Programmer from US w/ housing, visa ?'s..looking for friends

flasponge

Hello,
First off let me say this board is quite a godsend as it is the first I have found with this much clarity and members dedicated to immigration discussions.
Also, if there are any programmers/architects that are in a similar position as I or have been please email or IM me. (flasponge1@yahoo.com or flasponge@hotmail.com) I would greatly appreciate the specific perceptive as related to the IT industry in the North Island.

My name is Jason Doyle, and I am a computer programmer with over 8 years experience as well as a 4 year college degree. I have been researching New Zealand as a possible destination to work and raise my kids for quite some time. Based on what I’ve seen and the intricacies involved in the NZIS in regards to gaining residency, I am foregoing that to instead get a work visa then permit.

From what I understand, a work visa is an endorsement I get on my passport that lets me search for and be qualified for work. Hence should I get a work visa prior to going to New Zealand with my family? To give a little background, I plan on 1st visiting NZ in June 04, then later in Sep ’04 moving the family. My main concern is when do I fit in the Visa/Permits…do I get a Work Visa during my visit or after? Does the Work Visa become a permit after actually getting a job?
I understand that many employers want you to be in NZ before they will even consider you and may also require that you already have a work visa….but if I cant obtain a Work Visa without a job…..then what do I do?

So with all this confusion, I have come to the conclusion that the best thing to do is to have enough cash, so that I can go there, without a job and just have the ample cash support for my initial housing/transporation ect, plus if thingsd go bad in NZ have enough $ to get back to the states (god I hope not).

And that leads to another question….can I rent a home if I do not yet have a job? If I can what penalties do I incur because I am not a resident? I would prefer to not move my kids around twice, hence I would like to find a nice residence close to my expected destination.

As for the cash coffers, I am estimating at this point that I will need 50K liquid cash assets to deal with the move which includes contingency? (4 family members) From what Ive seen, home’s are incredibly expensive to rent in the North island, especially in NZ. Im seeing an average of NZ3600.00 (2700 USD, bloody 32K to rent a house for a year?)…is this accurate? Plus why are all rentals by week? Here in FL average rent is between 800 and 1200.

I am sorry for all the questions….but I am still gathering facts/trends so I can calculate what seems to be the most important thing before arriving in NZ to ensure a comfortable stay…..money.

Also….if any american’s answer this….how much liquid cash would you recommend for a move to NZ….
Thanks!
Jason Doyle and family

westie · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 12

Its hard to say if you can rent a house without a job because it depends on the landlord.I am sure it will be ok esp if you showed funds in your bank.In NZ they can you remove you fairly eaisly if you dont pay the rent.
I would try Wellington for IT work.

Sorry dont know about visa issues .i am sure if you contacted one of the i.t agencies they could help you.
where are you looking at going ?

falconlem · Testing The Water Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 2

Hi there,

I read your posting with much interest, I was married to a New Zealand for 2 yrs 11 months :) It didn't work out, but after she went back to NZ, I came down and stayed for a couple months (at her beckoning). I work in IT, I've been a LAN/WAN network technician, to Software engineer, currently working for Lockheed-Martin IT doing support at Fort Knox. I arrived in Auckland in August 2002, and my culture shock began. I strongly advise you to visit for at least 1 month prior to making the move. I arrived in Winter, that's right its winter in August! Things are a bit chilly, about 40 to 50F, it is really green in New Zealand for a reason. It rains like the devil.

I suggest you rent a car first off and study up on signage a little before arriving, you will need to obtain an international drivers license to legally drive in New Zealand, YOU MUST have a car to actually get around in New Zealand, hardly anyone uses public transport, not to mention there just isn't a whole lot. Its actually quite reasonable you can rent a late model automatic ( get an automatic, and arrange that before you arrive they aren't all that popular in New Zealand, probably 70 percent of the cars are manual-better know as stick in the US.) but remember you are know driving on the other side of the road and everything is reversed --- the roundabouts are the hardest part to remember and you WILL make the mistake of turning into someone --- shoot when I got back to Chicago and rented a car to drive back to Kentucky I started out driving on the left side of the road!!! Anyway it will take about a week to adjust adequately to this, probably about a month to be comfortable. Also no RIGHT on red in New Zealand. On to the I.T. industry.

Of course they prefer you have a work permit, but some places will employ you without for a short period, I worked on a contract for NZMP or Fonterra for a little while doing software testing. Then I hit a brick wall --- no not in the car! though I came close a couple times. The brick was no permit, no job. NO job offer, no permit... Catch 22 big time. Ok lets assume you are freezing your but off in a cheap flat or apt you rented for about 100 USD a week, and you are freezing because there is no central heating in New Zealand -- surprise!!!! --- I bet you won't like it... :)) Go buy an electric heater for 15 bucks down at the local Salvation Army store or at a pawn shop. Leave this plugged in everynight and buy a nice warm blanket and you will begin to tolerate the lack of heat -- barely.

At this point you better have the skills someone is needing, I suggest you make some friends in New Zealand that are willing to either let you stay with them for a couple weeks or at least give you advice and hang out with you. I had church members and a friend of my wife's and I'd been lost without them. There is so much you don't know when you get there its unbelievable --- all this unwritten stuff. Speed limit is about 5 mph for average speed, the roads are rough for traction (remember the rain)- and this makes a ride in the car very loud.

Get a cell phone at the pawn shop, get a new sim card to go with it. This will give you a new number, and its a rechargeable one on Vodafone, you buy new cards for minutes. Make sure you get the charger and it works. Probably about 125 to 140 NZD for this. I got one for 60 from a friend. :) So you have your number, now you need contacts, suggestion you go to Computerland --- No, they don't sell computers that much they are consultants, in Auckland, Wellington and elsewhere, there are others out there sure, but if you develop a contractor relationship and have your qualification they will get you an IRD number and you can get paid. You can't get a bank account without an IRD number though. This is like a SSN here in the USA. Still got my IRD card, thank goodness I didn't throw it out.

Ok, that's a brief tuturial, but all the questions that you asked earlier are determined on lots of things, and it sound like you need to do some more deep soul searching. Things are about 30 percent cheaper in New Zealand than in Kentucky, probably about 50 percent if you are from the east or west coast. Suggest you buy a car after a week, have about 5000 NZD cash, and buy at an auction up near Auckland or buy from a private owner, preferably older, the teens and 20 somethings in NZ are kinda deceptive :) from personal experience. Remember get an automatic, something early to mid 90's preferably a Toyota, 85 percent of cars in New Zealand are Japanese or asian. You don't need insurance in New Zealand, so you can fore go this temporarily. If you don't think you are staying long you can get an OK car for about 2500 NZD about 1300 USD.

Oh well I'll stop now, I'm reliving all these memories... Anyway I might be heading down there again. . THis new point system seems pretty cool. By the way I was in Taranaki and New Zealand.

Oh one more thing I hope you like sugar beet on your hamburger---

Later.

falconlem · Testing The Water Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 2

I meant about 55 mph, max speed it usually around 120K on most roads. Don't get pulled over whatever you do! Not a good way to start.

I was in the Taranaki region of New Zealand in a town called New Plymouth and a small town called Stratford. You may like it, you may hate it, but the people do grow on you and are usually very friendly, they trust people, and appreciate honesty and will give you the benefit of the doubt. Ok.

Jonathan

Alberto_Spain · Testing The Water Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 8

Hi falconlem,

Your experience is very interesting.

I am also LAN/WAN network technician with 3 years experience in network support in a international company, CCNA certified and 3 years formal qualification in Telecomunication engineering.

Do you think that will be difficult for me to get a job in this role in Auckland or Wellington ?

Thank you very much.