Internal Work Transfer to Wellington Area

MerryMiller said:

Hi everyone,

I'm new on here so forgive my ignorance if this has been covered before.

My company has sent me details of a vacant position in engineering services within the Wellington area of New Zealand. It would be an internal transfer hence I don't think there would be any issues with visas (somebody please confirm this??) but it has been offered as a contract only basis.

I have a wife and three children (11,9 & 7) and really like the look of the area although we've never been before.

I would appreciate if anyone can let me know what style of living my family would have with a salary in the region of NZD$80k with very little equity in our pockets to start with and areas recommended to live.

Any help would be appreciated.

Merry Miller

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Hi MerryMiller,
We emigrated to Wellington just 2 months ago from the UK so any advice you need I will try to answer although sure more replies will come.

For anyone coming to NZ who is not an NZ citizen or holder of any other qualifying passport to work here needs a visa to live and work here.
If you are being offered an internal transfer I would expect your company will carry out the visa process for you if you were serious about it although there would still be work to do on your part.
I expect they would apply for Work To Residence visas which on the whole are usually granted within around 3 months assuming no personal or physical issues arise from academic, police checks and medicals.
This visa allows you to live and work here for two years and in that time or when nearing the end you can decide to make an application for Permanent Residency to stay till the end of your days!!!

We to had never been before. We did lots of research and chose Wellington as our first choice but basically it came down to wherever I found a job after we secured Permanent Residency straight off. Luckily I secured a job in Wellington CBD.
It's a fantastic city. Compact but lovely. Approx size of Coventry so I hear.
Lots to do in and around the city especially of the outdoors type. Kids will love it.
Close to beaches, walking routes, cycling routes etc.
Weather has been generally very good since we arrived and very rarely have we needed a jacket yet. Temperature still getting up in the late teens in the afternoon.

Earning around $80k isn't a bad salary here and you should have a decent standard of living however I'm unsure what standard you have now wherever you are - I assume your in the UK?
The savings may be an issue?
We saved approx. £35k prior to getting the visas and then remortgaged our house in the UK to pull out some of the massive deposit we put down on it 4 years ago so we had ample cash behind us just in case.

I would enquire about what relocation costs you would receive as its an expensive move.

If you take mortgages out of the equation it is cheaper to live here by a decent margin, and if you rent property this doesn't change however rent near the city is expensive. You will probably need to be at least a half hour away to get a good size house for 5 people for a decent weekly rental cost but then again driving is a pleasure here.
If you buy a house then cost of living spirals as mortgages are very expensive as the interest rate is so much higher here.

Nice places to live that we have found are :-
Woburn (Lower Hutt)
Belmont Hills
Upper Hutt
Te Marua
Kapiti coast - Paraparaumu etc
Silverstream
Whitby
Porirua and surrounds in general
Churton Park
Tawa
Khandalla
Johnsonville

These are all North of the city. We don't really like the Southern areas as they are more traditional NZ houses / older suburbs with the electricity on poles in the streets or houses built on the sides of steep cliffs with no gardens, plenty steps and all overlooked.
Nothing wrong with this it's just not to our personal taste.

Cheers

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