[JohnandCathy]

Hello this Cathy & John
Just subcribed to the forum and hope that I will be able to gain some support and valuable infiormation to prepare us for our Big Adventure in February.
Our situation: I am 31yrs Travel Agent for 7 years and my partner John 30yrs an apprentice Carpenter with 2 years experience and Basic Qualification from Collegue. We both did a 1 year WHV back in 2002 and loved NZ and vowed to return and live. We've been together for 6 years and can prove this.

We have our flights booked and will try and get work offers & permit when we arrive on Kiwi Soil with the view of applying for PR after. My main concern is for my partner John, whom has limited experience but perhaps being more employable for carpentry work than I. Would proving this to immigration in order to get a work permit present a problem, he has references, basic skills qual, but most of all he is hard working, willing to learn and very pleasant person. Would they still give him a WP with an offer of employment and would employers be interested in him as a trainee of sorts?

Your advise would be much appreciated.
Cathy & John

[stephenandjulie]

Sorry I can't advise but good luck to you both
Julie

[JohnandCathy]

Hi Stephen and Julie,

Thanks for your support. I have recieved a reply from a Carpenter in New Plymouth and he has given us some useful information.
Will update you on our progress.

Where abouts do you live?

Sorry I can't advise but good luck to you both
Julie

[stephenandjulie]

Hi, we are in Devon and we are in the process of applying for residency. If all goes well and we are accepted we hope to go to NZ in Spring 2007.
Julie

[JohnandCathy]

Were going down the path of just going....find a job...WP then hopefully PR
But we don't have any commitments here so are able to take gamble.
Could be a complete disaster.

Good luck with your application.

Cath

Hi, we are in Devon and we are in the process of applying for residency. If all goes well and we are accepted we hope to go to NZ in Spring 2007.
Julie

[Leccy-Lee]

Thats pretty much my plans too, i wasted a year just thinking about PR EOIs and all that (not the only reason but hey!)

I am 33 single, no commitments at all, pretty skint to be truth, but my plan is to book flights this week to go over to NZ July/August on usual holiday trip, with hope of finding a job and then getting a temp visa, somewhere to sleep and take life / PR etc as it comes along. It may not work, i may fail to find a job, i may end up back home in Blighty homeless and out of work, but i figure whats life for if not for taking chances and the odd gamble. I will probably only have a £5000 ish budget when i got out too, so will have to try and move fast before cash runs out... !

I see you there for a pint i hope :)

[JohnandCathy]

Hi Lee,

Your doing the right thing, if your a trades person with experience then I'm sure you will find work, Work Permits usually last 1 or 2 yrs no need to get medicals or Police Certs for this. Then once you've decided you'd like to stay you can apply for PR. You will already be employed so will make PR real simple.

Were very lucky not to have too many commitments here. Most treads I read are people with families. So this can be more of a risk.

We have a return ticket which we will change. We only have about £6,000 between us, which should last a few months until we get a wage coming in.
Can buy a car real cheaply about £500-£1000.

We will camp a bit, stay with friends and have also looked into FHiNZ Farm Helper in NZ, work in exchange for digs.

If your careful you can survive on a budget.