To be an electrician in NZ Please Help

[manxspark]

Hello everyone

This is my first post on this forum it seems like a very helpful place.
Me and my husband are looking to move to NZ in the next 12 months Hopefully .

I am a fully qualified electrician, Iv been reading so much information about registration that I don't know where I stand anymore.

Is there anyone that has been through this or going through it?

Any help would be great

[Daniel]

Hello and welcome.

You can read in the ERWB website, which is the official NZ site, and, finally you will find the right information about how to register and be able to work in NZ as an electrician...

I hope it can help you.

Cheers,

[JandM]

Hello and welcome.

[NikT]

Hi & welcome,

As posted above, read the overseas section of the EWRB site.

You submit your quals and experience to them.
They will assess them and tell you what you need to do to gain registration and a full practising licence.
They will also tell you if they will grant you a provisional licence whilst you complete exams etc.

Depending on your quals etc. you usually need to do a practical assessment and also regs exam.
You also need to complete a safe working, testing, first aid and CPR training course.
This needs to be renewed every 2 years.

Hope this helps ,

Nick..

[7of9]

Hi manxspark,

You have to see if your qualification is on this list> http://www.ewrb.govt.nz/files/overseas.doc

In my case, my certification was not on the list, so the EWRB didn't recognized my qualifications. The immigration service said than, so you are not a tradesman on our list, so you're not on the Long Term Skill Shortage List. Have a pleasant stay in Holland.

Luckely I was able to proof that my certificates where more valuble than the ones on the EWRB overseas.doc. I had to send some letters of employers and a list of materials with which I had worked to the EWRB.

After that I got a letter from the EWRB that I was eligble for a provisonal licence, and that I had to do practical exam stage 3 and the regulations.

I did the safe working, testing, first aid and CPR training course at 2 licenced private persons.

I see on the Long Term Skill Shortage List, that as a sparky has to have a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering these days. In 2007 there was also on the list "or recognized by the EWRB" I don't know which level immigration service now desire?

Cheers,
Peter

[manxspark]

Thanks very much to everyone for the info that's a big help. It all seems a bit clearer now. It's seems like a lot to go through just to work in another country. Its one way of keeping the cowboys out.

Sharon

[manxspark]

Hi peter
Well done on getting through all those exams. Just out of interest what is the practical exam like? Is there anywhere I can get infor for it. I just want to know if it is simular to the AM2 practical test I took to get my trade card. Thank for the help

[NikT]

Hi Sharon,

Not sure Peter would have taken the AM2, as he is originally from Holland.
I'll ask him next time I bump into him.

I took the AM2 20 years ago, and the practical assessment I took in NZ was not the same.

The NZ assessment is a breeze.
Motor & relay control, test & inspection, fault finding etc.

As far as I know, the practical assessments can only be taken in NZ.

Nick..

[manxspark]

Ok thanks for the info Nick. Can you work while waiting to take the practical assessment and regs test?

[NikT]

Ok thanks for the info Nick. Can you work while waiting to take the practical assessment and regs test?

Yes, with a provisional licence..

The EWRB will inform you whether they will grant you a prov licence after your quals assessment.

After that, your employer signs a supervision order and you get a 1 year prov licence.
This gives you time to take the exams for your full licence.

The regs is a 3 hour written exam.
Practical assessment takes around 2 days, depending how many is taking it.

Nick..