Fireman Al

I've heard that as a firefighter i'd earn about $37K and the Mrs would earn about $42K as a nurse. Is this correct and is this a good enough wage to live a half decent life in Hamilton area ?

Any thoughts on flight's, time of year to go etc ?

babybella

Hi there, my OH brother was a fireman in NZ, he used to get 5 years ago about45k with overtime. Very good pension scheme to. Yes your wife would need to work too. Depends on whether you have kids and your mortgage but your joint income is not going to buy you a great lifestyle if you have commitments. No kids, no mortgage you will be fine.
Cheers
KAZ

Michelle & Chris

[Hi

My understanding from this site that a join income of $79k would be quite a good salary to live on especially away form Auckland. If you have savings then you could made some on the interest. As rate are high at present then house buying does not look very appealing.

We going in early 06, possible that my husband may have to go before me and the kids if the house has not sold.

Cheers

Michelle

Fireman Al

Michelle,

Thanks for that, where are you looking at moving too ?....what line of work are you both looking at ?

Ali

Michelle & Chris

Hi Al

Just a thought and I'm not sure it applies, as on another link you said you were returning home to NZ (are you a Kiwi). But I understand you have 4 children. One thing I've noted form other peoples comments in the past, is that you don't get child allowance in NZ until you have PR status. (I maybe wrong, but I have read it before, so its worth checking out) With 4 kids this would a big blow if you also have to pay for medial stuff x6 aswel.

Just thought I'd mention it.

Cheers

Michelle

babybella

It all depends on what you want from life. But I personally (and this is only my personal opinion) would not want to bring up 4 children and have a morgage on $79k. Was in that ball park on one wage in Wellington 10 years and used to run out of money at the end of the month. We didn't drink much, or smoke or go out much and it wasn't much fun!
KAZ

Michelle & Chris

Hi

Chris my better half is in the water business, currently working for a local utilities company in Operations / distribution. He's been offered a position with a company called Fulton Hogan.

We're not sure where we will live, Chris's head office will be in Auckland, Mount Wellington area but will be Managing the Franklin District Water supply and so will most likely have to work in both area's. Its hard to know where to go. We have to girls 12 & 4 the youngest just about to start school. We will rent to start with and so want to settle somewhere we will want to eventually buy in as we don't want to up root the girls again. Auckland can be expensive but Franklin looks very quiet and possibly just a little too remote. Hamilton sounds nice though, but you mentioned that you may be stationed in Auckland. I believe it take 1.5 hrs to drive from Auckland to Hamilton. I can't tell you about anywhere in between but people on here are very helpful with information and thoughts on where you might like to live. I quite fancied Howick / Beachlands area and although they sound lovely I've also read some negative comments that were a little unsettling as well.

I'm not planning to work straight away and after that hopefully part time. I really feel the kids will need me at home at the end of the day for a while.

How old are your kids 4, wow, very brave my nerves would be shattered. Is your wife planning to work, already has her work cut out I guess.

Michelle

Fireman Al

Yeah,
I'm a kiwi returning after far too many years here, our lil' baby girl is citizen by desent through me and i'm sponsoring the mrs and 3 stepkids.
any idea's if we qualify through that factor ?

Ali

Michelle & Chris

Hi

I've no idea, but some one on here will. We've been lucky and are being put through on a Talent visa, so we haven't had to jump thorugh so may hoops.

See ya.

Michelle

Fireman Al

Which is nice, there's just far too much paperwork, even for me.... don't know why we've plumped for hamilton, guess it's just close to most things, we started looking a New Plymouth as it really caught my eye but could be a bit expensive !!

Al

uk+kiwi

Ali - You'll have absolutely no probs getting in and taking the others with you, assuming there are no obvious glitches with police checks & medical. Will need your stepchildren's father's permission though which may be the hardest bit. Good luck.

Fireman Al

Thanks for that, spent an afternoon at NZ House in london checking through everything. Don't think the kid's father will be a problem, he's already been 'spoken to' shall we say !
Any other advice on what to do/not to do etc......is Hamilton a pretty safe place for the kid's etc or would you recomend somewhere else ?

Ali

newkiwi

Just on the Talent Visa vs PR issue.....

If you want to become PR sooner than waiting the full two years on your talent visa, there is nothing stopping you from applying for PR as soon as you get to NZ. Will mean putting together another submission, and doubling up on the fees, but teh benefits of having PR sooner IMO outweigh the extra costs. Advantages include not being tied to one employer, easier access to credit/ mortgages, access to benefits for PR only, etc.

sky

Have you made sure you will be able to work as a paid fireman immediately cos I know someone here and even though he had been a fireman in the UK had to pass exams or something to work which took a while.

babybella

My brother in law (who was a fireman in NZ) has just spent 2 years in the UK. He has to re-apply through the application process and re-sit the exams he already took to get back into the fire service in NZ.
KAZ