New Zealand’s Welcome Mat for New Migrants

On 1  November 2015, a new policy came into place to attract new migrants to take up jobs in regional New Zealand.

‘Regional New Zealand’ means any place outside of the area covered by the Auckland Council (if you know Auckland, that means south of the Bombay Hills; and north just past Warkworth).

Additional Bonus Points

The new measure boosts the bonus points for skilled migrants applying for residence with a job offer outside Auckland – from 10 to 30 points.

And if you are applying under the business categories the points are doubled for entrepreneurs planning to set up businesses in the regions under the Entrepreneur Work Visa from 20 to 40 points.

Why is New Zealand trying to attract people to locations outside of Auckland?

NZ’s Prime Minister says almost half of the 10,000 skilled migrants (and their families) who get residence each year move to the financial capital.

On the new policy, he says that “we want to balance that out a bit, by attracting more people into other parts of the country to help grow local economies”.

Migrants with offers for jobs in the regions will get extra points that will count towards the 100 they require to apply for residence.

However, they will need to commit to a region for at least 12 months – up from the current requirement of three months.

Business Opportunities

Mr Key has also unveiled changes to encourage entrepreneurs wanting to come to New Zealand to look for business opportunities in the regions. He said these changes will help spread the benefits of migration across the country – particularly in regions that are in greater need for workers, skills and investment.

 

NZ’s Immigration Changes – The Facts

For migrants:

• Skilled migrants must reach a 100 point threshold to apply for residence – certain skills, industries, job offers and qualifications have a higher number of points attached to them
• The bonus points for a job offer outside Auckland will increase from 10 to 30, therefore making it easier for them to apply
• They will need to commit to a region for at least 12 months – up from the current three month requirement

Entrepreneurs:

• An entrepreneur work visa was launched by the government last year to attract migrants who offer high-level business experience, capital and international connections
• The extra points they get for setting up a business outside Auckland will double – from 20 to 40
• Immigration New Zealand expects to approve up to 200 people in 2016 under the entrepreneur visa category

 

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Our view is that there are many fantastic,  challenging work opportunities in New Zealand – and the other main centres of Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, Tauranga and New Plymouth have a lot to offer.

Have a look in the jobs section of our Working In New Zealand website, to find something that suits you – or Like our Facebook page to keep up-to-date on New Zealand immigration and employment news.

 

New Zealand is #1 in the world because…

Google ‘what’s New Zealand best in the world at’ and guaranteed you’ll find the national rugby team, the All Blacks, up there. Although rightly proud of their sporting prowess on the global stage, New Zealand is world beating in other ways too.

The world’s most free country        

What does it mean to be free? Well for starters, to enjoy freedom of expression and belief, as well as tolerance of immigrants and minorities. In the Legatum Prosperity Index, New Zealand has topped the personal freedom category. This suggests that New Zealanders feel safe, respected and able to explore their opinions and beliefs without persecution.

An annual ranking of 142 countries, the index ranks countries on a range of factors, including wealth, economic growth and quality of life. However, it doesn’t just look at economic indicators (like a country’s income), it also looks at people’s well-being – making it unique. It’s the only global measurement of prosperity based on both income and wellbeing.

See how well New Zealand fared on other factors too.

Best experience for expats

Global bank HSBC has just released the results of their Expat Explorer Survey. Surveying the opinions and experiences of expats (so the people who have actually done what you’re hoping to do), it’s a fascinating look into what it’s really like to move, live and work internationally.

Although New Zealand actually came in at number two (behind Singapore at number one) overall of the world’s best countries for expats, it still topped a number of the charts.

Key wins for New Zealand include:

• Number one for entrepreneurship – great news for anyone hoping to set up a business in NZ.
• Number one for overall experience with number one rankings in quality of life, finance and healthcare.
• Number one for quality of life, health and integration under the family category – reassuring if you’re taking your family with you to NZ.

Look at how New Zealand compares to other countries for expats – it’s definitely one of the best.

You tell us

What do you think New Zealand is #1 in the world for? Find us on Facebook and tell us your thoughts.

Credit: Chris WIlliams

Immigration news round-up – October 2015

This month, Australia has recently launched a work and holiday arrangement with the People’s Republic of China and a new online visa label system. In Canada, there’s a mixed bag of news – from holds on some visa schemes to increased thresholds for other schemes. With all these changes, you could benefit from some Canadian visa advice – see who can help.

Plus in New Zealand there’s great news for overseas agricultural workers seeking seasonal work, plus some handy information about what you can and can’t bring into the country.

Australia

Work and Holiday arrangement with the People’s Republic of China now live

As of 21 September 2015, up to 5,000 educated young Chinese nationals per year will be able to take advantage of the Work and Holiday visa arrangement between Australia and the People’s Republic of China.

The visa allows young Chinese nationals to have an extended holiday of up to 12 months in Australia, where they can undertake short-term work or study.

If you’re a Chinese national visit the Australian Embassy Beijing website to see if you’re eligible. Or find out more about Australia’s working holiday visa scheme.

Electronic visa record replaces passport labels

Traditionally when you received your Australian visa, a label was fixed into your passport. However, from 1 September 2015, you’re no longer able to request and pay for a visa label.

Instead, you access your visa record through the free Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service. When you scan your passport at the airport, it’s linked automatically to this service and will let passport officials know your visa status.

This change reflects the Australian Government’s agenda to make their services more accessible and convenient to their clients through the provision of secure online services. VEVO is also efficient, reliable and provides real-time information about your visa.

This demonstrates Australia’s commitment to a overhauled, more streamlined and efficient visa system. More information is available at the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

Canada

Fast track your move to Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia, on Canada’s east coast, has just announced they will be able to fast track another 300 migrant workers who qualify under the express entry visa scheme that’s aimed at skilled workers.

It also means that Nova Scotia can nominate a total of 1,350 immigrants in 2015 under their provincial nominee program – almost double the previously allowed 700.

Nova Scotia remains a popular choice for skilled workers. In 2014, 2,670 newcomers settled in Nova Scotia – more people than have ever arrived in the past 10 years. Nova Scotia clearly offers a lot to would-be Canadians too – Statistics Canada show a retention rate of 71 per cent for immigrants that landed in Nova Scotia between 2007 and 2011.

If you’d like to take advantage of this fast track entry to Nova Scotia, take a look at some job opportunities – having a Canadian job offer may help your visa application. Or find out more about Nova Scotia’s nominee program.

Alberta and British Columbia release updates to their Provincial Nominee Programs

Canadian provinces manage their own visa schemes, called Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). They all have their own rules, requirements and application thresholds. Alberta and British Columbia have both released updates to their programs:

Alberta

Due to a 10,000-application backlog, no new applications will be accepted to the Alberta Immigration Nominee Program until January 2016. However, if you’re interested in moving to Alberta, you can still apply through Canada’s express entry visa scheme.

British Columbia

Applications to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) Skills Immigration stream and Express Entry stream have been put on hold until early 2016, due to application thresholds being met.

However, the Health Care Professional, Northeast Pilot Project and Entrepreneur Immigration streams will continue to accept applications.

Find out more about the BCPNP.

Skill shortages felt across Canada

A new survey by CareerBuilder.ca shows the impact of skill shortages on Canadian businesses:

• 29% of survey respondents (almost three in 10 employers) have jobs that have been unfilled for 12 weeks or longer.
• Three quarters of those respondents say this has negatively impacted upon their companies.
• 31% of respondents said that un-fillable job openings lead to work not getting done – with 22% saying their companies are losing revenue.

With Canadian businesses feeling the pinch of a lack of skilled workers, this may be good news for skilled workers wanting to move to Canada – watch this space.

New Zealand

Overseas agricultural contractors able to work easier in NZ

By 1 June 2016, seasonal workers from overseas could find it easier to temporarily work and live in New Zealand. A new visa deal means that rural contractors can more simply bring in overseas workers to help them over the busy summer harvest season.

Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) president Steve Levet estimates that the industry requires around 900 seasonal staff from overseas each year. In New Zealand there is a shortage of suitably skilled operators able to handle highly sophisticated machinery – so they look overseas for the skills they need.

These overseas workers – traditionally from Ireland and England – have good mechanical skills and are already up and running, meaning they don’t require extensive training.

About the new scheme

With a less rigorous process than what currently has to be followed, under the new scheme RCNZ would apply for Approval in Principle on behalf of all its members.

Then their members can apply online for a visa for the person they’re recruiting without having to meet any of the current requirements, which include having to advertise and going through Work and Income New Zealand first.

No further details are available at this stage – we’ll keep you updated. If you’re not already on our New Zealand mailing list, sign up [Link to: NZ newsletter sign up] and you’ll be the first to know.

Arriving in New Zealand – What you need to know

Whether you’re just visiting or are coming to New Zealand permanently, there are things you need to know.

For starters, do you need a visa? If you’re going on holiday, you might not – see if you need a visitor’s visa.  If you’d like to work and live in New Zealand, you will – read more about NZ visas.

What you can’t bring in to NZ

Pretty standard stuff, but this list includes:

• Hazardous materials.
• Endangered species (without a permit).
• Weapons (without a permit).
• Objectionable publications, including videos and digital images, or
• Controlled drugs.

What you have to declare

New Zealand has very strict biosecurity rules – not surprisingly as any rogue flora or fauna can wreck havoc on its unique ecosystem. This means you have to declare the following items when you arrive:

• Food of any kind – this even includes any food, especially fruit, you might have picked up on the plane or coming through duty free.
• Plants or parts of plants (alive or dead).
• Animals (alive or dead) or their products.
• Equipment used with animals.
• Camping gear, golf clubs and used bicycles – even muddy walking boots.
• Biological specimens.

Anything you declare will be examined to check it’s ok to bring into NZ. This may include it being cleaned or treated before being allowed in.

The fines for not declaring any of the above are very high – and not worth the risk.

For more information about what you can (and can’t) bring in New Zealand, visit the New Zealand Government website.

Migration to New Zealand reaching its peak

New Zealand has always been a popular choice for skilled international workers but now, finally, the figures seem to be nearing their peak. A recent report by Westpac, a NZ bank, shows that migration to NZ is slowing.

One reason that could be behind this is the approval process for a resident visa, which favours applicants who have a job offer in New Zealand. Another is that NZ’s residence approval targets remain at 45,000 – 50,000 a year, which simply has not kept up with the demand.

Finally, Westpac estimated that Auckland (prime location of choice for most migrant workers) is not keeping up with the housing demand, which is under pressure from both migrant arrival and natural occupant increase.

So, if you’re thinking of coming to New Zealand, make sure you consider other parts of the country before you make the move.  It’s not impossible to get your metaphorical foot in the door in Auckland, but making sure you’ve ticked key boxes (like getting a job prior) will help you get ahead.

Immigration news round-up – September 2015

As September slides around, it’s been a bit quiet on the visa news front from Australia, Canada and New Zealand. This is true for New Zealand especially – perhaps because the national focus is on that upcoming Rugby World Cup?

This month find out the financial benefits of moving to Australia for skilled workers; about two more visa schemes for Canada; and an upcoming snapshot of life for new Kiwis.

Australia

Moving to Australia pays off?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has, for the first time, released some data on the personal income of Australian migrants. If you’re wondering about the financial implications of a move to Australia, have a look at some key figures:

• The total income of migrant taxpayers in the 2009-10 financial year was $37.7 billion
• Employee income contributed 92% to total income, of which $25.5 billion was reported by migrants from the skilled visa stream
• Skilled visa holders’ average employee income was about $5,000 higher than the national average of $48,907 for all Australian taxpayers

So moving to Australia under the skilled visa stream means you could have an income higher than other Australian taxpayers.

Read all the data on the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ website, or start looking for that skilled job in Australia.

Canada

Quebec Immigration Investor Program reopens

If you’re keen on Canada, you’ll be pleased to hear that Quebec’s Immigration Investor Program has reopened. One of the world’s most popular immigrant investor programmes, this visa scheme allows qualified investors and their dependent family members the chance to gain Canadian permanent residency through investing CAD$800,000 risk-free, through an approved financial intermediary.

Applications opened on 31 August 2015 and will close 29 January 2016 – although it’s expected that the application quota of 1,750 will be reached before then.

Find out more about the requirements at Quebec’s official immigration website.

British Columbia needs skilled trade workers

Fort St John, in the north of the Canadian province of British Columbia, has recently announced the establishment of a pilot programme to bring in skilled international workers.

They are looking especially for skilled and experienced trade workers, such as electricians and welders.

No further details are available yet, but we’ll update you as soon as they become available.

New Zealand

Migrant Survey

Immigration New Zealand has begun the process of collecting data for its 2015 Migrant Survey. It’s an annual survey, sent out to a random sample of people who’ve been through New Zealand’s immigration process, that asks for feedback on topics including jobs, education background and levels of happiness.

Immigration New Zealand then takes on board the feedback to work out how new Kiwis settle into New Zealand and whether they can improve their services for future new migrants.

As the survey has just been sent out, we don’t have details of the results yet but it’s sure to be an interesting snapshot of life in New Zealand for new Kiwis. We’ll make sure we post the survey results when they’re released – if you haven’t already, sign up to our newsletter.  We’ll then email you this survey data when it’s available – easy!

The 3 Best Ways to Move to New Zealand

Exciting career opportunities.  Jaw-droppingly beautiful scenery.  The All Blacks.  Hobbiton.  There are hundreds of reasons why you should move to New Zealand…

…but what about how to move to New Zealand?  We’ve put together our top three ways to help you make the move.

1.  Be in demand in New Zealand

Firstly, do your research to understand if your unique skills and experience are needed in New Zealand. The more in demand you are, the more likely it is you’ll get a visa.

Thankfully we’ve done all the hard work and recently produced an article about the latest skill shortages in New Zealand. Take a look to see if you’re needed…

You are?  Brilliant, get started with your job search today. Working In New Zealand’s online jobs board is regularly updated with jobs across New Zealand in a variety of industries.

If your occupation isn’t listed – and you don’t fancy retraining – there are other visa options available. See ‘Discover your New Zealand visa options’ below.

Meet New Zealand employers face to face

Searching for jobs online is convenient, but nothing beats meeting potential employers face to face.  You can do just that this October at the Working International Expo in London and Manchester.  Enjoy face to face time, get all your questions answered, and even interview with employers while you’re there.  Immigration New Zealand will be on hand too, with plenty of useful information about New Zealand jobs and visas.

2.  There’s more to New Zealand than Auckland

Even Prime Minister John Key recognises it – that’s why he’s announced new visa schemes that’ll give you more points if you work in one of the regions, rather than Auckland.

From November 2015, skilled migrants will have bonus points trebled if they apply for residence with a job offer not from Auckland.  If you’re starting a business in the regions, you’ll have your Entrepreneur Work Visa points doubled.

If you’re willing to live and work outside Auckand for at least 12 months, it could be easier and quicker for you to move to New Zealand.  There isn’t any more information available yet, but sign up to our newsletter and we’ll let you know when more information is released.

Discover your New Zealand visa options

Skilled workers, students, family members, entrepreneurs – there are multiple visa options for New Zealand.  To find out what’s right for you, it’s best to get expert visa advice from licensed immigration advisers.

This October you can meet the real experts – Immigration New Zealand. They’ll be in London and Manchester.  Migration Planners, experts in New Zealand migration and visas, will also be there.

3.  Prove your commitment

Kiwi employers want to be sure that you understand the implications of leaving your life behind and starting again in New Zealand – and that you’re committed to this.

Have you ever visited New Zealand?  Do you have friends or family there?  Are you planning to visit?  Have you spoken to anyone who’s already made the move?  How will you cope thousands of miles (or kilometers) from home?  Will you land and start to settle in, only to go back a few months later?

If you still think the move is for you, great. Going along to the Working International Expo is one way to show your commitment. You can chat to Kiwis face to face, and understand what it’s really like to live and work in New Zealand.

Make the move to New Zealand this October

At the Working International Expo, you can get all your questions answered under one roof. Meet Kiwi employers, find a job, sort your visa and arrange your move – from professional movers to opening your bank account.

We’re heading to London and Manchester, and tickets are flying out the door.  Get in quick – we’ll see you there!

What jobs are on the New Zealand Skills Shortage List?

Before you get too carried away switching your rugby allegiance to the All Blacks or starting to brush up on your Kiwi slang, it’s a good idea to see whether your skills are needed in New Zealand.

Although having a job on one of New Zealand’s skill shortage lists isn’t a guarantee of a job or a visa, it can help make the job- and visa-getting experience a bit easier.

There are four skill shortage lists in New Zealand:

1. Long Term Skill Shortage List
2. Immediate Skill Shortage List
3. Canterbury Skill Shortage List
4. List of Skilled Occupations

Immigration New Zealand has a great tool – put in your occupation and see if it’s a skill in demand. Try the skill shortage list check.

The Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL)

The LTSSL shows the occupations that are in ongoing shortage throughout New Zealand, and the rest of the world.

If you get a job in an occupation that’s on the LTSSL, plus meet any extra requirements, you may be granted a work visa under the Work to Residence category.

That means you may be able to apply for residency in two years, as long as you meet the standard requirements and that your job has a base salary of at least NZ$55,000 per year.

See if your occupation is on the LTSSL.

Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL)

The ISSL has occupations where skilled workers are needed immediately in New Zealand and where there are no available New Zealand citizens or residents to take the jobs. This means the applications can be processed quicker.

If you’re offered a job on the ISSL, and meet the requirements, you may be granted an Essential Skills work visa. You can work in New Zealand temporarily but may not be able to apply for residency.

See if your occupation is on the ISSL.

Canterbury Skill Shortage List (CSSL)

Following the Christchurch 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, the CSSL lists the occupations in critical shortage in the Canterbury region. It has occupations on the Immediate and Long Term Skill Shortage Lists that are directly relevant to the Canterbury and Christchurch rebuild.

If your skills are on the CSSL and you have a job offer in Canterbury you may be granted an Essentials Skills work visa which allows you to work temporarily in New Zealand. However if your occupation is also on the LTSSL, then you may be able to apply for residency.

See if your occupation is on the CSSL.

List of Skilled Occupations

If your occupation is on this list, you’re able to apply for a resident visa under the Skilled Migrant  category. This points-based visa considers factors like your age, work experience, qualifications and job offer.

To apply for a Skilled Migrant visa, you must be under 55 years old, meet the skill level for your occupation and meet English language, health and character requirements.

See if your occupation is on the List of Skilled Occupations.

Where to Next?

If you’ve checked the lists and found your occupation, that’s a great first step. You can now:

• Work out which New Zealand visa may be right for you using Immigration New Zealand’s Visa Options Check tool
• Get expert help from licensed immigration advisers
• Start searching for your new job in New Zealand

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Make sure you plan your move to New Zealand right the first time, and get the right visa to avoid unnecessary complications later on.  Best of luck!

Immigration news round-up – August 2015

This month has seen the release of interesting findings from Canada’s new Express Entry visa system, and the launch of three new exciting provincial visa streams in Canada.

There’s also news of incentives for would-be Kiwis who are willing to live and work in areas outside of Auckland. Find out how to get your skills assessed in Australia; know your rights on an Australian Working Holiday visa; and beware a phishing scam in New Zealand.

Australia

Assessing Authorities

With some visa applications, you’ll be required to prove that your international skills are transferable and relevant to Australia. To do this, you will need a skills assessment undertaken by an authorised organisation. You’ll need to contact them direct and they can provide you with all the relevant forms and information. You may need to pay to have your skills assessed.

View the assessing authorities in Australia.

Being treated fairly on a Working Holiday Visa

Australia offers Working Holiday visa schemes to many countries, including the UK, Europe and China, giving young people (aged 18-30) the opportunity to travel, work and enjoy Australia.

However two Dutch backpackers are taking their Working Holiday employer to court and suing them for unpaid wages. They undertook the unusual job of golf-ball diving (that’s recovering thousands of lost golf balls from golf course lakes and water features) and are claiming that they weren’t paid fairly for their work.

It’s a good reminder to make sure you fully understand the rules and regulations around Australia’s Working Holiday visa and your rights.

Read more about the backpackers’ experience.

Canada

Express Entry report released

Following the launch of Canada’s Express Entry system in January 2015, Citizenship & Immigration Canada has released a report of key findings from its first six months.

These findings include:

• The pool is growing by about 1,500 persons/profiles per week.
• The number of profiles completed was 112,701, with 48,723 (that’s roughly 43%) of these not eligible.
• The most dominant countries of citizenship of invited candidates are India and the Philippines, which each supplied around one-fifth of those invited to apply.

Through the first 11 draws:

• 4% of those invited to apply did not have a qualifying job offer or enhanced provincial nomination certificate.
• 65% had a qualifying job offer.
• 4% had an enhanced provincial nomination certificate.

However, not including the first four draws (because at that stage only applicants with a score above 600 were invited to apply before this threshold was lowered:

• 41% of those invited to apply did not have a qualifying job offer or an enhanced provincial nomination certificate.

The majority of candidates selected in the sixth (March 27), eighth (April 17) and eleventh (June 27) draws had neither a qualifying job offer nor a provincial nomination certificate.

See the official data from Citizenship & Immigration Canada.

All of this is great news for people looking to apply for a Canadian visa as the requirements are becoming slightly less restrictive.

British Columbia launches new entrepreneur program

British Columbia has recently launched a new visa program aimed specifically at experienced business people and entrepreneurs. Successful applicants will be awarded a work permit. Then, if their business is commercially viable and provides significant benefits to the local economy, they (and their families) will be able to apply for permanent residency through the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP).

Like other Canadian visa programs, this one will work by you entering a pool of candidates with the aim of getting as many points as possible, out of a maximum 200. Only 200 candidates are accepted into the pool each month. BC PNP will then invite the highest-scoring candidates to submit visa applications.

Requirements for this program include factors such as:

• Business and/or work experience
• Personal net worth and source of funds
• Adaptability
• Business proposal, including proposal investment and local job creation

Find out more about the BC PNP.

Ontario opens two new immigration streams

Ontario is the most sought-after province by would-be Canadians and it’s just opened two new immigration schemes that are aligned with the Express Entry system:

1. The Human Capital Priorities stream; and
2. The French-speaking Skilled Worker stream

Find out more about the streams and whether you’re eligible – Human Capital Priorities stream or French-speaking Skilled Worker stream.

New Zealand

Incentive to move to New Zealand’s provincial centres

Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city, and home to thousands of newly landed skills – and now New Zealand wants to encourage people to look beyond Auckland if they’re making the move.

Effective from November 2015, skilled migrants will have bonus points trebled if they apply for residence with a job offer not from Auckland – although you will have to stay in that region for 12 months, rather than three. If you’re starting a business in the provinces, you’ll have your Entrepreneur Work Visa points doubled.

This means it could be easier and quicker for you to move to New Zealand, as long as you’re willing to live and work outside Auckland.

Scam Immigration NZ website warning

A fake website has been set up that is trying to trick people in providing their passport details. The official Immigration NZ website is www.immigration.govt.nz and the fake one is http://www.immigration-govt.nz.

Beware of this site if you’re searching for the Immigration NZ website.

Read more about the scam. 

Immigration News Roundup – July 2015

We keep a lookout for recent immigration changes in Australia, Canada and New Zealand so that you don’t have to. This month discover Australia’s migration trends over the past year, and see whether you’re in demand in South Australia.  Find out about two new Canadian immigration schemes, and see how a licensed immigration adviser can help with your New Zealand online visa application.

Australia

Australia’s Migration Trends 2013–2014

The Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection has recently released a new report called Australia’s Migration Trends 2013–2014. Some of the key statistics from the report are that in the 2013–2014 programme year:

• 207,947 permanent migration visas were granted – a decrease of 4.2 per cent on the previous year.
• This included 190,000 places under Australia’s migration programme.
• Of the migration programme’s 190,000 visas:
  • 128,550 visas (or 67.7 per cent) were granted through the skill stream.
  • 61,112 visas (or 32.2 per cent) were granted through the family stream.
  • 338 visas (or 0.2 per cent) were granted under the special eligibility visa category.
• The place where most people moved from was India, with 39,026 places (that’s a 20.5 per cent share).
• This was followed by the People’s Republic of China (26,776 places) and the UK (23,220 places).
• Demand for the Temporary Work (Skilled) (subclass 457) visas decreased significantly. Grants for these visas fell 22.0 per cent which may be due to the government’s February 2014 review of the 457 process.

Check out the full report for further details.

Revised South Australia State Occupation List

On 1 July 2015, Immigration South Australia published a revised State Occupation List. Visit Immigration South Australia to view the new list. This list gives you an idea of what skills and jobs are in demand in South Australia. New English requirements for South Australia There have been some changes to the English requirements for some occupations on the South Australia State Occupation List including:

• ICT occupations – Proficient English is required in each band score (or an overall score of Proficient Plus, i.e. IELTS 7.5 overall).
• Engineering occupations – Competent Plus English (or an overall score of Proficient, i.e. IELTS 7 overall).

The State Occupation List contains the changes to the English requirements for other occupations.

Canada

Express Entry points requirement decreasing

The new Express Entry system for skilled migration to Canada involves creating a pool of potential applicants, who are invited to apply for a visa through a regular draw. Applicants are awarded points based on certain criteria, like their skills, experience, language capabilities, work history, etc. Two recent draws in June 2015 have seen the level of applicants’ points decreasing yet the number of invitations to apply for a visa increasing. This means meeting the requirements for skilled entry to Canada may be getting a little easier.

New immigration schemes for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia

Two eastern Canadian provinces, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, have recently announced new immigration schemes that are looking for skilled newcomers from overseas. The streams are aligned with the federal Express Entry systems. Although you don’t need a job offer from a Canadian employer to make an application, you must be eligible for either the:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program; or
• Federal Skilled Trades Program; or
• Canadian Experience Class.

Follow the links to find out more about the New Brunswick Express Entry Labour Market Stream or Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry.

New Zealand

‘Apply on behalf’ now live

Immigration New Zealand has launched a new service called ‘Apply on Behalf’. This means that licensed immigration advisers and other people exempt from licensing, like lawyers, can now apply for visas online on your behalf. This means they can:

• Start a new online application for a Student, Work or Visitor visa
• Complete the application in much the same way as you can
• View submitted applications and upload supporting documents

This means you could benefit from expert support when it comes to completing your visa application online – and it’s one less thing for you to do.

The Opportunities Overseas Expo UK and Ireland roadshow July 2013

This July, it certainly seemed like the Opportunities Overseas Expo brought the best of the weather to the UK – we landed in a heat wave that continued throughout the week and half of this July’s roadshow.

London: 6-7 July

We started in London, our flagship location where hundreds of people turned up (even though the weather was glorious and it was the Wimbledon final).

A nicely busy expo, visitors enjoyed meeting overseas employers and recruiters such as the Department of Health – Western Australia, Hays Recruitment (Australia and New Zealand), Hire A Hubby (New Zealand), The Physicians Recruitment Agency of Saskatchawan (Saskdocs – Canada) and Top Energy (New Zealand).

Dublin: 10 July

Next stop was Dublin with a dedicated New Zealand jobs and seminars tour. Three employers flew in from New Zealand (Naylor Love Construction, Ryman Healthcare and Top Energy), alongside migration experts VisaFirst and Bayleys Real Estate Taranaki.

All the employers were really impressed with the expo attendees and met some great candidates.

Irish media really helped to plug the event with coverage in the Irish Examiner and the Daily Edge.

Newcastle: 11 July

We visited Newcastle for the very first time this July with a boutique event focused on migration advice and employment in Australia and New Zealand plus Canadian visa information.

The Department of Health – Western Australia and Hays Recruitment had roles available in Australia and New Zealand whilst Brazolot Migration Group was kept busy with Canadian visa enquiries.

Birmingham: 13-14 July

Our final stop was Birmingham, another busy weekend expo in the midst of the glorious British summer. The first time we’d been to Birmingham in a few years, the show brought a large number of Kiwi employers to central England, including Hire A Hubby, Naylor Love Construction, ACCENT Health Recruitment and Hays Recruitment.

They were joined by visa specialists Migration Planners, the Government of Western Australia running skilled migration seminars, The Physicians Recruitment Agency of Saskatchawan (Saskdocs – Canada) and Brazolot Migration Group (Canada).

What’s it like to attend an Opportunities Overseas Expo?

Here’s a selection of visitor feedback from the July shows:

“Really informative seminar, all questions/facts answered. Friendly staff and great venue. Very enjoyable.”

“Was brief but good. I found the Canada stand very helpful and quick. Very satisfied with attending.”

“It was great having a chance for one-on-one conversation.”

“Keep up the good work. The knowledge at the booths was good.”

“Generally interesting, had most of our questions answered and have lots of useful contacts.”

Next events

The Opportunities Overseas Expo will be back in October, details of upcoming events can be viewed at Working In Events.

Fight or flight: what to expect when you arrive in a new country

You’ve been excitedly planning your move for months but now you’ve landed and you’re not feeling so sure. Don’t worry – these feelings are absolutely normal and part of what’s known as the settlement curve.

In fact, there are six distinct stages most people go through as they settle in a new country – here’s what to expect over your first 18 months to two years.

 

Diagram source: Immigration New Zealand Settlement Services.

Stage one: forethought

This stage is all about the excitement of planning with lots of positivity about your move to your new country. It’s important to have realistic expectations about your new home country, however, so now’s the time to look into jobs, get an idea of cost of living and research where you’re going to settle.

Stage two: fun

You’ve arrived and it’s brilliant fun. New people, new places and new experiences mean you’re feeling really positive about your new home.

Stage three: fright

Uh-oh. Something’s happened. It might be something major (a family member has fallen ill) or something small (you’re stuck in traffic for the fifth day in a row) – whatever it is, it’ll make you feel frustrated which in turn makes you feel unhappy.

Stage four: flight

Ok, something has happened – and you don’t have a strong network of friends or family to call on yet in your new home country. This is the point that you may decide to move on or return to your country of origin.

Stage five: fight

Time to embrace your inner Rocky. This is your turning point – you become realistic about what it’s like to live in your new country and make a conscious decision to stay and build your life here.

Stage six: fit

Welcome to everyday life. By this stage, your challenges are more about the usual day to day stuff people think about, rather than being about living in a new country. You’ve now decided to stay which helps you to feel like you ‘fit’ in. Congratulations – you’ve made it!

Dealing with the six stages

First off, remember that everyone who has ever been in your position will have experienced these emotions at some point. Understand that it’s completely normal and natural and try some of these tips to help you deal with your emotions:

• Keep talking – to your other half, your family or your employer. Sharing your fears will help you deal with them.
• Get out and about – the couch may be calling but that’s not going to help you feel more settled. Go for a walk, get some fresh air, make the most of that new lifestyle you were after. Remind yourself why you wanted to move.
• Get involved – join your colleagues at the next social gathering, sign up to a gym, research local clubs – anything that gets you mingling with people and involved with your new life. Say yes to every offer that comes your way.
• Research settlement services – there’s organisations dedicated to helping new migrants feel happy in their new homes. Check out Settlement Support New Zealand, find settlement services in Australia or search for immigration services in Canada.

Have you made the move? Did you experience a rollercoaster journey through the settlement curve? What helped you?

Latest skill shortages in New Zealand

Hays quarterly report has highlighted the occupations that are most in demand in New Zealand. The most recent report, covering April – June 2013, shows that tradesmen continue to be needed as the Christchurch rebuild picks up pace and other professions joining the demand include accountancy and IT professionals.

New Zealand is on the hunt for skilled, experienced professionals with at least a few years’ work experience under their belts (rather than recent graduates or students) in the following areas:

Accountancy and finance – commerce and industry

• Senior Payroll Consultants/Payroll Managers
• Payroll Officers
• Credit Control – candidates with the proven ability to maintain a strong relationship with a client or a customer whilst successfully collecting monies owed are in constant demand.
• Accounts Payable – there’s a high demand for skilled and experienced Accounts Payable Processors, in particular in temporary and contract positions, as organisations look to maintain their invoice processing.
• Assistant Accountants
• Financial Analysts
• Company Accountants – candidates who have a large scope of skills and abilities and who can take on varied roles are in demand as more companies restructure or absorb roles.
• Financial Accountants – technical candidates, who can work through year end and month end, especially at this time of year, are in high demand.
• Manufacturing Accountants – there is a high demand for skills in the manufacturing sector. Because it is such a specialist industry, the background in this sector is essential for most candidates. Therefore, there is a shortage of candidates in this area.
• Auditors (Professional Practice) – these candidates are always going overseas or joining the commercial realm, which is creating a shortage in this space.
• Internal Audit – this is notoriously a high-demand area as these candidates require a very “different” blend of skills.

Accountancy and finance – professional practice

• Business Advisory Services Intermediates – in demand at all intermediate, senior and manager levels.
• Manager and Senior – as corporate businesses start ramping up due to the Christchurch rebuild they are asking for more advisory services, for example, cash flow forecasting, tax advice, financial modelling, and it’s the Senior and Managers that can provide this advice.
• Intermediates – with the Seniors and Managers time being absorbed in doing more ‘advisory’ work there is demand for Intermediate Accountants to do more compliance work.
• BAS – demand is particularly high for candidates from big firms as they have big client experience.
• Audit
• Tax – many candidates leave tax before reaching Manager or Assistant Manager level, leaving this area candidate short at the upper levels.

Architecture

• Architectural Technicians (2+ years) (ArchiCAD)
• Project Architects (10+ years)
• Architectural Technicians (2+ years) Revit

Construction

• Quantity Surveyors
• Estimators
• Civil Site Engineers
• Intermediate Quantity Surveyors
• Supervisors and Engineers – particularly for those supervisors and engineers with tunnelling experience demand is high, as is being experienced globally.
• UFB Supervisors – the UFB rollout across the country has seen high demand supervisors capable of managing multiple crews across multiple locations.

Energy

• Glove and Barrier Line Mechanics
• Cable Jointers – due to this trade recently becoming a stand-alone skilled profession in New Zealand the industry has a shortfall of experienced 33kv and above Cable Jointers on the distribution and transmission network.
• Protection Technicians
• Lines
• Substation Engineers – Substation Engineers with local network experience and an understanding of industry standards and regulations are in demand.

Engineering

• Structural Engineering – these candidates continue to be in demand from mature graduate to senior level. The high level of building assessments and strengthening projects taking place nationally, Christchurch rebuild and ongoing local refurbishment and new build project work across the country has created an even bigger shortage for Structural Engineers. Engineering Consultancies are requesting BEng qualified, preferable within New Zealand based on NZ design codes and local Seismic design awareness is preferred with CPEng qualified being very desirable to sign off on projects.
• Civil Engineering Design (Transport, Water & Infrastructure) – Civil Engineers with five-plus years experience in design and project management are always in demand.
• Geotechnical Engineers – Geotechnical Engineers with NZ bachelor degrees and anything from three years experience are always in demand in Wellington. A particular demand for senior Geotechnical engineers with 10+ years experience and NZ CPEng has been seen over the last year, as these are the rarest in the market and almost every consultancy in NZ would be interested in interviewing this type of candidate.
• Land Surveyors

IT

• Senior Network Engineer
• Senior Systems Engineer – a high volume of project-based work lasting between 12-18 months is driving the demand for Senior System Engineer willing to take on contract employment.
• Database Administrator – particularly within SQL, Database Administrators are in short supply. Solid ETL and report/cube building skills (SSIS, SSRS and SSAS) are in highest demand.
• SharePoint Developer

Insurance

• Brokers – these candidates are in demand within the F&G commercial space at the intermediate, senior and management levels across the country both in major cities and in regional areas.
• Underwriters – there is some recruitment in the F&G space both in regional and main cities as candidates relocate and employers backfill vacancies where staff have moved on.
• Loss Adjustors and Worker Compensation Officers – Australian companies are advertising in New Zealand for Loss Adjustors, Worker Compensation Officers and Underwriters as they endeavour to attract candidates with excellent training and work ethic, creating a shortage in New Zealand.

Legal

• Senior Lawyers – candidates with major firm experience who offer a transferable client base are in demand as firms seek to develop their practices again after a holding pattern.
• Senior Commercial, Property and General Practitioners – candidates with small to medium-sized firm experience are sought.
• Commercial Solicitors – with solicitors preferring big firm experience or usually working for the larger regional firms there is a shortage of candidates in the commercial space.
• Banking and Finance Solicitors – employers are in particular looking for candidates with major firm experience.

Property

• Building Surveyors – with a large volume of continuing work in Christchurch and across the country, demand for skilled Building Surveyors with local experience is high.
• Quantity Surveyors – similar to the market for Building Surveyors, Quantity Surveyors with local experience are in high demand with the large volumes of work taking place in Christchurch.
• Intermediate Property Managers

Sales and marketing

• Category Management, Market Research and Technical Sales
• Business Development Managers and Sales Managers
• Digital Marketers, PR and Communications – employers are favouring commercially-orientated candidates, as marketing budgets increase along with the need to demonstrate a measurable return on investment. Capable Digital Marketers are in demand on both the client and agency side.

Trades and labour

• Excavator Operators/Drain Layers/Asphalt Layers/Drivers – Christchurch
• Carpenter/Painter/Plasterer/Tiler/Scaffolder – Christchurch

Got the skills and experience New Zealand needs?

Head to Working In New Zealand to search for jobs and employers currently looking overseas to recruit.

Please note: this is intended as a general guide to skill shortages currently being felt throughout New Zealand and do not represent specific job vacancies specifically suitable for overseas candidates.

Christchurch, New Zealand: rising from the rubble … and better than ever

By Nicky Wagner, Member of Parliament for Christchurch Central

The Christchurch rebuild, following the devastating 2010/2011 earthquakes, is the biggest economic event in New Zealand’s history. And it is well underway.

Signs of redevelopment are everywhere and the Canterbury economy is booming – growing at more than twice the rate of the rest of the country in the past year. The current National-led Government has earmarked $5.5 billion for the region’s recovery and rebuild, while latest insurance claim estimates top $30 billion. This is, on a New Zealand scale, simply immense.

As the Member of Parliament for Christchurch Central, one of this city’s most damaged areas, I am excited about the plans for Christchurch and the blueprint for the new city centre. It has involved extensive professional and community consultation and collaboration, and many anticipate the new CBD will soon become hot property because of its redesigned compact layout.

You may well have seen images of the ReStart Container Mall, with its colourful, innovative combinations and inviting atmosphere, while the recently opened central city Enterprise Precinct and Innovation Hub (EPIC) has set out to become a world class campus for innovation-based Canterbury companies.

We look forward to the redevelopment of a number of new civic assets, including a 2,000-seat convention centre, new bus interchange, the Avon river green belt and a new 35,000-seat stadium. All over the city and Canterbury region, major infrastructure repair and reconstruction is well underway.

CEO of the Canterbury Employers’ Chambers of Commerce Peter Townsend is invigorated by the huge financial possibilities in the recovery, anticipating significant involvement as the rebuild continues to gather momentum. He emphasises this is going to go on for a long time.

And given the sheer scale of the rebuild, this means we need to recruit especially skilled people, particularly geotechnical experts and engineers, construction managers and supervisors. Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Hon Gerry Brownlee says in the past year, demand for construction project managers and supervisors increased 88% and 356% respectively, such is the volume and scale of projects beginning to come on stream.

Migrant input into the rebuild is genuinely welcome. Systems are in place to meet the demand and provide for a rise in population. We want to ensure there is a long-term vision for the rebuild – that this is no boom and bust scenario. We want to sustain a growing population, a booming economy, and a thriving new city.

Christchurch is already renowned for its quality schooling, healthy family lifestyle and of course, abundant and diverse recreational opportunities within a very short drive from the city. But with the skills, people power, capital, and palpable enthusiasm pouring into the rebuild, it can only get better.

Indeed, Lonely Planet recently ranked Christchurch in the Top Ten cities for 2013, describing it as “rising from the rubble with a breath-taking mix of spirit, determination and flair”. I couldn’t agree more. We are not just rebuilding a city, we are creating something quite special. Christchurch has a vision to become one of the best modern cities of the world and we invite you to be part of it.

Find your job in Christchurch

See roles in demand in Christchurch at Working In New Zealand.

Snapshot of life in New Zealand in 2013

If you’re wondering what it’s really like to live in Godzone and the closest you’ve got to experiencing it so far is the latest Hobbit film, there is a more reliable way to discover what life really involves in New Zealand.

A recently released document from Statistics New Zealand has painted a portrait of life in NZ – its people, its costs and its economy, with no orcs or trolls in sight.

Let’s see what life in New Zealand in 2013 is really like:

How much will it cost you to live?

How happy are Kiwis?

How many sheep are there really?

That’s 31.2 million sheep – and 4.4 million people.

Where are they all living?

Auckland, mainly – there’s 1.5 million people living there.

Keen to know more?

The full report has plenty more information about New Zealand’s economy, average earnings, population and labour force.

Top 10 Easter traditions from around the world

If you were hoping that Australia, Canada and New Zealand enjoyed some weird and wacky Easter traditions, sorry to disappoint… You’ll be bombarded with Easter eggs in the supermarket from the day after Christmas and will undoubtedly overdose on chocolate over the long weekend.

However, other countries around the world have some pretty fantastic ways of celebrating:

1. Czech Republic and Slovakia: women and girls are whipped with decorated instruments by men and boys in a ritual designed to encourage good health and beauty. Hm.

2. Poland and Russia: they show off their knife skills by crafting butter into the shape of a lamb which accompanies their Easter meal.

3. Germany: the Germans like to celebrate the coming of a new season by burning the remnants of the winter season – they pile the remainders of their Christmas trees and burn them.

4. Australia: ok, we lied, Australia has one quirky Easter tradition – the chocolate Bilby. Not only is it impossibly cute and different, it contributes to the Save the Bilby fund to raise awareness of their dwindling numbers.

 5. Switzerland: not content with just eating the delicious chocolate version, the Swiss like to decorate their fountains with flowers, ribbons and eggs.

6. France: a very traditional celebration, the bells in France’s churches are silenced on Good Friday in recognition of Jesus’ death. The legend goes that actually these bells fly to Rome and then back again to be rung on Easter Sunday.

7. Orthodox and Catholic nations (some parts of Greece, Mexico, Portugal and Spain): an ancient Easter ritual, an effigy of Judas may be displayed and burnt.

8. Poland: apparently men are not allowed to make Easter bread because of a fear their moustache will go grey.

9. Finland: some children will dress up as witches and go searching for treats, which sounds a bit Halloween-like to us.

10. UK: another inventive use for an egg, in some parts of the UK, they like to roll their eggs down large hills.

Think we’re happy with the chocolate eating here in New Zealand.

Moving across the world – in five weeks

At Working In, we like to practise what we preach – so a lot of our team have made the move overseas themselves. Like our Web & Marketing Writer Sarah who moved from the UK to New Zealand back in 2010. This is her story.

One of the first looks at our new home, Auckland

“I got the job”. Nothing too remarkable about those four words. Until you consider that “the job” is 12,500 miles from where you’ve lived for 26 years of your life. And you’re expected there in five weeks.

That’s exactly what happened to my husband and I back in April 2010. Almost four great years had passed in Leeds (Yorkshire, England) but we were yearning for more. More adventure, more challenges, more opportunities and maybe even more sunshine.

For a few weeks, my husband had been keeping an eye on his professional publications (he’s a civil engineer) for job opportunities. There it was – a bridge engineer vacancy based in Auckland, New Zealand. A country we’d never visited, had no friends or family in and somewhere I’d struggle to pick out on a map.

Yet we knew people that had been there and had absolutely fallen in love with it. We wanted a new adventure – well, here it was. He applied for the job and enjoyed a late night Skype interview while I slept. That very night I was woken up by a shell-shocked husband telling me he’d got the job and we were moving to New Zealand.

The morning after, the countdown began. Five weeks to go until we’d land in our new home in a brand new country – and start our brand new life.

Suddenly, life was a whirlwind of lists and endless phone calls as we tried to pack up our UK lives and prepare for a New Zealand one.

There was our flat that needed to be rented out. Banks and utility companies to inform. Tax arrangements and student loans to discuss. Jobs to resign from. Flights to book, visas to sort and shipping to organise. Then the hardest bit: friends and family to say goodbye to.

At no point during these five weeks did our feet touch the ground. There was no time for tears, doubts or wobbles – just endless lists and admin.

Standing in our now empty hallway, our possessions in a few meagre cardboard boxes that we’d next see in three months’ time on the other side of a world, and the rest packed off to storage for the foreseeable future, we knew we weren’t saying goodbye.

We were just saying hello to the adventure of a lifetime.

That’s exactly what I felt as we flew into Auckland for the first time and our first glimpses of Aotearoa filled the airplane windows. Three years on, we have no regrets about our life-changing five weeks – it was the best decision we’ve ever made and we haven’t looked back since.

Have you packed up your life and moved to a new country? Share your story!

Embracing the relaxed summer way of life 

And the Kiwi adventurous way of life too

15 misconceptions about Australia, Canada and New Zealand

Australians love cork hats, Canadians live in igloos and there’s more New Zealanders than sheep, right? Actually, no. Here we blow the lid on the most common misconceptions about Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Australia

1. They don’t say crikey all the time: beloved croc-wrestler Steve Irwin may have coined the catchphrase “crikey!” but it’s certainly not used every day in Australia.
2. They eat Skippy: Australia’s national icon – the kangaroo – is considered a darn tasty food source in Australia.
3. They don’t ‘chuck shrimps on the barbie’: snaggers, yes (that’s sausages), shrimps, no. Also, they call them prawns, not shrimps.
4. Not every animal in Australia wants to kill you: their poisonous snakes and spiders are easily avoided and they’re also home to possibly the cutest critter on the planet – the Quokka.
5. Australians don’t all live in the outback: yes, your map might show a massive country with plenty of desert-like space in the middle but in actual fact, over 90% of Australia’s population lives in urban areas on the coast.

Canada

1. It always snows in Canada: afraid not. Their summers can be positively balmy in parts with the thermometer topping 30 degrees.
2. Moose, bears and beavers are everywhere: if you don’t step outside the urban areas, your wildlife encounters will be restricted to pigeons and squirrels. Famed Canadian wildlife can be seen – but usually on specially planned tours. 
3. Mounties wear fancy red outfits: only on official, ceremonial occasions actually.
4. All Canadians speak French: Statistics Canada reckons only about 22% of Canadians use French as their first language. Most of the French-speaking population lives in Quebec – where the official language is French.
5. Toronto is the capital: it might be Canada’s largest city and the country’s financial centre but the capital is actually Ottawa.

New Zealand

1. New Zealand is governed by Australia: definitely not. New Zealand was once governed as a part of the territory of New South Wales (now a part of Australia). When Australia federated in 1901, New Zealand was offered a place as one of their states. New Zealand refused and is its own country with no ties (other than economic and commonwealth) to Australia.
2. There are 20 sheep to each person: no one’s going to deny New Zealand has a lot of sheep but in fact there’s presently around seven sheep to every one human.
3. New Zealand is all one country: actually, it’s split into two islands – the imaginatively named north and south islands, both enjoying vastly different landscapes and climates. And no, there isn’t a bridge between the two islands. There is a ferry though.
4. It’s small and everything you want to see can be done in two weeks: don’t be fooled. New Zealand’s landmass is about the same as the UK’s – and there is a heck of a lot to cram in. You could travel for months and still not do everything you want to do. It’s not a short break sort of place.
5. The weather is incredible: it definitely can be. It can also be incredibly terrible. The far north of the north island is sub-tropical, summer is cyclone season and the south island suffers bitterly cold winters, including plenty of snow.

Top 10 most broken New Year’s resolutions

As January kicks in down here in the southern hemisphere, it means only one thing – summer. Yet for northern hemisphere-ites, the tree and tinsel is down yet winter is still firmly hanging around. So it makes sense for anyone hoping to work and live overseas to take advantage of the New Year and make a resolution to make the move.

Which brings us onto this post and a look at the most commonly broken New Year’s resolutions – now, you don’t want to see your work and live overseas resolution on here in a year’s time do you? If you recognise any of these, don’t worry – you’re clearly in good company.

1. Get fit and lose weight
2. Give up smoking
3. Learn something new
4. Eat healthier and diet
5. Get out of debt and save money
6. Spend more time with the family
7. Travel to new places
8. Stress less
9. Volunteer
10. Drink less

If you need any motivation to stick to your New Year’s resolution, check out this quote by poet Edith Lovejoy Pierce:

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called ‘Opportunity’ and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”

Hopefully see you here in 2013 – get here by checking out an expo near you!

At the beach – be back when the sun goes down

It’s nearly Christmas! Charlotte, our Marketing Production Manager, takes a look at what that means for those of us in New Zealand:

In case the rolling hay bale through your almost empty office wasn’t enough of a sign, here is a friendly reminder that it’s Christmas time! At Working In we are a number of beach dwellers, camping enthusiasts and adventure seekers so allow us to apologise in advance for our absence over the silly season… not only will we be out of the office until the 7th of January, but some of our staff will even be out of cell phone reception for the break.

Here are some stories of what we will be up to…

Nassim, one of our immigration advisors will be camping with the extended family. Not to be confused with ‘glamping’ (glamorous camping) Nassim thinks their adventure will be lacking in the pop up pantry and solar powered hair straightener to remind her of home comforts. Dawn from our accounts team will also be spending the time with her twins and husband miles away from anywhere she can be found.

Love is in the air with Jay, our web and e-communications coordinator, dining on the beach with his partner’s extended family and taking time in the New Year to move in to a new house. Sarah, our web and marketing writer, will be travelling with her husband – exploring the sites and sounds while campervan-ing in the South Island. And our newly wed Spaniard Pablo (business development manager) will be spending the break in Vanuatu with his wife – probably not getting a tan.

Amongst the Working In family we have a number of babies enjoying their first Christmas as well as children who are just learning to appreciate the meaning of the occasion and what it means when Santa arrives. We have families learning to horse ride, time being spent with grandparents (or avoiding them) and even some of the staff making the trip back to family overseas. Two of our New Zealand staff are already back in the UK for Christmas.

Those remaining in New Zealand will be enjoying what is promised to be a very beautiful summer with barbeques, a bit of back yard cricket, attempting to make pavlova, listening to horrible Christmas carols, fishing for delicious seafood and relaxing at numerous summer time festivals – this is all assuming the rain holds off – otherwise it looks like the X-box could be put to use.

Whether we are beaching, dining, swimming, skiing, hiking, reading or just plain relaxing, these Working Inners are outta here for a well deserved summer break!

So until we return… take a lesson from John Key, the New Zealand Prime Minister, and join in on the silly season antics.

Christmas wishes from the team at Working In – thanks for all your comments and questions in 2012, we’ll be back in 2013 and look forward to talking to you all then!

Working In will be closed from Monday 24 December –  Friday 4 January.

Top things to do if you’re celebrating Christmas in Australia, Canada or New Zealand

The countries that we work with offer the best of both worlds when it comes to Christmas. You have the traditional northern hemisphere Christmas in Canada – snow, roaring log fires and hot chocolates while wrapped up like snow bunnies. Or, you have the southern hemisphere Christmas in Australia and New Zealand – barbecues on the beach and Santa in his shorts.

Here’s our round-up of the top things to do if you find yourself in one of these countries over the festive season.

Australia

1. Make the most of the sunshine and get out on the water – especially in one of Australia’s most iconic watery spots: the Sydney Harbour. You could enjoy a harbour cruise whilst tucking into a Christmas dinner.
2. If you’d prefer a more active Christmas day, how about climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge? That’s guaranteed to be more memorable than another turkey dinner.
3. In keeping with the active theme, you could take a trip out to the Great Barrier Reef and spend Christmas day snorkelling or diving with the fishes.
4. An Aussie icon – Ayers Rock or Uluru – offers an incredible dining experience on Christmas Day. Its Sounds of Silence experience includes sunset canapés, dining under the stars (a BBQ buffet, naturally) and stargazing. Sounds pretty magical to us!
5. Of course if you really want to make the most of Christmas down under, you could just hit up one of the many beaches and enjoy a picnic or BBQ.

Canada

1. Don’t miss your opportunity to see the already spectacular Niagara Falls all dressed up for Christmas with the CAA Winter Festival of Lights, with over 125 animated lighting displays and three million tree and ground lights.
2. You could really embrace a traditional Christmas with a Prairie Christmas (at Prairie Gardens and Adventure Farm). It boasts a roaring bonfire for roasting marshmallows over, gingerbread cookie decorating, hot chocolate and hot apple cider – toasty.
3. The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park puts on a legendary lights show for Christmas, with a zillion sparkling lights on the bridge, rainforest and cliffwalk.
4. Enjoy Christmas up high – Grouse Mountain hosts real reindeers, sleigh-rides and ice skating in naturally snowy surrounds.
5. Let someone else take the strain during your Canadian Christmas – and hop on a sled drawn by dogs as you explore the snowy Canadian wilderness.

New Zealand

1. Soak away the Christmas stress in the great outdoors in some hot pools – New Zealand’s got hundreds of ‘em. You can even dig your own at Hot Water Beach in the Coromandel.
2. Head underwater – whilst staying dry. Check out Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium where Santa will be feeding the fish and you can explore the brand new, snow filled penguin enclosure.
3. If you think Christmas isn’t the same without some snow, you could head to Snowplanet for some indoor skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing.
4. Hit up Queenstown, where the adventure never takes a Christmas break. On Christmas Day you’ll still be able to enjoy a Milford Sound flight and cruise, paragliding, a helicopter flight over The Remarkables, lake cruises, jet boating…
5. Or for a real novelty factor, treat yourself to the only ice you’ll find in New Zealand over Christmas – ice cream. Following on from a BBQ on the beach, obviously.

Have you been to Australia, Canada or New Zealand over Christmas?

Tell us what you got up to!

Best bits of 2012

As 2012 draws to a close, it’s a great chance to look back over the year that was – what a busy and eventful year it was for the team at Working In!

January 2012

As our teams in the southern hemisphere enjoyed an extended sunny summery break, Alanah (one of our Business Development Managers) decided to have a truly wintery experience. She headed to Lake Louise, Canada for an incredibly snowy skiing spectacular!

February 2012

Roxann (our Marketing Communications Manager) made the most of the summer months by heading to Splore festival, in one of Auckland’s regional parks, for a fantastic festival experience.

March 2012

Charlotte (our Marketing Production Manager) is well-known for her ridiculously active and generous, charitable nature. She proved this by taking part in the Oxfam Trailwalker – a 100KM walk/run in Taupo. Teams of four take part over the 36-hour long challenge. Not content with doing something brilliant for a good cause, Charlotte’s team (Tyrrell’s Trampers) also won 3rd fastest all girls team and a prize for single top fundraising effort.

April 2012

Ok, we’ll admit it. No one can really remembered what happened in April – let’s assume we ate a lot of Easter eggs.

May 2012

As the weather heated up in the northern hemisphere, Alanah found her way back to Canada and had a memorable encounter with some local residents.

June 2012

As the middle of the year approached, the Working In team welcomed two new arrivals – Keri (our Marketing Production Manager), her husband and dog expanded their family with baby Summer while Kylie (our Marketing Manager)’s new little one, Charlotte, joined Ruby, husband Simon and the two family cats.

July 2012

July marked a pretty momentous occasion as we launched our brand new events website – Working In Events. It revolutionised the ticket buying process and allowed us the perfect stage to showcase our expos.

July also saw CEO Scott and Business Development Manager Bridget heading down to Christchurch, meeting a range of recruiters and local stakeholders to discuss the recruitment of the skilled professionals needed to rebuild Christchurch.

It gave Scott the opportunity to observe the beginning of the city’s rebuild, his thoughts from July include:

“It’s incredible how much of the inner city has gone and is getting ready for the rebuild. It’s hard on an iPhone to show how much damage is here. A lot of cranes down here and a lot of work to be done.”

August 2012

Our Oz-based team moved into a frankly fantastic new office overlooking Sydney harbour – much to the jealously of the Auckland-based team.

The Auckland team made up for it by celebrating the Olympics – office-style. Each team took turns to present an Olympics-country themed morning tea and presentation, including quizzes and the very American beer pong…

Pablo, our Business Development Manager for Spain and Latin America, also celebrated a very special occasion in August – his wedding day!

September 2012

Hanna (Visa Delivery Manager) flew over to Sydney to take part in the marathon, achieving an incredibly impressive four hours and eight minutes.

Embracing the active spirit, Alanah met up with Brendan (Business Development Manager) in Vancouver where they undertook an epic cycle trip around the city.

October 2012

October heralded the arrival of not one, but two babies. Cathy (Business Development Manager) and her family welcomed twins Anika and Morgan.

In keeping with the new theme, we launched a new look Australian newsletter (with Canada and New Zealand following in December).

November 2012

As spring kicked in down under, our Visa team arranged a BBQ for their clients who they helped to secure visas for. It was a great opportunity for them to enjoy an uniquely Kiwi experience – an afternoon on the beach.

We also held our first ever Dublin expo that was a fantastic success, with Ireland’s national broadcaster even coming along to film.

The final new arrival of the year was welcomed – Business Development Manager Bridget and her husband said hello to baby John.

December 2012

As we look forward to an exciting expo season in 2013, we finished up 2012 with our Christmas celebration. The Auckland team headed to Waiheke Island to sample the local goods (i.e. wine) and enjoy some laser clay pigeon shooting and archery.

Your best bits

Let us know what you enjoyed most about 2012.