WH New Zealand - are we being realistic?

kizzyf

My partner and I are hoping to move to Auckland asap on a WHV. We have our eyes wide open and if it doesn't work out we will come home after a couple of months. While we are looking on it as an adventure and a chance to experience another culture etc we are both quite practical and mature and eager to work our way around.

At the moment my chances of getting a job here in my profession are slim to none considering I have been looking for 8 months and have only had 1 unsuccessful interview.

Partner's occupation is listed on the skilled workers needed list and both of us are willing to try almost anything when we get there to get by. I have put in a good bit of research already into my job chances and accomodation etc. His job is fairly specialised here as he is a crane operator and I am hoping that someone could help me with info on what courses etc he will need to do in NZ to work in this role.
Also should we apply for work permit also? As neither of us have even visited NZ before we thought the WHV would be the best option.
Any advice anybody has for us would be greatly appreciated.

jank

http://www.emigratenz.org/

Have a look at the above link. I have no idea about the crane business but the property market is suffering here if that is any help.

Rabies

If you're on the skills shortage list, then I'd say for that route. Employers will favour people that can stay long term over possible transient workers on WHV.

Crumble Froo

i have a friend who whose mate is a crane driver... ill ask her to ask him what the story is on qualifications nad skills and jobs and stuff... no promises though, they're a bit of an on-off couple type thing... but ill ask...

i dont even know his name.. he's just "the crane driver".

kizzyf

Thanks Crumble Froo that would be great.

I had another look at that list yesterday and it was amended again next week and crane drivers have been removed along with his previous occupation so looks like we have no choice but to get the WHV.

Crumble Froo

argh, frustrating. bleedin immigration... probably wont see my mate till towards the end of the week... but yep... im having some seriously hair-pull-out moments with immigration at the moment.

JamMasterG

Might be of some help..

The big four construction companies in Nz/auckland are Fletcher, Multiplex, Fulton-hogan and Higgins. There is also a subdivision of Fletcher known as Brian Perry civil who specialise in pilling and foundations, i.e. they employ lots of crane drivers. They all have websites.

To find out if work is available I would advise applying privately to the personnel manager for each of them and see what is going.

Construction seems to be slowing every so slightly in auckland at the moment but apparently the government are pouring money into it and I hear of one or two major projects that are due to start in the next nine to twelve months.

As regards the visa, getting here on a working holiday visa and then applying for a work permit when you get employement is one option. Possibly another is to secure a job and apply for a permit before your arrival. The fact that you have a job will increase the chances of obtaining a work permit.

Once here whether on WHV or permit I strongly recommend you apply for residency. If you have sufficient work experience in your trade you should obtain sufficient points on your expression of interest for residency, to be selected.

Alot of the companies have a consultant who looks after foreigners trying to settle in NZ. They will however usually recommend you get a permit and as permits are only valid for the specific company you work with it can put you in a position of having to stay with that company, which is what they want.
Residency is about two and a half grand and can take up to twelve months but once you have it, well.. its basically happydays.

JamMasterG

Also, most of the companies have their own "crane trainer" as such.
They should go over whatever to need to validate your crane drivers license in NZ. So long as you have the experience already it should not be a costly or lengthy process.

kizzyf

Thanks so much for that info.