Sue,

The start date I have is Feb. And all going well I hope to fly out in the new year.

Scott

Hi to All

Heard that we had been selected out of EOI pool last Wednesday.

Had a look at what happens next and it appears that it will be approx 3-4 weeks for them to make further searches. i.e references. Just wondered if anyone who has already been selected, could tell me exactly how long these took and what happens after that.

Thanks

Suzanne

Hi Sue,
With me they rang to check that I had a job to go to after about 3 weeks and told me they had accepted my application in priciple and would send my application form out, I got it 3 days later. When I have got all the docs together and send it off it will take about 6 weeks to check everything and I may have to have a telephone interview with them to show I want to go for the right reasons, (A lad at work has been through this already). When the application has been accepted and the visa returned I have 4 months to take up the job in New Zealand. Hope this helps, Tony

Hi Tony

How lovely to hear from you. I thought that you had long left this site with moving etc.

Thanks for the information at least I now know the procedure. I wish you well and hope that before you go ( as I am sure you will be accepted by the immigration) that you contact me or my husband. I presume that you are still in the same job until then.

Bets wishes

Suzanne and Andrew Tomlinson

Hello again

Just had a special delivery post package from NZ immigration to say that we are now invited to apply for residency in NZ, scary stuff!

Suzanne

Hi Sue & Andrew,
Congratulations on being accepted, I think the rest is just a formality. I am able to get on this site occasionally until I sell my house, (have accepted an offer but they have to sell their house first so mine is still on the market). I now have all the docs. but am leaving it as late as possible to give my house the best chance of selling before I have to go. I am still in the same job and will stay until the last possible minute for the money. When I get out to NZ I'll still try and stay on this site to let you all know what it's like and look for possible accomadation etc... Congratulations again on being accepted and good luck. Tony

Looks like I joined this thread a little too late
However, for what it's worth, I spent a few weeks touring NZ and got to see a fair bit. I had a number of interviews arranged and was offered a job in Christchurch (South Island) at 60,000 NZD. I was all set to relocate and it all fell through. I was down for a long while as a consequence. NZ is the most beautiful country I've ever visited. The people are wonderful. You feel at home but you know you are not. I have a friend who lives near Auckland and he showed me around quite extensively. It's more expensive to buy property up there but the climate is milder. For me though, the south island was awesome.
Here's the dilemma though. If you settle in NZ, it will be difficult to scrape together cash to get back over here (if you indeed wanted to). The guy who offered me the job made sure I was aware that it was a one-way ticketc. As I said earlier in this post, I was devestated when it fell through, but now I'm not too sure. I am definitely going to buy a place in NZ, probably within the next couple of years but I don't intend to live there permanently. I could never earn anything like the money I earn in the UK and that would always be on my mind (shallow person that I am).
For me, whilst the UK has many problems, you can't beat it for making money. Take a look at the property market. Where ese can you make a couple of hundred grand profit in a few years? However, how the hell can you ever afford the house you'd like to have either?
My plan is to spend 4 months in the UK in summer time, sandwiched between 4 months of time in Spain. Then, when the weather worsens in the Med, jet out to NZ for their summer time! In theory anyway

Hi Tony

Thanks.

I hope that you are able to sell your house soon. Will you have to wait until you sell it and also if this is the case will the NZ corrections department let you start later than they have said they want your to?

We still haven't heard from Andrew's colleague who has gone to NZ who said he promised he would let us know what the job was like and how he was faring, however, we know that he has contacted a colleague on the wing that he worked for just to say that he had arrived ok. We have decided to write to him ourselves at Auckland prison as I am sure that it will reach him there. We really do need to know how he has found it as he went out there is May.

Thanks to Mr Oliverson for writing on this thread too. Interesting to hear of your experiences and I too have concerns about the salary of $36000nzd. However, we would like to give it a try and see, but rent our house out here for a couple of years to see how things go.

Have you been to Australia and if so how did you find it there? Wages, cost of living , lifestyle etc compared with NZ?

Suzanne

Has everyone disappeared from this thread now?

it is quiet everywhere..... School Holidays????

maybe everyones's already gone to New Zealand!!

Hi Sue,
Sorry its been a while, I've been busy sorting out my application, I should be sending it off next week. I can't go until I have sold my house which will be later than they wanted but it can't be helped. Everyone at work is in the same boat and some have phoned NZ to let them know, they've been told not to worry and to hold out for the best price. Someone is going on holiday to the Hamilton area and is going for a visit to the prison, when he gets back I'll let you know how it went. It is quiet on here at the moment but I think it'll pick up nearer the time people are due to go. I hope you hear from the person in Auckland soon, if you do let me know how he got on. Hope to get on a bit sooner next time and hello to the new people on the thread. Tony

Advice - dont go! No only joking!! But it is an important decision not to be taken lightly. Stuart

thanks Tony

I will let you know. If you go onto the ex-pats website (which the web address is on page one on this thread - I think it's the second reply or so down that will take you to it) you will find that someone is out in NZ now looking around at the corrections set up. He has also met up with Scott Gwynne who was at the interviews. Others who have applied to go have also added comments for which I think you may be interested.

Anyway good luck with the house and keep in touch.

Suzanne x

Hi there folks. I am the Regional Operations Manager for the Waikato/Central Region of the Public Prisons Service in New Zealand. Waikeria Prison and Tongariro/Rangipo/Ohura Prisons are the prisons in our region and in 2007 another site will be opened called Spring Hill Corrections Facility. We are all looking forward to welcoming you to our Prisons and helping you settle in NZ. Please look me up if you are in the country before you start. If you have any queries I will try and answer them so if you want, ask away
Cheers Gavin

Hi guys. Dont know if you remember but i told you that a bloke from my work was going out to NZ for a 3 week holiday and was hoping to walk round the prison he has been offered a job at. Well he's back and loved every second of it. He said New Zealand is beautiful, the people were so friendly (even to us poms). It was winter when he was out there and was sat outside a cafe through the day in his shorts and t-shirt and it was 17 degrees (not bad ayy) but he said it did cool off at night.
He was shown around Waikeria prison where i have been offered a job. His exact words were that they have it well screwed down. He was actually shown around the jail from someone who use to work at our jail here in the UK (full sutton) and said the prisoners seemed very respectful towards staff / authority.
Its certainly put my mind at rest a little. I didnt really know what to expect. Oh and he also mentioned that it's not true about the moari, their not all 7 foot and built like barn doors.
If any of you have any questions which you would like to ask him then please get in touch with me. I know he will help.
Speak later guys.
Robbo

Hiya Robbo,

Nice to hear from a UK officer about their opinions on a NZ jail. Like you I am going to Waikeria, and I hope to be out there in the new year. I can't think of any questions at the moment, but if I do I will holla.

Scott

Hi All,
I have'nt managed to get round to my house for a while to get on the computer. I'd just like to welcome Gavin and the only question I can think of at the moment is what are the Staffing levels at Wakeria and are these the set minimum staffing levels? Good to hear from Robbo again, I heard you may have sold your house, is that right or just the lads winding me up? on the other forum it sounds like Den13 is checking out all the watering holes in NZ, can't fault lad, wish I was with him. I'll have to go to my local watering hole now so take care and good luck to you all. Tony

Hi Scott (footloose).
I too are hoping to start for the new year. They did give me March at the latest but said i can start earlier. I do feel alot beter having spoken to my mate from work who's just been out there. Keep in touch mate.
Ben

Oh and hi Tony. No there not winding you up mate. We have had an offer on the house which we have accepted but nothing is signed yet and I wont be satisfied until it is.
Might see you in your local next week mate. Im up your way.
Ta Ra cock.