# Electrician wanting to move to NZ but have questions!



## FFM

Hi all, 

New to this forum but I am looking for some advise and pointers.

I am an UK trained electrician and wanting to move to NZ. I have had my electrical company for 13 yrs, am a full scope member of NAPIT and have electrical qualifications up to, and including, C&G 2391 inc 18th Ed, EV and PAT. Work wise I design, install and supervise commercial, light industrial and domestic projects. I also third party inspect and test domestic, commercial and industrial installations.

I am struggling to find clear advise as to how to approach working/find work in NZ. I am looking at the skilled migrant visa but am unsure as to how to apply for and register for, the NZ licence. Can this be done from the UK?

If there is anyone out there with any pointers or advise or know any electricians currently working in NZ who would OK with emailing or talking to me, please let me know.

Thanks in advance,

FFM


----------



## escapedtonz

Hey FFM,
Just to make sure you are aware that there's two separate things to deal with.....there's the registration/certificate side of things via EWRB that actually allows you to work in that profession and then there's the Immigration requirements that allow you to get the visa to work in that job here. Two different things that will each require time, effort, spending dollars and may contradict each other.

Get in touch with the EWRB in NZ. You'll have to provide them with your skills, experience and qualifications and they'll do a full assessment and let you know what you'll need to do to get Limited registration then fully registered with practice cert so you are able to work in NZ. 
They may also give you some advice (maybe ask the question) as to how your qualifications will be assessed or seen by Immigration and if you need to get them assessed by NZQA for the Immigration process. I kind of think C&G qualifications are exempt from assessment for Immigration purposes but things change often with their criteria etc so you'll need the advice and you'll need to check on the Immigration website.

To actually work here you have two options really - temporary work visa route or permanent visa route. Due to current restrictions it is pretty nigh on impossible to get here unless you are a critical worker and get through an exemption process and you have a job offer to work here. There's also some visa changes coming in soon I assume in readiness for when the borders do actually open again but you may as well be ready with everything to go.
In any case you'll need a permanent skilled job offer in the trade to be in with any chance of getting a visa to live/work in NZ. Gone are the days when you could just rock up, get a job then decide to stay....unless you are a youngster and you can come in on a Working Holiday Visa (which are currently closed) for people up to 30yrs old.

Just be aware you may have to start off in the lower levels of the profession than you are used to during the registration process. Lower pay, need to be supervised, treated as an apprentice basically until you get the registration and you have proven yourself so to speak. Huge amounts of work here for sparky's and they are in short supply.

If you intend to run your own business here instead of being an employee that is a completely different visa category - that'd be Entrepreneur Visa route.


----------

