The dreaded Cowboy style approach...advice?? Please :)

[Clanonthemove]

Hi everyone

So we are wrapping things up here in SA. Very stressful and exciting. I have asked if kids can go to school whilst on a visitor's visa and saw they can for 3 months, so at least that is a relief. My fiance has been applying for loads of positions with almost all of the employers responding that he does not meet the requirements. He is highly skilled in his field ( ITC - Application Packager ), and we have been told we need to be in NZ to secure interviews and a job offer.

With a job offer he qualifies under SMC

My list of stresses are lengthy... First of all we have decided to do the Cowboy thing and come over for 6 months, hopefully we will survive it and hopefully he will get a job offer in this time.. My questions are:

1. Is 6 months enough - I read Employers can take their time ...
2. Can we rent a small place for the 4 of us for a short time? We have family in NZ (aunt and cousin) and will initially stay there for a week or two.
3. It seems impossible to even get an interview from this side.. will we be able to have better success once there?
4. When would be the best/worse time to arrive - given we have 6 months only?
5. Any advice on how we can make the job searching process more effective - we are aware of all the sites and have contacted most employers and registered everywhere
7. I don't have a job on the skills shortage list but I have some technical experience in Shutter manufacturing and some ICT training, could I potentially get a job?
6. Are we mad??

We have decided rather tried and failed that never have tried at all, so we have made the choice but my very "must-plan-everything-and-be-sure-of-everything" personality tends to have mini meltdowns sporadically .

Please please help

[G-Mo]

I think you will still have issues securing interviews (especially through recruitment agencies) without valid work status. Many (even most) IT positions are placed. Unless the position is extremely difficult to staff, generally speaking unless you can present valid papers at the agency meet, you won't get any further.

Can it be done? Yes. Is it significantly more difficult? Yes. Would I do it? With kids? No.

Where do you intend to live? What city?

[Sun777]

1. Is 6 months enough - I read Employers can take their time ...

Generally speaking yes, from what I have read on this forum and heard from people, usually its a 2 weeks to 2 months process (3 month being the extreme case) but largely depends on how the interviews go, the urgency of the employers etc.

2. Can we rent a small place for the 4 of us for a short time? We have family in NZ (aunt and cousin) and will initially stay there for a week or two.

Yes, you can look for short term rentals. Having friends/family here for initial few weeks helps A LOT. Firstly to get accustomed to the city, settle down after long flights, less mental worries about accommodation.

3. It seems impossible to even get an interview from this side.. will we be able to have better success once there?

Yes, the success rate is higher and process is faster once you are onshore. The cycle of arranging interviews is cut down (with time difference & availability)

4. When would be the best/worse time to arrive - given we have 6 months only?

Avoid any time between November to February, usually its a shutdown time in NZ for businesses with not so much happening with recruitment.

5. Any advice on how we can make the job searching process more effective - we are aware of all the sites and have contacted most employers and registered everywhere

Can your husband arrive here for a 4-6 weeks recce and look for job? That will be easy in terms of dealing with whole family and also looking for jobs. Depending on how everything goes, rest of the family can join once your husband gets a job, this will be easy to settle down too.

6. Are we mad??

What's life without little bit of madness

7. I don't have a job on the skills shortage list but I have some technical experience in Shutter manufacturing and some ICT training, could I potentially get a job?

You can, but the success rate might depend on the level of expertise and the job requirements here.

[Clanonthemove]

Thank you soooo much for the advice !!

I suppose there is just no way to make the process less stressful. We are hoping we can have everything all wrapped up and arrive in NZ no later than September...cutting it close to the Nov - Feb period

Sigh.. stress stress, but thanks. This forum has been most helpful!

[Sun777]

All the best We faced quite a lot of last minute surprises ourselves despite advance planning.

[breeze]

Yes you are mad. Be prepared to be very stressful during the time. But it's not impossible.
I had an SA colleague before who uprooted with husband and three kids. Came over to NZ with visitor visa. 5 luggages.

They were lucky to land themselves jobs. The husband is an engineer and got a job within a couple of months that allowed him to get a work visa. But it was not without stress and the unknown. I asked them if they would do it again, they said no.

They did it out of desperation and madness. They had the momentum at that time.

I hope things work out for you and your family!

[Vann]

6. Are we mad??

We have decided rather tried and failed that never have tried at all, so we have made the choice but my very "must-plan-everything-and-be-sure-of-everything" personality tends to have mini meltdowns sporadically .

Please please help

If you're mad then we should start a club. We're of the same mind: "better to try and fail" and are planning to move later this year and just take the chance. My husband and I have a toddler daughter and two small dogs and are just going to take the leap. Originally I was driving myself crazy trying to tick every box but I'm attempting to calm down and take it one day at a time. Good luck to you!

[Sun777]

And what are the chances I see this image today while reading this post again

[Vann]

LOL Funny, Sun - that's exactly what it feels like we're doing. Just hoping the water is as inviting as it appears.

[Sun777]

You will be fine, the whole process sounds daunting in the beginning but that's just a phase. We started to like the journey than the destination and have loved it so far.