Moving to christ church!!!!

Look online at the NZ Govt immigration website first to see what type of visa you can get.
With all your experience you should both be able to find work.
For cost of living try www.numbeo.com

Rentals in Chch may be higher than normal because of the earthquake.

Hi all,
12yr experienced carpenter with the chance of going to work in Christchurch. Starting rate is $25p.h? What can I expect my hourly rate to go up to? Is it hard to find accommodation for a family of four and where would ye suggest? Kids are 7&10 so need somewhere that would have facilities to keep them entertained, schools, parks, shops..... etc.

good on you john wish you and your family good luck hopefully we will be out thier soon and if so we could meet up for coffee .still in a pickle about the move due to my income we have got decent amount of savings we might have to buy a house which we didnt want to do at first wanted to rent then look into buying. All the best

similar position to you darreh with over ten yrs ex in plastering ive being offered 24 dollars an hr being told we will struggle on that wage due to the high cost of living in chch .We might have to buy straight away which we didnt want to do .MY WIFE IS A MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST  but she wont be working straight away .good luck

Hi John, its a hard thing to do but if you come over here with an open mind you won't regret it!
I came over in 2010 just before the earthquakes with my husband and 2 kids aged 6 and 10. They settled in really well and love it here.
Work and housing IS tough in Christchurch but it is such a wonderful city and an exciting place to be with the rebuild etc.
Let me know if you would like some pointers re renting or buying a property as I am in real estate - some areas are better then others and there are some imminent school closures on the cards so you need to think about the quality of schooling for your children. Schools over here are rated on a decile system which ranges from 0-10, with the higher deciled schools usually in the more affluent areas. The east side of town (near the beach) was generally hardest hit in the quakes and the west (airport) side fared better with the land being much more stable. Naturally this makes house prices higher though.
Good luck with your research - I can recommend a great immigration agency if you need help with your visa.... ours was not a very straightforward application and we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them!

Hi John
Any advice on finding work in Christchurch?
I am QS and from South Africa and also would like to make the move.
Do you have contacts in the construction industry for QS related work?
Thanks Charl

charl1962
Read my post above regarding visa application.

Only you can summerise why you want to come to the other side of the world to live. However a few pointers:

Go to trademe.co.nz
This site is for buying/rent - anything you need. You can find 5 bedroom homes there. Look under Fendelton, Cashmere Hills or out of town

Depending on your budget - buy a life style block 30 minutes outside of C/Ch.

You need to remember C.Ch had a major earthquake and they are rebuilding the city, so it is not the quaint town it use to be. Also people coming there to work need to be sensitive to the trauma the locals have endured.

As for tax, it is similar to UK. Don't forget to organise your UK pension before coming out.

Good luck