ForestNew

Can anyone advise me with my wanting to work in New Zealand as a carpenter next month?


My background: City & Guilds Apprenticed Carpenter, Joiner and Wood Machinist 1981, Self-employed for 31 years. Worked with my own private work, Builders/Contractors and Carpenter contractors. I’m a single guy, who loves his participating in any sport.

Self-employed has always been my life, now though I’m understanding that I need to work for an agency in NZ (never worked with an agency in the UK). The agency in NZ will aid me with my Visa also tie me to someone...... I really do not know!?

The advice I am seeking
1. Is this the only route of getting a working Visa? If I was flying to NZ in February/March to see what work is like and take it after visa approved?
2. Christchurch is my destination due to advice taken from others of this being the place of much work for carpenters, is this correct or is there better opportunities elsewhere in NZ and why?
3. Am I correct in purchasing tools in NZ, rather than delay my plans, to ship my own?

I would be bringing all documents required, including Police certificate being sent to me in two weeks time.

I guess you could say “Love work/ing for people I know or have talked/emailed before I commence working for them.

Thanks for your reading and any advice that you can offer me.

Nic

chippy64

Hi Nic,

ChCh is probably your best bet as they have added Carpenter/Joiner to the skills list for Canterbury only. This would mean easier to get a visa. Husband worked for nearly 2 years for an agency and had no problems. The construction company he now works for offered him a contract several times during those 2 years - he just waited for the right conditions

ForestNew

Chippy64 Thanks for your message of advice about location.

MrsFychan

bit of advice about heading over on a "holiday" and looking for work. 2 side's of the legal stuff one department in government says its ok another said its not. so I would personally be very careful on entering the country with the intention to look for work without a valid visa. you may get a jobs worth at immigration go through your stuff find all the paperwork and not allow you entry.
saying that my husband came over on a holiday and was in the right place at the right time and was offered work but that was not his intention. he then applied for temp work visa at Immigration office in NZ and I had to sort all the paper work for the ITA whilst myself and the kids were back in UK

ForestNew

MrsFychan
Understanding the correct ways of entering any country, I have a clear conscious but do understand your point of a jobs worth and I have to also understand theirs.
Cheers for this point of view.