Little question for Jodie!

[Taffy]

Hi Jodie,
When you find the jobs you are looking for, are you going to apply for residency straight away or are you going for a work permit first?

Just wanted to know as our plan was to go with a WHV, then a work permit whilst waiting for residency to be processed, but i've read somewhere that NZIS will only grant a work permit for the time left on your original WHV, being whatevers left of the 12 months. Do you know anything about this?

[Jodie]

Hi Taffy,

As far as we are aware, we will get issued with a 2 1/2 year work permit when we apply for one (this is what the immigration guy said at the immigration show in March...) but we'll soon find out I suppose! With the points as low as they are at the moment though, even if they do only issue a permit for the remainder of the WHV, we should be able to submit an EOI straight away and get picked at the next draw, whilst still being able to start work and keep the employer happy. The recruitment guy that Darren's been desling with in Wellington doesn't seem to think it'll be a problem getting a permit - fingers crossed!

I'll let you know what happens when we cross that bridge!

How's things coming along with you?

Jod

[Taffy]

Hi Jodie,
Thanks for that, just wanted to make sure as this is the route we are taking.

As for things back at 'Camp Taffy', they are moving along! We've lined up a house in Tauranga and a school close by, just missing the elusive work is the only problem!

Our house should be completing on or around 28th September, so we'll be out on the first flight we can get after that!

Hopefully!

[Jodie]

Hey - good news on the house front!

So you'll be joining us out here in October ish then? Excellent! I'll get the barby warmed up...

So how come you're heading for Tauranga? And what route are you taking with regards to LTBV/work etc? You mentioned that you're coming out on a WHV and that you have a school lined up - I guess this means you have a sprog or 2 then? You'll need to check that you can get a WHV if you have dependents - I've got a feeling that when we applied for ours this was a question that was asked.... Don't want to put a dampner on things, but you'd better check..

We visited Tauranga a week or so ago and thought it was a lovely place, although personally I was a little dissappointed about how industrial the area between Tauranga and Mount Maunganui was - they don't show you that in the marketing shcpeel. Although Tauranga town itself was really nice - had a real nicde buzz and holiday feel to it.

We got talking to a couple here (Welly) a few days ago (Actually, it's the couple we bought the sofa from and ended up going to theirs for a drink!) and they're originally from Tauranga. They moved down here to Wellington a few years back (after working in London for a few years) because the work opportunities we rebetter here for them than in Tauranga. Have you checked out the work in the area yet? Again, I;d hate for you to get there and find very little.... (This was only their opinion tho - obviously everyone's different.)

Anyways, let me know how it's all panning out and hope to see you here in a few months (when the weather's better!! It's been awful these last few days - really cold and windy and rainy - that's one thing Tauranga's got over Welly - better weather!!) We've rented a house in Johnsonville, 10 mins outside Wellington, so if you're down this way, pop in for a beer!

Jod
:icon_cool:

[Taffy]

Well, i'll be getting a WHV, and Welshgirl will be going over on a holiday visa, as will the kiddywinks.

I will be trying to secure a skilled offer of employment as soon as possible, to get a work permit. That way, everyone else gets to stay as long as me!

Once I have a skilled offer of employment, and a work permit, we'll be submitting an EOI. We've just got to do all this before the points start going skyward again!

Tic... Tic... Tic....

[Stu]

Hi Jodie

I have a question... Why did you choose Johnsonville? We're going to arrive second week in February next year and are looking at Wellington. My wife has family there and also Martinborough (recommend it for a day trip) and we're hopefully going to settle there.

We're aiming for something with sea views (maybe optimistic!), how come you didn't look it town? Was it personal choice / work / financial restraints?

Also, what's the traffic like into town in the 'rush hour'?

[Jodie]

Hey Taffy,

Good plan there methinks. Good luck with it all - make sure you keep us posted as to how you're getting on, and make sure you come and visit!

Stu - We chose Johnsonville because it's one of the first places you come to when you leave Wellington on SH2 (the motorway), it's only 10 mins drive (I'll let you know how long it takes in rush hour - locals reckon it tales about 20 mins max), got good train links to the City and you get much more for your money both rental wise and purchasing. (We're renting at the mo...we'll buy once/if we get residency). Apparantly it's a growing area and house prices are set to rocket as they're building a bigger mall in the shopping centre nearby (you don't really need to go into the City cos you've got most shops you need in the little mall here, plus a swimming pool etc.). Plus as house prices go up in the city, people are moving here so it's going to get better and better so they say...

We looked at a rental house in Newtown, which is probably the same distance time-wise in rush hour, but only about 4km from the CBD. The house was really crammed in amongst the others (what you'd expect in the city) and it was much more expensive, and quite a bit smaller. In Johnsonville we're probably about 6 or 7 km from the CBD, but prob the same time-wise as Newtown.

The people here seem really friendly and we're a 5 min walk from the centre of J'ville so can walk to the shops, bars and few restaurants, so we're quite happy at the moment. But we've only been here a week so I'll let you know how things are going once we;ve been here a while...

Where abouts are you looking at living then? We haven't got sea views here (wrong side of the gorge!) tho. Where are your family in Wellington then?

Jodie

[Stu]

Hi Jodie

We've got family next to the Botanical Gardens and also in Island Bay. We'd love to live there (unlikely) but looking on www.open2view.com at Strathmore, Newtown, Eastbourne (yeah, right!) and a few other 'burbs I can never remember the names of.

We've had a look at some properties and they seem affordable, and last time we were there we had a look round a few and loved them, so don't know whether we're being unrealistic or not.

Have you guys got jobs yet? Are you working in Johnsonville too? Are you going to look to but there?

Hope all is going well - I'll be there in less than 6 months!

Stu

[Jodie]

Hi Stu,

Living by the Botanical Gardens would be lovely. Also Island Bay is nice and it's close to the CBD too. I think Eastbourne would be a bit of a trek tho...

We haven't got jobs yet, but Darren has had an interview in the City and should hear nextw eek (sounds quite promising!), and I've been in contact with local web companies who sound pretty interested, so fingers crossed we'll soon have at least one job and can get the ball rolling with the PR application...

So when are you planning to head out here then? Have you booked your flights yet?

Jodie

[Stu]

Yep, flights all booked - we fly out on 11th Feb next year. Probably stay out in Martinborough to start with (with the outlaws) until we find something in town.

Good luck with the job interviews!