Colin in the middle

Question for you Phil

To get these jobs do Truck Drivers from the UK have to change the licence to a NZ one? Because after 12 months your UK licence is no longer valid.

Employers I have dealt with in the passed have not recognised anything bigger than a car licence from overseas.

phil01

Yes you do have to change your licence to an NZ one, most companies want you to do that before they allow you to drive. The cost is met by the driver, no major cost just take the theory test cost about $50 I think it was! You also have to have a medical which again you pay for.

Colin in the middle

Yes thats what I thought and just for info it is not $50

The Medical costs around $30 depending on your doctor, Conversion costs
$80 from UK to NZ licences and you DO have to do a Theory test to get this conversion. Not a easy task considering the differances in Driver rules especially for trucks.

Thats before you have to get any of the other componants that maybe required for your expected loads.

kato33

Oh my..........OH is a truckie and has an offer in Tauranga.

After reading all the above i am beginning to really really panic.
The house has been sold STC and I am signing the paperwork for the company as I write. We have been offered $16.50 for 1st 8 hours per day then time & nalf for next 3 hours then double time after that. Is it really that bad???

I have just passed my CPC here which is the equivalent to the NZ Certificate of Knowledge of Law & Practice (CKLP).
I was hoping that this may help me with RTW for eventual PR. Is this also incorrect...........the wave of sickness has just hit the pit of my stomach. Am I not going to survive on his wage, with 3 kids in tow also.

Someone please help!!

jill1420

Right needing a bit of help here. Im in the position that OH is HGV 1 driver and we planned to accept a job through Chrysalis when a suitable offer comes up.
I have wrongly assumed that if hubby earned $45,000 a year doing no more than 40 hrs that there would be a chance we could use this as PR route? (wrongly hoping in my part that trucker might change to long term shortage list)

On the other hand if my OH who was financial advisor/estate agent for 16 yrs before changing occupation recently and has FPC III (UK recognised financial certificate) managed to get a similar job with required wage in NZ would this be a possible way of gaining PR.

I on the other hand was a policewoman for 10 yrs, just sold a coffee shop business and presently doing admin work in school (dont hold any relevant certificates for HR etc) so dont think I would be in position to earn wage required in NZ to meet criteria for PR.

Sorry to babble. But need to know if there is any chance of us getting PR.

I was due to start a law degree in a couple of weeks. Am I mad to give up the opportunity for a qualification here?

Really want to go to NZ but needing a reality check......any advice appreciated

phil01

Hi Nici and Jill,

OK well all the promises of trucking going onto the LTSSL have not happened and I emailed immigration and phoned them and contacted the NZ Herald (had a real bee in my bonnet) but immigration said THERE ARE NO PLANS TO MOVE HEAVY TRUCK DRIVER TO THE LONG TERM SKILL SHORTAGE LIST, IT IS NOT A SKILLED TRADE SO YOU CANNOT GO VIA SKILLED MIGRANT With Phil doing Log Truck Driving which takes a lot of skill we thought well he gets paid enough for WTR but no, that too was not an option...apparently it's not just about earning enough it has to be a skill that they want!

Nici if you get a job as a ops manager or transport manager then you may qualify for WTR...but ops managers and tm's are usually ex drivers and Phil has never seen any women in a managment position in haulage over here, very male oriented except the wages clerks...so it is do-able but you may have a struggle...the drivers are ok taking orders off ex drivers as knowing the areas, distances, problems faced gets them into those roles...taking orders from a woman...mmm and one that has not been a HGV driver...mmm, not me (Deb) being sexist but out here equality means %$£&%$^% if you know what I mean!

Jill, if hubby comes on a temp work visa as a trucker it will be a named company and that is what he is permitted to do. If he wants to change it you will need to go through the whole application process again when you are over here, as in police checks, meds, etc...it can only be a variation in conditions if it is literally just a change in company...if he continued driving but went for a different company and was paid 20cents an hour more it's the whole process again. So if he found a job in finance earning over the now $50k a year he may get WTR but again it has to be in employment not self employed, over $50k for no more than 40 hours and a skill that they want. Real estate agents in NZ are self employed and work on commission only.

I would say it is possible for both of you to get PR through WTR but I wouldn't expect it to be plain sailing! But ...trying to be more positive, the work visa is renewable for as long as HGV is on the immediate skill shortage list so you can live here till you are due to retire then go back and let the British Gov't keep you!

jill1420

No probs Debs I appreciate your honesty.

Colin in the middle

Look I hate to play devils advocate here but Truck Driving is not a skilled job

Any person in New Zealand can simply read up on the road code get a Scratch and Win Thory test passed, then sit a one day driving course pay a couple hundred dollars for the course then be handed a certificate to say they can drive a 40 tonne truck. I have yet to hear of anyone not passing the course.
My wife just got her NZ Class 2 conversion done on her UK licence after the ease it was to get through the testing for me, she had never driven a Truck in her life yet she passed
Yes its that easy and it scares the hell out of me who is behind the wheel.

The shortage is caused by the wages not the fact there are no drivers in NZ.

The testing system in this country is a joke! To get a Passenger endorsement you do a open book course (you have the answers) and have to sit a Driving test in a Car, yes a Car to prove you can drive a Bus the toughest part is the Police Check.

Tighten up on the stupidity and quick buck made by the licensing authoritys and then maybe you will have a shortage and call driving a skill.

BEVS

Immediate Shortage List

Heavy Vehicle Driver - 83231

and

also

I'd say that NZIS recognise HGV drivers are skilled.

Also , this Land Transport Factsheet

and this Class 5 course seem to indicate that there is quite a lot involved before one is allowed to become a Class 5 Heavy Vehicle Driver.
Also there appears to be a requirement for 6 months experience between some levels. This would indicate that it takes some time , experience , study and knowledge to gain a Class 5 licence.

Colin in the middle

Waived if you do an industry approved course.

The Only study you are required is for the Theory Test which is the Road Code which ALL Drivers undertake does not matter if they are NZ Learners or converting from overseas you all do the same paper.

The Course is Open Book, means the Answers are already there and the course providers do help you. Its fail proof.

It will never be more than a "Immediate Shortage " because of the waivers that can be obtained getting the licences.

Sorry to question you Bevs but have you got anything bigger than a Car Licence?

I hold a Class 1, 2, 4L ,P once I sit a Industry approved course then a Full Class 4 at which point I will get my Class 5L and sit a course for that.

In theory I and anyone over 25 can sit that those tests within a week
Only thing that stops me is the financial cost and intitial outlay of that cost.

Hence I cant see it being classed a Long Term Shortage because of the ease to gain the qualification by a New Zealand Resident, I think I have the qualifications and experiamce to answer the question why!

BEVS

No worries. I merely quote NZIS and the Land Transport criteria, so you are not questioning me as such.

NZIS do appear to regard HGV as skilled even if you do not. They have set a minimum standard which must be met by the overseas HGV drivers.

Colin in the middle

Yep just add a NZQA certification and it becomes a skill

Do you know you can get an NZQA for being a Fuel Delivery Technician anyone want to take a guess at what that involves?

phil01

Well Colin, being a log truck driver I disagree with you...I think it is skilled I would like to see you drive a truck and trailer on unsealed roads through forests in the pitch black...whatever anyone thinks driving Heavy Goods Vehicles takes skill!

I hasten to add my comments to other users is to make sure they are aware that getting PR is not as easy as some people seem to think and although it may not be classed as skilled to be a skilled migrant it takes a lot of skill to do the job!

Colin in the middle

Look every job takes skill because at the end of the day you are the one doing the job and you know what your doing. Like I said Devils advocate.

I do a lot of driving on snow and ice so that takes skill, I only have to look at the jokers coming from other parts of the country to know that. Since I do drive Trucks admittedly not heavy heavys at the moment but I do drive buses and I do drive buses on Mountain Roads with Ice and snow I would like to see you do the same.
Much like anyone can cook except there are cooks and then there are cooks who have done college and Uni course they are then Chefs.
Thje skill is that if you can do the job then you have the skill but if you want to back it up with a NZQA quaificaation like I said even a Fuel Delivery Technician has then you can say hey thats a skill.

Until it becomes harder to obtain then it wont be a skill to the extent of being a Chef, Doctor, Engineer, Plumber, Carpenter etc.

Not quibling with anyone that its not a skill just quibling that its not recognised as a Long Term Skill that is unique.

Still not worked out what a Fuel Delivery Technician is yet and why you can get a NZQA to do it?

jill1420

[QUOTE=phil01;5195152]Hi,
word of warning with McDowall group...they put a lot of expats on permanent nights and there is no PR for truck drivers! They will tell you that if you work for them for 2 years they will then sponsor you on work to residence which is another 2 years...tieing you into that company for 4 years but I would ask how many drivers and want proof of any that have actually got residence through them!! The $16.75 is not a starting wage it is the permanent wage for the duration of your contract and on the wage unless your wife works the 50 hours a week is not enough to pay the bills!
Use them to get a foot in the door but don't sign a two year contract!



Sorry to jump back to the beginning of the thread. Just realised Id missed the bit about sponsoring. So Phil/Colin am I right in saying.......If your employer sponsors you on work to residence.........you can get PR via truck driving? Im also guessing if Ive picked this up right its also a very big IF!