a guide to working/living in new zealand

[sammylane]

Can anyone recommend a good book with practical advice for a 30-something woman considering living and working in NZ for a year? All the guides I have found seem to be aimed at either under 30's (gap years and working holidays) or people wanting to emmigrate for good. I hope what I want to do is possible!

[morg_monster]

The problem is that the usual route taken by people who wish to work in NZ (or Oz) short term, is to get a working holiday visa, and as you probably know, these are only available to under 30s (well there's always some dispute that you can apply for one on the day before you're 31 but anyway...)

So really, you have a choice. If you want to work, you either need a Work Permit and for that you need a job before you go, or you need to have 'in demand' skills (education, health, engineering, ICT, farming, there is a very detailed list here on the NZ immigration site) and be planning to work. Of course you can combine work and play but I should imagine you'd have to have a full time job, but maybe you could stay on afterwards for some more serious travelling.

If you want to play, you don't need a visitor visa and can stay for up to 6 months.

It does get harder to do what you want once you are over 30, but I don't think it would be impossible. Have a look on the immigration NZ website, it seems very useful and detailed, and see what permit/visa would suit you first, and whether you have a shortage skill. Once you know that, you can probably pick and choose bits out of guides for emigres and travellers as needed.

(I'm lucky - statto's are in short supply in Oz and NZ so I really want to work over there for a couple of years some time...)

[sammylane]

Thanks Morg Monster. You lucky thing, I don't have a skill that is on the skills shortage list (though I am considering whether I have time to train as a cabinet maker - apparently they are in short supply down under) - but I am hopeful about getting a job as I've got contacts over there and have been in touch with the organisation that looks after my profession (fundraising). I've also been looking into things like volunteer working (organic farms and the like) as I could maybe afford to do that for a few months.

Maybe once I've navigated the permit/visa minefield I'll just get something like a rough guide to give me ideas on what to do in my spare time there. You're right, the immigration website is very helpful.

Thanks for yuor advice and have a great trip yourself!