Job Discussion Forums

[Douglas]

I am from Toronto , Canada. I have spent four years working in China within the university education system and now would looking for a complete changelike to spend two plus years in NZ. I will arrive within two weeks . Thus far I have not gathered to many contacts in NZ and hope this will give me a chance to get contacts and info that will benifet me in seeking work.
I have very little general info about the good, the bad, and the ugly in working and living in NZ and hope that this could be passed on to me.
At this time I have not decided as to were to live and all info regarding this would be nice in making a sound choice.
Please email me or leave your thoughts

Thank you

[tjpnz2000]

The first question is this: Do you have a work visa? If you don't get one.

As far as work goes, there is work available but this is probably not the best place to be looking for it. The ESL situation is very limited judging from what has been posted here recently. I would suggest the www.seeknz.co.nz site and a general look around nzoom.co.nz. I would not expect to walk into any kind of university job in any of New Zealands universities, you will probably be able to find temp office work however.

Working and living in New Zealand:

Good,
Some of the best nature in the form of beaches, forest, mountains, rivers and anything else you can define as nature in the world is in New Zealand and very accessable.

Bad,
Despite the continued rise of the NZ$ you are unlikely to become a million aire living there. The richest people in New Zealand don't make the top thousand of the world wide list.

Ungly,
In Auckland (my home town) it rains a lot in winter.

This post reads a lot like someone who thinks that New Zealand is in the same catergory as far as Korea, Japan, Taiwan with regard to ESL work and living conditions. Sorry if I am mistaken but that is how it reads. If you have done your research you will know that this is not the case.

T

[naturegirl321]

Well, if you arrive and get a job, you will have to leave to get your work visa. And then possibly have to leave AGAIN to get your work permit.
Personally, I wouln't go there without having a job beforehand.

I agree with tjpnz2000.

They speak English there, so the competion is higher than in non-English speaking countires.

You will probably need a Cert and a couple of years of experience. I've also heard that the shortage of teachers in taken care of now. The schol year begins in Febraury more or less. Sometimes you can find work during June, July and August because Asian students go there to study. But they recruit for that in March and April.

Sorry to rain on your parade. You can always go there if you've got your flight and everything and see how things work out. If they don't, travel for a bit and then head to Asia!

[naturegirl321]

But, if you are bent on going to NZ and stubborn, like me. Head for the big cities, Auckland and Christchurch.

[JosephP]

Good: fruits, vegetables, meats, Asian markets, bakeries. If you can cook, you'd be in tall clover. As for the great outdoors, NZ is spectacular. Although I think the beaches aren't as great as NZers think they are. Piha is waaaaaay over-rated.
Bad: NZ drivers do not have a clue. Truly stupendous stupidity on the roads. Complete and total loathing doesn't begin to describe the depths of my disgust with NZ drivers. Rude, obnoxious, and dangerous would be a small start in describing the average Kiwi motorist.
Ugly: Binge drinking by all segments of society. Graffiti like you wouldn't believe. Auckland public transportation. Helen Clark's glare. Yikes!

[Kereru]

Joseph, you obviously haven't driven in Australia!! When I first moved to Chch I couldn't believe how polite & considerate kiwi motorists were. If you are trying to get out of a side-street in peak hour, they'll make room for you. They give way to buses even though it is not compulsory - in Aust it is the law but the game is to force the bus to give way to you. They do have a tendency to be blase about one lane bridges & intolerant of tourists in campervans who can't decide which side of the road to drive on but I'd rather drive here than in Australia any day.

[JosephP]

I was down in Christchurch this past January and I noticed that the drivers were reasonable, so I admit I probably tarred all NZ drivers needlessly. "Jafas" do suck as far as motor vehicle operators go.

[Cali]

As a Canadian I do believe that you can get your work visa while in country.

[Capergirl]

Is it difficult to get a work visa for NZ (as a Canadian, that is)? Is the cost of living very high in places like Auckland and Christchurch and is the pay for an ESL teacher sufficient enough to get a decent apartment and live at a reasonable standard?

I asked naturegirl the following question on another thread but I'll pose it here again: what qualifications are normally required for ESL teaching in NZ?

TIA

[JosephP]

Caper Girl asks: Is it difficult to get a work visa for NZ (as a Canadian, that is)? Is the cost of living very high in places like Auckland and Christchurch and is the pay for an ESL teacher sufficient enough to get a decent apartment and live at a reasonable standard?
You need some sort of TEFL qualification like an RSA CELTA, or Trinity Cert. I'm not sure if a university degree is needed or not. You also need to get a company to generate the paperwork needed for NZIS (New Zealand Immigration Service). My company in Auckland has Americans, Irish, British, South Africans, Indians, and even a Kiwi or two. We had a Canadian working for us a while back but he left to explore other opportunities.
The cost of living? Yikes, that is a tough one because there are so many variables. But what the hell... Auckland is definitely high priced. The rents here have soared by thirty percent at least in the last year. When I arrived in January 2002 I found a two bedroom place for NZD$230/week and I though it was a little over the odds. Now this is considered cheap. And I live way out in the western suburbs. If you want your own place, be prepared to pay at least NZD$300 a week for a decent enough place. Also be prepared to get a car or suffer with Auckland's appalling public transportation (as I do). Food is reasonably priced and of quite high quality. The fruit and vegetable grocers are the place for saving loads of money compared to the supermarkets. Entertainment i.e cinemas are quite expensive NZD$13-15 per show. Beer is about a buck a tin at the bottle shops. Petrol is now NZD$1.09 per litre.
Christchurch is similar in costs except the rents are about two-thirds that of Auckland.
So, how far will your packet go? If you are a halfway decent teacher and reasonably sentient you should be able to get a job paying around NZD$28 to (if you are lucky and can get it) oh, say NZD$42 an hour. The latter is kinda rare. NZD$30 is realistic. 23 to 25 hours a week is your work time and Wellington will take at least 19.5% income tax + 1.6% ACC. There is also a 12.5%GST on top of everything.
Good luck.

[Capergirl]

Thanks for all the info, Joseph!