Moving to NZ

[Taupotreeman]

Can't speak highly enough of NZ. Originally I was going to move on to OZ but the climate here is easier to cope with. Winters aren't as harsh as the UK and summer is slightly warmer. It's like Britain used to be when I was growing up; safer and more chilled and with a population of just over 4m definately less crowded. Some places you can get a beach to yourself and people are a whole lot more friendly. Add to that the current issues with immigration, crime etc in Britain NZ is just way better from my point of view. The wages aren't as good but the whole lifestyle you get more than makes up for it. My old man came over for a two week holiday back in 2000 and loved it so much he applied for residency which has just been approved. You can find negatives with any place you go to but if you just immerse yourself in the place it's all good. It beats my hometown of Loughborough and working in Snowdonia any day of the week.

[Stephen Blair]

i watched some guys take down some trees with a huge bucket truck in Taupo in 1999, could it of been you??

[Taupotreeman]

Probaly not, I didn't move down to Taupo until about five years ago but it could well have been the company I worked for at the time (Treescape) as they had a few large bucket trucks, or maybe even Plateau. I think most of the big bucket trucks in NZ top out at 60 feet, are all insulated for work around the lines and are owned by Treescape or Assplunderers. Not too many of the big trees left in Taupo now unfortunately; most have been cut down for the view of the lake but there's still some monster Macs at Huka lodge.

[Stephen Blair]

i will check my pics and get back to you on the company, i had never seen one before, it looked great and had a huge chipper behind it. I just remember it being really windy

[RobRainford]

ok so now im very interested in coming over for a working holiday. i can obtain a working holiday visa from the immigration office at NZ and i would be planning to come over from late may to late august.

 

Whats the best way to come over, apart from a working holiday, is there a better chance for work in looking for somebody after employees first?

 

i would also be planning to come over with my girlfriend, whether she can get the time out of work idk, id like to come with her to share the experience as we have both wanted to go for a while now. would she be ok gaining a student or normal holiday visa?

 

Funding is no problem to get over there, there are also travel bursaries available.

 

theres so much i want to find out, i just want to get over there and work in the nice place

[Taupotreeman]

Rob, you can get a working visa just by applying to immigration NZ and you should be able to get details of their website. If you can actually t up a job with a company that's registered with immigration as an approved employer you should be able to get a 2 or 3 year visa like I did. It does mean that you can't just quickly grab a visa and hop on over and will have to do the leg work with organising employment and letters from the employer first but it depend how desperate you are. As for the missus; you can do what I did. She can come over on a holiday visa and look for work over here then apply for a work visa or just do the same as you and apply for a temp work visa before she leaves the UK. Usually it's just a case of having sufficient funds to in the bank and a return ticket already paid for. It really all depends on how long you want to vome over for.