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

[Saag]

My father phoned me at 2am to tell me they've decided not to come - after I had told him Qantas keep dropping my call to rebook (I'm rebooking off flight credit so can't do it online) after 3hrs. I don't know why 2am, but it's their new goto time to call.

 

We'd prefer them here than Grahamstown, but figure that they have less chance of catching it in their complex rather than our house which has a lot of coming and going. But if they do get it....

 

Have a company making me an offer today - my current contract has been canned due to current business being airport logistics related and probably going to get punished. I'm surprised how much hiring is still going on.

Awesome news on the new job offer.

Lots of companies are struggling currently. One would think we are in a much better position to get through this with the NZ economy than the SA one.

 

Still going to be a tough 2020!

[DawieO]

Sorry folks, New Zealand is now closed till further notice...

 

I commute to Sydney weekly and it was touch and go which side I was going to get caught! Fortunately turns out to be the side with my family in it.

Edited March 19, 2020 by DawieO

[l4y3rcake]

Sorry folks, New Zealand is now closed till further notice...

 

I commute to Sydney weekly and it was touch and go which side I was going to get caught! Fortunately turns out to be the side with my family in it.

 

Really sucks for us. We are in the process of selling our house and we were planning to be in NZ by July/Aug, just before Spring. We gonna have to adjust our plans and hope it all works out in the end. Probably going to have to rent this side for a while before we go.

[DawieO]

That sucks completely.

[Saag]

Really sucks for us. We are in the process of selling our house and we were planning to be in NZ by July/Aug, just before Spring. We gonna have to adjust our plans and hope it all works out in the end. Probably going to have to rent this side for a while before we go.

We know a couple that sold their house, container already packed and on its way.... now they are stuck. Between life's so to speak.

 

That is a really tough one

[Wayne Potgieter]

Stay safe peeps.

 

I am worried about my Safrikiwi family.

 

@Dawie, glad you are locked down this side with your family (and bikes)

[patham]

We know a couple that sold their house, container already packed and on its way.... now they are stuck. Between life's so to speak.

 

That is a really tough one

 

I was just thinking to myself last night that there are going to be a few people who are really caught out by this. I was thinking that one of the worst outcomes would be (and this is Australia specific):

 

1. Just come over here on a temporary work visa, but have sold up fully in SA.

2. Get made redundant here in Aus. 

3. Can't find a firm to take you on, so under work visa conditions you need to leave. It used to be 28 days, then 6 months, then I think changed back to 28 days. Who knows?

4. Can't even fly out because there may be no more international flights.

5. Get some form of criminal record for overstaying your visa.

 

That would be truly hard to recover from. Maybe the govt will give some form of bridging visa so that point 5 does not occur, but still..... 

[patches]

I was just thinking to myself last night that there are going to be a few people who are really caught out by this. I was thinking that one of the worst outcomes would be (and this is Australia specific):

 

1. Just come over here on a temporary work visa, but have sold up fully in SA.

2. Get made redundant here in Aus. 

3. Can't find a firm to take you on, so under work visa conditions you need to leave. It used to be 28 days, then 6 months, then I think changed back to 28 days. Who knows?

4. Can't even fly out because there may be no more international flights.

5. Get some form of criminal record for overstaying your visa.

 

That would be truly hard to recover from. Maybe the govt will give some form of bridging visa so that point 5 does not occur, but still..... 

 

Yeah, there are going to be some unique circumstances arising form recent events.

 

In the press conference where the NZ PM announced the borders closing, someone asked a question along those lines, ie. what if people on work visas, which are dependent on them having employment, lose their jobs?

 

There wasn't a clear answer, but I'm sure those cases will start pouring in, if they haven't already. The government will then have to address the issue.

 

My personal take is that some sort of bridging visa should be offered. the reason the borders were closed was to stop non citizens/permanent residents coming in due to the virus. An unemployed person on a working visa that is already in the country does not pose the same contaminating risk as a tourist coming in from overseas, so I think a little leniency in their cases should be afforded.

[rad006]

Stay safe peeps.

 

I am worried about my Safrikiwi family.

 

@Dawie, glad you are locked down this side with your family (and bikes)

Shout if you need any help Bud.

[davetapson]

Well, there we go.

 

Going to be interesting to see what happens in the next few weeks.

The missus's clinic has been closed, they're going to get 80% pay for two weeks then review.  However, she's going back to GP'ing so will still have an income - but at what cost.

I have new job offer allegedly on the table, going to be interesting to see if they pull the trigger given we can't face-2-face for the next four weeks...

[Wayne Potgieter]

Hi Everyone.

 

One of the downsides of immigrating is that we have a much smaller support structure. 

 

This is an open offer to each and every one of you on this thread - if there is anything my family can do to support your family during this team, send me a PM and I will do everything I can to help.

 

It is important to look after our mental health during this and I am happy to take calls or video chats anytime. Day or night (unless you are a telemarketer in which case, bugger off)

 

As the people in our new home always say... Kia Kaha

[patham]

Hi Everyone.

 

One of the downsides of immigrating is that we have a much smaller support structure. 

 

This is an open offer to each and every one of you on this thread - if there is anything my family can do to support your family during this team, send me a PM and I will do everything I can to help.

 

It is important to look after our mental health during this and I am happy to take calls or video chats anytime. Day or night (unless you are a telemarketer in which case, bugger off)

 

As the people in our new home always say... Kia Kaha

 

Well said Wayne, great move.

 

I will echo that for Aussie contingent. Although our federal government has not made any similar big calls they are bound to be coming. It's interesting as I have a sister in law in California, they have been in lockdown for about a week now, and have just had their lockdown conditions made more stringent (i.e. no visitors to your house allowed).

 

Their tips: Try and go for a walk each day for fresh air. Make time for board games and cards. Family cooking. And encourage everyone to do all the activities together, don't leave anyone behind to stew by themselves.    

 

Our state premier in Queensland has stated she does not want to see people venturing out of their own suburb, although that is not yet an "official" position. My foresight in living right next to the mtb trails pays off although who would have guessed these conditions.

[davetapson]

Shoo - had a call at current work about conditions going forward.  Everyone to take leave they have outstanding etc.  Pretty bleak stuff.

 

Edit: ditto what Wayne said.

Edited March 23, 2020 by davetapson

[DawieO]

Great call Wayne, same same from me.

[MrJacques]

https://www.immigration.co.nz/immigration-blog/post/nz-complete-lock-wednesday/

[Wayne Potgieter]

I just made a total rookie error.

 

By failing to move my family's kiwisaver funds from aggressive to low risk, I have just realised a loss of over $12,000.

 

I am normally totally on top of that stuff. 

 

Now I have moved to a cash position to mitigate the bleeding and will have to hope for a bounce back eventually to move back on to aggressive to try claw back.

 

Stupid damn virus.