3264JOHNG

Hi we are new to this website and looked here because we are moving to New Zealand in January as part of the recruitment drive in the UK for prison officers. I have a job in a jail in Christchurch and wonder if anyone else out there is doing the same. Would appreciate any information you have on Christchurch and whether anyone else's partner has found a job and whether you are renting property or buying. We have our visas and arrive in Christchurch on 5th January. Cheers for any help.

Den13

Hi and welcome.

Theres quite a bit of information on this forum, some of it scary, some not. Have a read and digest! I'm going to a Wellington jail and am currently backpacking NZ to see what it's like. I'm posting in 'A Prison Officers view of NZ'.

Come and join us!! BTW I'm off to C'Church in a few days.....

ranbysue

Hi

My husband's got a job at Waikeria prison near Hamilton, and is due to start in march next year. I am still quite unsure of the whole thing, however, after reading Den's information, it is giving me more confidence in saying "Yes". As Den says look at his thread on this site, you will find it very useful.

I know someone who lives in Christchurch and says it is very beautiful and British (if you still want that).

Anyway as Den says - Welcome and join in the discussions on his thread - it's a very useful source of information

taffinkent

3264 JOHNG Sent you a PM !

SteveDK

We´re moving to Christchurh in a month´s time, it´s our fave of the three major cities - probably because it is as some has mentioned very British in feel but "old-fashioned" British. Housing is much cheaper here too and there are towns quite close by that also get recceommended by several persons on the forum. Kaiapoi and Rangiora were especially touted and both are great - we will probably end up in Rangiora mostly because it has a train station. If you and your partner both drive then Kaiapoi is a little closer to ChCh and 10 mins from the beach.

Pensions, pension plans do not as far as i know come as standard with NZ jobs, your salary will not include one so you´ll have to organise that yourself. Your pension from the UK could be kept "sleeping", ie. whatever you have paid into up to now could be paid out when you´re 65 at the adjusted rate. That woukld not be a full pension but of course you would also have income from your NZ scheme to top it up. I don´t think it´s a good idea to pull out your current pension funding and transfer it to a new one, you will probably lose value in doing so.

3264JOHNG

Can any one tell me about shipping costs to NZ as am not too sure whether to just sell up here and start afresh or can we just ship boxes out without the furniture? thanks