. The income tax burden is less here in nz and you pay no National Insurance.

As your prospective employer is offering to pay for your flights and six weeks accommodation in nz on arrival, should you be successful, snatch their hand off !

If it turns out not to be for you, then, what have you lost ? I don't know what kind of visa you need but the job sounds like a good offer. You're not making a lifetime commitment, unless you want to.

You've missed the Christchurch Marathon which was in early June. I'm guessing there's other athletic events such as triathlon, 10km etc. One race that looks good in Christchurch is, 'City to Sea' (or City to surf, can't remember the exact name.) It starts in town and ends at the coast.

Christchurch as a city, is, shall I say politely, 'recovering'. It's demolition derby with the wrecking balls and machinery etc. Tragically loads of the heritage buildings have gone or are going. The phrase, 'red zone' might not mean anything to you but this was the area of the CBD that got trashed during the earthquakes. Nobody but construction workers have been allowed in the red zone for over 2 years as it was cordoned off to the public for safety reasons.

It's hoped that the last area of red zoned streets will be lifted at the end of June.

Riccarton in Christchurch has become quite lively for nightlife since the centre of town was cordoned off.

One thing you might find frustrating is that things like cinemas, bars, leisure centres etc are still not operating because of earthquake damage.



Good luck.

MrsFychan

Welcome Josh.

Think you need to be looking at cost of living, rental, bonds etc and work out if you can afford to live here in the style you wish to but also have the initial funds to pay for visa?

There has been many a thread regarding costs of living. many believe it is more expensive to live day to day compared to UK. Being a country far from anywhere you do have to pay more for certain things, companies getting their money back from import tax.
Cost flying from NZ to anywhere is ridiculous so that needs to be considered if you want to be holidaying away from the country.
It does all depend what you want to achieve from the move.

We moved over to give our kids more of a childhood. Not something you need to worry but you do need to understand there isn't that much here apart from fantastic scenery and sometimes better weather. But with that you need to think about the earth quakes, flooding and in some area's the awful wind.

Not trying to be all negative but you need to think about these things especially if you are coming over on your own.

There is a Christchurch thread where lots of lovely people will help and advise you as best they can and probably be able to help if you do decide to come over.

For now you need to be looking at what type of visa would be best for you depending on whether you wish to emigrate here or just spend a couple of years working here and getting experience.

shocked kiwi

You will be able to live on that wage fairly comfortably as a single guy, check out www.trademe.co.nz (real estate section) to get an idea of the rents. You would prob find it cheaper to get a room in an existing flat. Trilathlons etc really big over here, social life - the inner city was where everyone partied - that's gone, but other pubs springing up in other areas. Lots have drinks at home with friends etc.

chc4me

Hi Josh, Wow sounds like a great opportunity and a terrific use of your skills in your chosen field, I hope the interview is successful. Christchurch as a city is starting to move from 'demolition' mode to 'recovery' mode. Some of the comments about cinemas, bars and leisure centres not operating are incorrect - movie theatres are open, bars are definately open and leisure centres are open.

In terms of your outdoor interests, there are loads of terrific areas for you to explore. The Port Hills are a playground for cyclists, Ocean Swims during summer are common, Mountain Bike Riding and river kayaking are all accessible within 10-20 minutes. Skiing in the winter - just 1 hour to the top of the mountain. Here's a link to a local Christchurch triathlon club.

As you are coming alone, it will be important to form a social network and for this purpose I highly recommend joining Freemasons. It's a great way to meet new people and enjoy a social event or two.

Money wise, $65k for a single bloke is pretty good. It's about $1,000 in the hand per week. Best of luck and if you do make the move, we could do beer sometime

Jhouse_101

Thanks for all the replies so far, should I make the move is certainly be looking for a house share at least for the first year..

From the telephone interview I believe the visa is also covered by the employer but will check, they certainly mentioned becoming a permenant resident during the call....

In terms of take home pay, can anyone give advice on what the tax rate would be for me? And also where are the nice / lively areas and where I should avoid ..

I do have two other job offers here in the UK, which are both good. I believe that the training will be better in this country, but I will discuss during the interview.

Many Thanks Again.

Josh

Persephone

You're 22, give it a go! If you don't like it here then you can go back. What have you got to lose?

You should be able to live on that wage easily unless you have an unusually extravagant lifestyle

Tax calculator here: http://www.ird.govt.nz/calculators/t...-tax-rate.html You will pay $12,520 tax pa on a $65k salary using the current tax years rates.

Quantity surveyors are on the long term and Canterbury skills shortage lists so you should be able to apply for a visa easily.
With a job offer you should have enough points to go for residency though this takes longer to come through.
You also have the option of a work visa and WTR visa. I'd be surprised if the company paid for residency rather than a work visa. It's much more expensive and you may decide you don't want to stay in NZ...

The only possible pitfall with a work visa could be this, these are the requirements under the CSSL and LTSSL:
It may not be an issue if QS's are difficult to find, as even if you do not fulfil the above then the employer can easily prove no NZers can do the job! At 22 it is unlikely you have 3 years work experience

As for areas, lively areas are Riccarton, Merivale, Addington [?] If I was coming over as a single 22yo I'd probably want to live close to where the action is rather than the more suburban areas. There's nowhere really to avoid, nowhere on the scale of St Pauls in Bristol [it may have changed since I was at Bristol Uni a few years ago!] Nowhere like the 'bad' areas in British cities .

Woluf

Josh,
I am new to the forum, am 24 and will be leaving wales shortly for N.Z. on my own, to take up a job with an eqr co. in Christchurch, which is on the same terms as you have described. I was advised to apply for a work to residency visa as I have a 2 year job offer, it took about 2 months to do the paperwork doing it myself, I would be happy to give you advice if needed.
The information provided in the replies is helpful especially the areas to look at for accommodation as I will be looking for somewhere myself soon.
Good luck with your Skype interview.

Mark Smith

Josh and Woluf, We have been here for 19 months now. Although the city is a big building site, the roads getting more clogged up and there are many people living in damaged houses; there is still a lot going off in Christchurch. Coming from a small town in the UK, I find there is plenty to do here and the entertainment situation seems to improve on a weekly basis , new bars and restaurants aplenty. There are many negatives about NZ life, especially when you come from Europe, but I think the opportunities we've benefited from far outweigh the cons.

Snap Shot

Regarding accommodation in Christchurch, I lived in Linwood which is in the East of Christchurch. It was East Christchurch which got the 'hiding' from the earthquakes. However, Linwood is where the East starts. To the point that the local shopping centre is called, 'The East Gate Shopping Centre'.

The eastern suburbs of Christchurch were always more, 'affordable' shall I say politely. New Brighton beach is lovely for a stroll on the beach and a drink at, 'Salt on the Pier cafe bar'.

Hornby and Addington are more industrial areas to the south. I think Fendalton and Cashmere are more expensive, well always were anyway.

Look up properties to rent on http://www.trademe.co.nz/property - If they require references and you have no renting history you could ask your future and former employers for references.

I can't believe people are renting out their caravans !


Whole suburbs of Christchurch have been abandoned because of earthquake damage. Unfortunately this attracts the kind of people who would squat in abandoned buildings in any city, making them even more of a, 'no go' area.

You will just have to have a nosey round at available properties and go with your gut instinct. Don't be to suprised if you see some absolute, 'dogs' of properties. I don't mean the dogs danglies either.

Smatthews

Hi josh/woluf,

I'm also a 22 year old QS from Wales and have accepted a job offer on the same terms you described above.

I'm currently waiting for my VISA to be approved and hope to be moving at the end of July. It was a very difficult decision but personally I think it's good to turn down! If I hate it then ill just come home!

Josh if you want any advice on the Skype interview them feel free to get in touch, happy to help.

Woluf

Hi smatthews,
I also felt the opportunity too good to turn down and the work experience invaluable.
My visa took 5 days to be issued once I applied.
My flight is booked for 24th June and I arrive in Chch 26th. I am booked into the motel for the first 6 weeks.
If I can answer any questions you or Josh may have please let me know.

Tom1983

$65,000 for a single person

You'll easily be able to live off that

As long as you have patience, then come over. Patience is a key to this place considering all the repairs going on. Especially with the roadworks

Do you drive? If so, WATCH OUT! I'm looking at a costly paint job thanks to someone reversing into me yesterday. Didn't even leave a note or anything - just drove off. They're like that in this country the Kiwis. Just have a look on the rant thread and driving standards is a common theme. It's worse than driving round East London

There are plenty of cheap one bedroom properties available. If you don't mind sharing, there's a lot of backpacker style apartments where quite a large number of migrant workers tend to accommodate. If you don't like sharing bathroom and kitchen facilities then its not for you. They're a lot cheaper rent wise than your own place I should point out

Jhouse_101

I'll deffo be looking for a flat / house share for the first year or so. In terms of cars, are they affordable to buy / run etc. Would be lost without one, though I do fancy a motorbike

chc4me

Cars tend to be expensive. Even older cars over 10 years+ go for around $5,000 or more. Having said that, we have a friend staying with us at the moment from the UK who bought an old Subaru Legacy for $2,000 for touring around while she is here, so if you want something cheap and cheerful, there are options. www.trademe.co.nz is the NZ equivalent to Ebay and includes Jobs as well as Cars, Motorbikes, and personal items.

Motorbikes, depending on what you ride, go for $3,000 - $6,000 for a decent used bike. As a rider myself, I highly recommend touring the country on a bike as long as you invest in some good gear which is warm and waterproof, add some good boots and you'll be set. Bikes of course have extra set up costs (helmet etc) and the annual registration is higher than a car, however petrol costs are easily half that of a car.