New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[V12man]

Yeah I know right. Maybe it's just the general public offering that is limited to those services.

 

On a slight sidenote, I have been attending a Facilities Management summit over the past 2 days and one of the speakers was talking about the poor management (from a facilities point of view) of hospitals/health boards in NZ (thank goodness ours is one of the good ones).

 

Anyway, he names a local hospital in Auckland (Middlemore) and said how it was the "largest hospital in the southern hemisphere".

 

I leaned over to my colleague and called bull on that. Bara claims that title and is about 4x the size as Middlemore (in terms of bed capacity. approx. 3200 vs 800).

 

I don't envy the facilities engineering department at Bara and the task they have looking after 400+ buildings. On our biggest campus (we have 3), we have "only" have about 25, and a bed capacity of about 1200 (800 adults, 400 for the children's hospital on the same site).

 

Are you still at Bara?

 

Mostly at Bara - but work the whole academic circuit as and when needed - been trying to spend less time working lately... ???? - getting too old for this ****... 2 hours sleep a night doesn't work so well anymore.

[nochain]

Howzit guys!So just a quick update...yesterday celebrated our first month in Nz!Been one hell of a ride so far but starting to settle in and really enjoying this amazing place!

[nochain]

Double post..

Edited May 29, 2018 by nochain

[hayleyearth]

Howzit guys!So just a quick update...yesterday celebrated our first month in Nz!Been one hell of a ride so far but starting to settle in and really enjoying this amazing place!

 

And the recent temp drop too...

 

I just told my partner this morning that I can't believe I was riding to work last year through winter!

[nochain]

And the recent temp drop too...

 

I just told my partner this morning that I can't believe I was riding to work last year through winter!

The wind has been really cold..how much colder will it be mid winter? I take it the big rain is still on its way..

[patches]

The wind has been really cold..how much colder will it be mid winter? I take it the big rain is still on its way..

 

This is only my second winter in Auckland. If I recall last winter it didn't get too cold (compared to the my time in Christchurch, which also wasn't that bad).

 

THE RAIN however is another issue! That totally got m down last year. Christchurch is fairly dry all year round (only about 600mm rain year round) so the winters are similar to JHB (maybe a degree or 2 colder). But Auckland gets rainy and miserable (nearly double Christchurch, at around 1115mm/yr).

 

Be sure to have some good indoor hobbies this winter!

[hayleyearth]

Yesterday was 2 years for me in NZ and tomorrow is 3 weeks till due date of our little kiwi (kangaroo more if we go by her movements)...

[patches]

Just got off the phone with INZ. Friendly and helpful staff. Long hold times. I was on hold for just over 1 hr in order to have a 2 min conversation, but no biggie, I just listened to hold music while I worked.

 

Anyway, they said they're currently running about 3 weeks behind on Residence from Work visa processing.

 

Makes me a tad nervous because I'm supposed to head over to Sydney next month, so I'm hoping they get my passport back to me before then.

[coppi]

Just got off the phone with INZ. Friendly and helpful staff. Long hold times. I was on hold for just over 1 hr in order to have a 2 min conversation, but no biggie, I just listened to hold music while I worked.

 

Anyway, they said they're currently running about 3 weeks behind on Residence from Work visa processing.

 

Makes me a tad nervous because I'm supposed to head over to Sydney next month, so I'm hoping they get my passport back to me before then.

I am so glad it does not only happen in poor old Africa !!!

[hayleyearth]

I am so glad it does not only happen in poor old Africa !!!

 

Yeah but here you have the 'phone back' option actually...

Don't know why patches didn't make use of that, they ALWAYS phone back.

[patches]

I am so glad it does not only happen in poor old Africa !!!

 

Yeah but here you have the 'phone back' option actually...

Don't know why patches didn't make use of that, they ALWAYS phone back.

 

Yup, as hayleyearth said, there is an option to save your place in the queue and then they call you back.

 

I just kept it on hold because it was no biggie having an earphone in 1 ear while I worked, I could estimate by the queue updates how much longer it would still be, I learnt a bunch of useful info about student visas, and lastly, I got to hear the national anthem and some inspirational song about moving to NZ, hahaha!

 

But yeah VERY different from my experiences trying to call the Johannesburg International Mail Centre, where the phone just rings and rings and one has to try about 20x before even getting them to pick up.

 

But don't worry, for those missing Africa, I have heard that trying to get hold of the South African Consulate in Wellington, is just as bad as trying to gt hold of someone at the JIMC. I'm glad to see the employees there are keeping to the prescribed Dept. Home Affairs Standards, hahaha

Edited June 7, 2018 by patches

[patham]

Yup, as hayleyearth said, there is an option to save your place in the queue and then they call you back.

 

I just kept it on hold because it was no biggie having an earphone in 1 ear while I worked, I could estimate by the queue updates how much longer it would still be, I learnt a bunch of useful info about student visas, and lastly, I got to hear the national anthem and some inspirational song about moving to NZ, hahaha!

 

But yeah VERY different from my experiences trying to call the Johannesburg International Mail Centre, where the phone just rings and rings and one has to try about 20x before even getting them to pick up.

 

But don't worry, for those missing Africa, I have heard that trying to get hold of the South African Consulate in Wellington, is just as bad as trying to gt hold of someone at the JIMC. I'm glad to see the employees there are keeping to the prescribed Dept. Home Affairs Standards, hahaha

 

 

The old JIMC - I remember them well from my old CRC import days. I also had to phone plenty times to get a pick-up, but the person who finally answered gave me the gold: their fax number. From then on, all I ever did was fax correspondence off, and a few days later the parcel would have been released. It never failed.

[Stretch]

Yesterday was 2 years for me in NZ and tomorrow is 3 weeks till due date of our little kiwi (kangaroo more if we go by her movements)...

How time flies!

[Gambithunt]

I would really like to move there.

 

I've read that it's becoming more and more difficult with a lot of interest from people wanted to move to NZ.

 

How difficult was it for you guys to get in?

[patches]

I would really like to move there.

 

I've read that it's becoming more and more difficult with a lot of interest from people wanted to move to NZ.

 

How difficult was it for you guys to get in?

 

Yeah, about 2 yrs ago they did up the points required for a skilled migrant visa. Then there was the end to the "no tourist visa" requirement for Saffers, partially due to the fact that a lot of people were using the 3 month tourist visa as a way to get in and hunt for jobs.

 

So a formalized tourist visa was instituted as well as some sort of job hunting visa (which I don't know much about).

 

So yeah it has gotten tougher, but still doable, and probably still easier than Aus. They're strict! (RossW can fill you in on that side of the Tasman).

 

As for me personally... it was pretty easy to get in.

 

I worked for a global engineering consultancy that needed someone in my field of expertise for their Christchurch office. I expressed interest and was hired based on my CV and a 30min phone interview.

 

They are an accredited employer so sorted my visa out. I had a slight hiccup on my medical clearance (based on a past surgery), but all in all, from offer to in Christchurch it was less than 3 months. Should have been less than 2 if the medical wasn't an issue.

 

The firm subsequently hired another 2 of my former colleagues from the JHB office, following a very similar process (their visas took slightly longer because they brought partners over).

 

Hence why I recommend the Work to Residence (Talent - Accredited Employer) in previous posts on this thread. It may lock one in to certain employers for 2 yrs and extend the total time for obtaining citizenship to 7yrs, but it is a pretty quick and "easy" way to get into NZ, should you find the right employer to offer you a job.

[patches]

I rode the Rotorua Redwoods for the first time this weekend. So shattered! Even though there's a shuttle there are still some serious hills to climb.

 

And the trails themselves are way more rough and raw than the Rotorua Skyline ones, so my arms are like noodles.

Still loads of fun though!