[lee]

Hello,

I recently went to an Expo in Edinbrugh, Scotland and came back with good information, however; very conflicting in comparison to what is on the NZ immigration web site and also on the NZ Qualifications Authority web site. Spoke to a guy at the expo with regards to myself been a Plumber here in the UK for the past 4 years and presently completing my NVQ level 2. I was told that Plumbers are in short demand, however; just having an NVQ level 2 qualification could and would be succifient to make a successful application. On the NZ immigration web site it states that a level 4 is required, under the long term skills shortage. I have seen on this site and read other articles of Plumbers with a level 2 getting into NZ. A level 4 I presume is the same as a NVQ level 4? At level 4 in the UK, this is would include your gas tickets and the 'road' to a Plumbing engineering ticket. But the Plumbers are categorised as General Plumbers, Supervisory etc; so my confussion is why a level 4 required for a general plumber?

Perhaps, I have a assumed that the level 4 that is stated is for NZ levels? I have emailed the NZQA about this but still have heard nothing in reply.

Sorry, one more question or query. I finish my NVQ level 2 in June 2008, would it be advisable to make my expression of interest in advance of recieving my qualification or not?

Look forward to your advice and thank very much in advance.

Lee

[Brijan]

Hi Lee
Not sure if this will help at all but here all plumbers and gasfitter are licensed by the Plumbers,Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board, their web site may be able to help you

www.pgdb.co.nz

click on registration and licensing and then overseas appliacations, they list countries that have acceptable quaifacations, if not any use you can email the registrar for info.

Plumbers here are treated with a bit more respect than in the uk,
good luck
Brian:)

[victoria]

Hi Lee,
My OH is also a plumber & none of his qualifications are recognised by NZ & from what I gather very few are. Despite contacting NZAQ & the Plumbing board we received no answer & this was several times. Then the penny dropped! He had to apply & pay for the plumbing assessment which was downloaded online,then posted to NZ with a cheque. We waited several weeks for the replay which of course said his quals. "did not meet their criteria"So Oh will work under a temp license until he takes their exams held every Nov. Both of these will also be paid for.OH has a job offer with a firm which covers the supervisory aspect of the license condition. It's all money really to what are private companies. One thing is you will not need to take(& pay for NZAQ) as the plumbing board one is acceptable.Please feel free to pm me if I can help with anything else.
Regards Vicky

[bevsere]

Hi again Lee.

We have spoken together about your UK NVQ2 , NZ PGDB etc before.

To answer this post on this forum.

You can certainly work and obtain work in NZ as a plumber. There is nothing to stop you doing this. You will work under a limited licence issued by the PGDB as you will not be seen as NZ registered.
The question for you is would your level 2 be acceptable under the Skilled Migrant Category or would NZIS accept your level 2 alongside a job offer anyway and perhaps offer you Work to Residence instead.
Work to Residence may be possible.

Yes ! Plumbers are on the Long Term Skill shortage list. When you think of this, it means that Employers here need plumbers and there are not enough to go round. I would think that with a job offer from an NZ employer you would stand a good chance of coming to and living/working in New Zealand .
This is just my opinion though.

Perhaps initially it will have to be with a work visa

If you are wanting to migrate to NZ and obtain PR , then that is another matter , for you will need to get enough points for your application. How many points would you have with a job offer? Is it over 100 ?
Of course, with just an NVQ2 it is doubtful you could gain 50 points for your qualification.
As we have already discussed NZIS like to see what they call a level 4 for a qualification and work experience to be deemed 'skilled' in their eyes.
This is one hic-cup for you my friend.
NZQA set the comparable levels for overseas qualifications. Forget PGDB for now. At the moment we are talking about NZIS PR points.

Now ! I have tried to get to the bottom of NVQ levels and how they compare to , say, City and Guilds. I have to say it is not totally clear.

From what I can see though , for NZIS and NZQA to feel the UK overseas plumbing skill is at their Level 4 - you would need to have an NVQ3 which has several parts to it. you also need the comparable amount of time with on the tools training. 4 years or so.

So , without the NZIS seeing your plumbing skill level as a Level4 , you will not be awarded the 50 points for a Skilled Migrant.

However, if you have age on your side, a job offer, work outside of Auckland etc to gain extra points - then perhaps you will have enough points [ over 100] and think it worth submitting an EOI to see what happens. After all, you will have found an employer that needs you.

Other than that , I would suggest you obtain an NZ job offer in the plumbing trade. Have that employer show he can get no-one else [ simply as a precaution] and then apply for a work permit [ if in NZ] visa [if in UK]. Once here, you will be in a better position to improve your Nz status.

Now - Back to the PGDB who are the trade board for New Zealand and a government body. Plumbing,Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.

In New Zealand each of the above, plumber, gasfitter and drainlayer, is a separate trade. One needs a licence for each one. If you are not NZ registered then you must hold a Limited Licence. You cannot hold this licence without an NZ employer who has someone NZ registered in the trade to vouch for your work.

The PGDB does recognise several countries overseas qualifications TO SOME EXTENT. No overseas qualifications are totally recognised.

One has the qualifcations assessed by the PGDB and they will come back to you and say one of two things.

1] Yes - they recognise your overseas qualifications towards registration in Nz and that you will be granted NZ registration once you have sat an exam and passed a practical test.

2] No - they do not recognise your qualifications towards registration but you can come and work under a limited licence .
You can also choose to undertake extra training, via one of the training organisations to gain the National Certificate in Plumbing and then once you gain this, you can go on to take their registration exams.

So Lee. We have discussed this.

Odds are that you would be asked to undergo further training once you are here if you come to work in the trade with the NVQ2 only. you will need to find an employer willing to help you sign on with a training organisation [ this can only be done through an NZ employer] and who will be willing to give you leave time to attend block courses etc. Much of the course work is long-distance learning. if you go this route, then , of course, your NZ employer will pay you a lesser rate because you will not be seen as other than at Apprentice level.

You will remember that I felt it would be better for you to stick it out in the UK a while longer and find some way to gain your NVQ3. This will save time and hassle and lots of $$$ this end .

Gasfitting has the same route to registration as the above. It is a seperate trade to plumbing.
For PGDB to consider gas qualifications towards registration you must have CORGI registration. It doesn't matter if you have ACS modules in abundance . They want to see that CORGI card.

If you are wanting to also become NZ gas reigstered in Nz , then you must satisfy PGDB of your overseas quals IN ADDITON to the plumbing ones. Not in with the plumbing ones.

There is a gasfitting registration exam . Gasfitting is also moving towards competance based licensing which means you would really have to be doing gas work to be eligible for a license other than a limited one.

i hope this helps Lee.

You see there are two sides to the game here.

One is that you can come here and simply work in the trade and not be registered but do the hard yards here to get registered.
The other is to stay put , gain NVQ3 and submit under Skilled Migrant category.

With either it is possible for you to submit an EOI and possibly be given an ITA. It will depend on your points and the points pulled from the pool in any given month.

[bevsere]

Hi Lee,
My OH is also a plumber & none of his qualifications are recognised by NZ & from what I gather very few are. Despite contacting NZAQ & the Plumbing board we received no answer & this was several times. Then the penny dropped! He had to apply & pay for the plumbing assessment which was downloaded online,then posted to NZ with a cheque. We waited several weeks for the replay which of course said his quals. "did not meet their criteria"So Oh will work under a temp license until he takes their exams held every Nov. Both of these will also be paid for.OH has a job offer with a firm which covers the supervisory aspect of the license condition. It's all money really to what are private companies. One thing is you will not need to take(& pay for NZAQ) as the plumbing board one is acceptable.Please feel free to pm me if I can help with anything else.
Regards Vicky

Hi Vicky.

all the best for the registration exams.

The PGDB hold exams twice a year now . In June and in November.

There are downloadable exam paper questions and answers on the site.

for anyone out there.
The fee to sit one registration exam is $300 .
So for gasfitting and plumbing that would be $600 bucks .
Licenses $110 bucks a time.
This is a huge hike in the fees mainly because the PGDB decided to 'up' the disiplinary levy. Nightmare!

As Vicky correctly points out, all non-registered persons working in the plumbing or gasfitting trade work under a limited licence. This means that their work must be supervised and signed off by a Registered tradesman who is supposed to physically be with you at any job you do. In theory , of course, what mostly happens is your overseas qualified plumber is just left to get on with it after a few months because they know their stuff. The work is still signed off by the nominated registered plumber

I do have a bit of a reading list etc which can help prepare for the exams. Please let me know if you are interested

[busylizzie]

Hi Lee

We also went to the expo in Edinburgh where one person told us that plumbers were in short supply and then another told us they weren't.

However, the good news is plumbers are in short supply. My OH is a plumber and he posted his cv on seek.co.nz and has had several job offers. OH has City & Guilds (advanced technician & 15 yrs experience). We scanned his quals into computer and then emailed off to pgdb. We went the NZQA route 1st only to be told by OH new employer that pgdb has to assess quals as well.

EOI submitted (195 points), ITA received, medicals this week, sit pgdb exam in June. Can only speak from our experience and we have found them really helpful although OH's new employer has been speaking to them as well.

Hope this helps and good luck
Liz

[bevsere]

It is not necessary for NZQA to assess plumbing and gasfitting qualifications. The PGDB assessment is the only one you need.