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New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Old Oct 11th 2007, 3:18 am
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Default New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Hi all.
My husband is a plumber . We emigrated to New Zealand three years ago. Any plumber or gasfitter thinking to come and work in New Zealand , I am happy to go through the process with you.
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Old Oct 12th 2007, 4:03 pm
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Hi Bev how r u...... you never know ,i might try NZ,
I got knocked back by TRA (no written quals ) even though i've been doing plumbing for 20years, everywhere you read oz are crying out for skilled people but they make it so hard to get a visa laughable really
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Old Nov 6th 2007, 9:38 am
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

hello
I am thinking of moving over with my family in the next year or so. i would be gratefull of any info, i am a time served plumber with 16 years experiance.
john
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Old Nov 11th 2007, 4:04 am
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Hi John.
Are you thinking of coming to New Zealand or Oz ?

I can tell you about coming to NZ as a plumber but not about Oz.
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Old Nov 12th 2007, 11:37 am
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

hello
we are thinknig about going to newzealand, we are not sure what is our best route to apply and also if there is a need for more plumbers.
There is a lot of conflicting reports and also many different opinions on the best route to take with applications.
john
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Old Nov 15th 2007, 3:30 am
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Hi again John.

Plumbing is on the long term shortage list in New Zealand . This means that there is always a need for plumbers & there would be no problem finding employment anywhere in New Zealand . Expect a wage of between $20 - $25 per hour.

If you are considering emigrating here, then you would be looking to come out to New Zealand under the Skilled Migrant Category.


You would need to be a time served plumber holding qualifications = to NVQ3 or City and Guilds to an advanced level. It used to be C&G 1 and 2 (advanced - 3 parts). Now I think it is C&G 6089 or something like that.

Do the POINTS INDICATOR to see what points you could obtain. The more points you have, the better it is. The ideal amount is 140 or over . 100 is the minimum.

The Immigration Service and the Plumbing Board of New Zealand require that you prove your UK qualifications . You do this by paying out money and sending in your qualifications , work experience etc to the PGDB for assessment. That is - Application to Assess Qualifications Under Australia New Zealand Reciprocity Agreement. If they are happy , they will send you a letter which states they recognise your UK quals as acceptable towards NZ registration. You will not be able to gain full registration at this stage as that requires you to sit and pass a 3hr exam. (Example Exam papers can be seen on the PGDB site.)

When you look at the points indicator you will see that points are awarded if you have an offer of a job in New Zealand. Of course, this makes the application a stronger case . It is possible to get job offers whilst still in the UK but that can be a bit hit and miss. Mostly if you feel you need a job offer for the points, then the best way is to be here in New Zealand where you and the employer see each other face to face.

If , having done the points indicator, you find you have ample points without a job offer, then put in an Expression of Interest & wait for it to be pulled from the pool. There is a selection of EOI each month. Once your EOI is selected you must wait for it to be verified. If the immigration service is happy with it, you will be Invited To Apply for Permanent Residency. Once you return this, you will be given a Permanent Residency Visa and permit. This will entitled you to live and work in New Zealand. As I said previously, there are plenty of plumbing jobs here.

So, if you can do this because you have loads of points without a job offer , then this is the best way to go. If they come out at 125 or so, you may want to consider gaining a job offer unless you are in no hurry.
140 points is an automatic pick from the pool.

If you feel you do not have ample points without a job offer , then you have a decision to make.

1] You come on a reccy to find and gain a job offer and then return to the UK using your job offer to put in your EOI. Set up as many interviews as poss. before you do the reccy.Be honest with a prospective employer about your time-line. They could be waiting months and you wouldn't want to lose the job offer.
I hear the houses are taking ages to sell in the UK at the moment.
If you did feel that the Emigration process was dragging and that you needed to arrive in NZ, then you could decide to take up a work visa. This would get you into NZ working and living until your Permanent Residency application was finalised.

2] You try to find a job offer remote from the UK. This can be a bit tough. Most employers prefer to see what they are getting and want to know they won't be waiting forever. As you can imagine , they get a fair few emails from hopeful migrants. Further, you cannot be sure what you are walking into.

3] You and your family come on visitors visas and once landed you find a plumbing job and then apply for work permits. You would apply for the work permit - your wife an open work permit - and your children student visas.
Once this is in place , you then go onto submitting the EOI towards becoming Permanent Residents.

You will need to keep an eye on the time scales involved as your employer will be wanting you to start work. They may not wish to wiat many months . Having said that, my husbands employer waited five months in the end.

Bargain for the best rate of pay you can. Don't just accept what is offered. Even an extra $1 per hour is worth it. Don't expect to be paid the same rate as an NZ registered plumber . You won't be registered for starters and you will have some NZ ways to learn.

With regard to being an NZ registered plumber. As stated previously , you would not become registered until you sit and pass a 3hr exam set by the PGDB.
If you were thinking of being self-employed at all in New Zealand , then you would need to wait a further couple of years and then sit and pass a further plumbing exam and a business studies exam. Same if you want to do gas fitting. There are separate exams for gasfitting. Until that time you would remain employed within the plumbing trade.

Your first stop is to do the points indicator.

Feel free to ask if the above makes no sense at all and perhaps see you on the New Zealand Forum
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Old Nov 16th 2007, 9:47 am
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

hello
thanks for the reply, it was good to find somone with all the right info. I should meet the criteria for quals with the old city/guilds advanced and apprentiship papers. i also have teaching qualifications in further education so i need to find out if they have any relevancy out there as well( teaching plumbing students at the moment).
I think we need to organise a visit over to nz to suss things out and arrange some meets as you advised. I will look on the nz site and intro myself asap.
once again bev thanks you have been a star.
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Old Dec 27th 2007, 9:53 pm
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Originally Posted by BEVS here
Hi all.
My husband is a plumber . We emigrated to New Zealand three years ago. Any plumber or gasfitter thinking to come and work in New Zealand , I am happy to go through the process with you.
Hi
we are thinking of coming to NZ with our 3 children. I am a primary teacher and am looking into getting my uk quals 'certified' or whatever the term is. My husband is a gas engineer/plumber with own business and is CORGI registered and has oil and solar qualifications. Do you know what process is to have these 'checked out' - what we do/who to contact etc. Any help and advice appreciated. Also would you advise hime coming out and setting up business from scratch (is there ready demand? ) or getting a job with eg a gas company to find his feet first?
Thanks v much. looking forward to reply
Jayne
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Old Dec 29th 2007, 10:10 am
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Originally Posted by jpdplumbing
Hi
we are thinking of coming to NZ with our 3 children. I am a primary teacher and am looking into getting my uk quals 'certified' or whatever the term is.
Hi Jayne. Kia Ora from New Zealand.
When you have time , check out the NZ forum. There are posts from teachers there

As a teacher you need to get your qualifications assessed by the NZQA and then apply for provisional registration with the Teachers Council.

NZQA

Teachers Council

but please do come onto the NZ forum for more information on this. There are people with first hand experience there.

clicking the blue type will take you straight to the links

Plumbing

Originally Posted by jpdplumbing
My husband is a gas engineer/plumber with own business and is CORGI registered and has oil and solar qualifications. Do you know what process is to have these 'checked out' - what we do/who to contact etc. Any help and advice appreciated. Also would you advise him coming out and setting up business from scratch (is there ready demand? ) or getting a job with eg a gas company to find his feet first?
Thanks v much. looking forward to reply
Jayne
Your husband will not be allowed to become self-employed in New Zealand until he has passed both a Registration exam and assessment plus two further exams for Craftsman .Until he has passed all three exams and the assessments , he must remain employed as a gasfitter.

If he wants to start a gasfitting business, there will be nothing to stop him once here, provided he employs NZ craftsman and registered gasfitters but touches absolutely nothing himself until he has passed the above exams and assessments. To do so would be illegal.

It is possible to emigrate to New Zealand with the sole intention of opening a business. This route is called the Long Term Business Route. It is quite convoluted and requires business plans etc. One must also employ at least 2 NZ Residents I believe. If you want this route, then come onto the NZ forum and I will give you further details.

The plumbing trade in New Zealand is regulated by the Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying Board of New Zealand.
Your husband would send all his qualifications and work experience to the PGDB to have them assessed. Cost $400NZD
If the outcome of the assessment is positive, then he would be sent a letter which states he is eligible to sit the PGDB registration gas exam and assessments.

LINK TO THE PGDB page for overseas assessment

not sure if THIS LINK direct to the details will work. I will try it.

Please be aware that the NZ PGDB do not fully recognise any overseas qualifications. Your husband will be seen as non-registered , or not properly NZ qualified until he passes the Registration exam and assessments. This can only be done in Wellington,New Zealand at this time. Cost $3500 . Time 4 days.
There would be one each for plumbing and gasfitting.

If he passes then he pays for his Registration licence. Cost currently $155 I think.

Once he is registered , he will be allowed to work without supervision and will no longer need his work signed off.

If he wishes to go on to becoming self-employed in his own right, then he will need to sit the Craftsman exams. One is on gas, the other is a business paper. He can sit the business paper the year following his Registration. He sits the other plumbing and gas papers the next year after that.

Exams happen twice a year June and October.

The 4 day assessments for overseas applicants are arranged by appointment with the PGDB .

As far as New Zealand Immigration goes, it is unclear at the moment what they will accept by way of confirmation of his qualifications.
The site states that NZ PGDB registration is required , however, as you can see this is impossible from the UK. It is a new requirement. Previously , sight of his UK quals would have been enough.
It could be that NZIS will accept the preliminary assessment letter from the PGDB stating that your husband would be eligible to sit their exam/assessment. This may be enough to prove that his overseas qualifications meet the level required and therefore he could claim points for his trade skill.

Please also be aware that plumbing is on the long term shortage list but gasfitting is only on the immediate shortage list. It makes a difference.
On that premis, especially given the above hoops that a plumber/gasfitter must go through, I would advise you , as a fully qualified teacher, to be the main applicant .

There is reticulated gas here but it is not widespread. If he just wants to work on gas you may be limited as to where you settle. Gas is often via LPG gas bottles.
Plumbers are required nationwide.
There is solar here.
Companies tend to do a bit of everything.

Hope this helps a bit.
Come back to me with any questions, or see you on the NZ forum

BEVS
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Old Dec 29th 2007, 9:19 pm
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Smile Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Hiya Bev

Nice to know someones out there to pick their brain.My husband (Les who is a plumber),two daughters of ages 5 and 3 and myself (Dawn) are currently going through the process of emigrating from the U.K. We are at the I.T.A.stage. Was just wondering if you had any recommendations about which suburbs are ok for families and renting in wellington? Don't want anything to dear but not dirt cheap either. Also wanting decent school for the girls. Getting dead excited,just waiting for house to sell then we are off.

Thanks Dawn
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Old Dec 30th 2007, 12:57 am
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Hi Dawn.
Don't know much about Wellington as we live over the water I do know something about the plumbing registration process though, if you need clarification with that.
I see you have found your way to the NZ forum. Plenty of folk there living in and around the Wellington area.

If you have read the above post of mine, you will see that I am unsure just what NZIS now request of a plumber to allow him the points for his trade qualifications.

It used to be sight of his C&Gs/ NVQ3 /CORGI etc. Now the site states they require NZ registration as well. This is not possible unless you are already in NZ and have sat the exam and 4 day assessments.

What have NZIS accepted from you by way of confirmation of your husbands plumbing qualifications for NZIS EOI points please?
Did you provide a letter from the PGDB about the overseas UK quals assessment?

This would be a good help as I have been trying to ascertain from NZIS exactly what is required now from a plumber and have been receiving differing answers.
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Old Dec 30th 2007, 12:38 pm
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Originally Posted by BEVS here
Hi Dawn.
Don't know much about Wellington as we live over the water I do know something about the plumbing registration process though, if you need clarification with that.
I see you have found your way to the NZ forum. Plenty of folk there living in and around the Wellington area.

If you have read the above post of mine, you will see that I am unsure just what NZIS now request of a plumber to allow him the points for his trade qualifications.

It used to be sight of his C&Gs/ NVQ3 /CORGI etc. Now the site states they require NZ registration as well. This is not possible unless you are already in NZ and have sat the exam and 4 day assessments.
Thanks
Dawn
What have NZIS accepted from you by way of confirmation of your husbands plumbing qualifications for NZIS EOI points please?
Did you provide a letter from the PGDB about the overseas UK quals assessment?

This would be a good help as I have been trying to ascertain from NZIS exactly what is required now from a plumber and have been receiving differing answers.
HiyaBev

Thanks for the reply. Our contact person at Immigration has offered us an I.T.A. under three conditions.
1.Get Les's qualifications assessed by the PGDB.
2.The PGDB assessment must demonstrate that the qualification is acceptable for registration in N.Z.
3. We must also submit formal evidence of this assessment from the PGDB.
We also have a reply from Kern Uren at the PGDB with the new " Immigration Qualification Assessment System ( IQAS ) application process. Once they have received the application along with evidence asked for and the fee ( non refundable of course ) you will be contacted within 14 working days advising you of the initial outcome of the evaluation of the documentation. We contacted Kern through the PGDB website and he has kept us up to date with the new process and also emailed us the immigrants guide to the new system. The limited certificate still applies.This is were we are up to at the present time. Hope to speak to you soon. This is the same reply as I have put on the other page hope you don't mind.
I think the NZIS are unsure themselves until it comes to particulars of different cases. After pointing out that there is no possible way of getting registered apart from being in N.Z. this was the alternative that they came up with for us. So maybe it is worthwhile emailing and letting them know individual cases, it seemes to be working for us at the minute. We were finding it difficult to get our heads around the NZIS up until this point. Hope this helps

Last edited by Spawny67; Dec 30th 2007 at 12:39 pm. Reason: Forgot to put name and thanks on
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Old Dec 31st 2007, 5:34 am
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

I believe that NZIS did not realise just how an overseas plumber goes about becoming NZ registered. I'm not sure they understand the licenses either.

The only way it could go was for NZIS to accept the $400 prelim. assessment letter from the PGDB. If they wouldn't do this, then they were set to lose many overseas plumbers.

cheers
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Old Dec 31st 2007, 8:26 pm
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Default Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Originally Posted by BEVS here
I believe that NZIS did not realise just how an overseas plumber goes about becoming NZ registered. I'm not sure they understand the licenses either.

The only way it could go was for NZIS to accept the $400 prelim. assessment letter from the PGDB. If they wouldn't do this, then they were set to lose many overseas plumbers.

cheers
Will let you know rest of process as we are going along if that is ok. Have a great New Year
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Old Mar 12th 2008, 9:48 pm
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Question Re: New Zealand plumbers wife saying Hi.

Hi Bevs,

Don't know if you'll get this, as it is 3 months after your original thread...

Have been reading a few of your threads about plumbing in NZ and wanted some clarification. Are you saying only UK level 3 gas qualified plumbers have any chance of being accepted to work in NZ?
Is there no scope for level 2 "water qual" plumbers over there? I have a level 2 C & G qualification from a bona fide college course (not a 6 weeker!)... am I wasting my time applying at this stage? I will be attending an Expo in Leeds next month and was hoping to get more details there, but you seem to be a fountain of knowledge!

What would you suggest if this is the case.... biting the bullet in the UK for another few years and getting level 3 qualified with a firm? (obviously not telling them of my ultimate aim to clear off down under... )... that's if I haven't been taxed into oblivion by then...

Cheers

Roger
 

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