DH has asked me to go to a NZ opportunity thingy .....

[mankyscotslass]

We have talked on and off in the past about looking overseas for our future. Always either Canada or NZ...now the NZ opportunities roadshow type thing will be in our city next month, and he has asked me to go have a look.
He is in IT, and we have 3 kids, 5,3,and 2. Where abouts is the best place to be looking if we go ahead and make further enquiries? What are the pitfalls? I am a bit that he has actually started to research it, I always thought it was a pipe dream!!! I would be interested though.

Hi,

we have just moved to NZ 3 months ago with 3 kids now 7,3,& 2. It has been hard work but worth every penny. We always thought it a pipedream and Jan this year DH applied for a job - Oil and gas and though we would be lucky to get an interview. By end of March he had had telephone interview and we were on our way to NZ for the face to face interview. Under 3 months later we had arrived, house sale going through, container on its way and Motel booked!
It was so quick - I am not sure my feet have stopped running! We are now looking to buy a house as our UK sale has completed and money transfered. It is all very possible even with young ones - its one big adventure for them!

There is an IT forum for xpats - wellies dot org dot nz.

you may be able to get IT help there.

If DH can get a job before he comes and get sponsoured (by an accredited employeer)the Work to residency visa can be got very quickly and you and kids come out on work and student visas. Or you can also do the EOI (expression on interest) points thing. check out the nz immigration sites. I thinks 140 points and you automatically qualifiy to apply for PR (permenant residency) and you can make your own way out and find a job when you get here etc.

feel free to email
zjuniper on hotmail dot co dot uk address.

THanks for that, will have a nosey and i will email you if I have any questions. I appreciate the offer. Still a bit at the moment, although I know it might not come to anything

The other option is to look at head hunting agencies. DH is kiwi but had lived abroad for nearly 20 years, he posted his CV over the internet with a number of head hunting agencies in NZ, was interviewed over the phone, flown over for an interview all paid, then offered the job which he accepted. Microsoft amongst many others have huge offices here in Auckland.

As for bringing children, my ds1 was 2.5 and apart from missing his grandad terribly made the transition well. I have a friend moving out for 2 years, her dh has a secondment in November, she has 4 children 7,5,3 and 1. They are looking forward to the adventure.

The pitfalls today there are none, the skies are blue, boys have just been to school agricultural day, won ribbons, huge fair great fun. Came home, swim in pool, warm up in spa while we were discussing trip back to London next May with 2 weeks in Spain thrown in. Are off out to dinner tonight, most restaurants are child friendly, all non smoking etc. Best of both worlds. On a down day I would say the biggest pitfall is being so far from old friends and family. I do miss them but that's where skype comes in.

Good luck. I have some friends in IT, will ask them if they know where to start with info.

I moved here 6 years ago and there are lots of pluses. Friendly, decent weather (much better than Manchester anyway!), generally quite safe (of course there is crime but I feel much safer than in UK), outdoor lifestyle. Lots of things to do that are cheap/free e.g. beaches, national parks. Slower pace of life (which can be good or bad depending on your point of view!). Also we can afford to pay our mortgage and live on one income which is good as I am soon to become a SAHM.

The biggest pitfall is being so far from family, how close are you to yours? I keep in touch with mine a lot but it will be expensive to fly back regularly to see them, not to mention it's a long flight with small kids. It's a great place to bring up kids though and there seem to be lots of Brits emigrating here at mo.

My dh runs an IT recruitment company here in Auckland and there seem to be quite big shortages of skilled IT professionals. He seems to be constantly placing UK expats in IT jobs! Immigration would not be a problem if your dh is in IT. There is a website www.workingin.co.nz which has details of companies and recruitment agencies. Dh's company is on there - CPU Recruitment - or I can always pass you his email if you or dh want to email him about job opportunities here.

Salary would prob not be as high here as UK but still high by NZ standards.

I don't know anhyone who has regretted moving here, though obviously most people have their moments of homesickness. Oh, the shops in the UK are much better, but I'm used to that now!

At the end of the day, if you really didn't like it after a year or two, there is nothing to stop you moving back to UK (though I understand you may not want to move kids around too much).

Good luck with whatever decision you make.