officially, yeah, it's 3 months in one job. I don't think you'd get into serious trouble if the employer closed both eyes. The limit there is to encourage WHV makers to travel and help out alleviate seasonal shortages. That's what it's about. not going to Auckland or Sydney and spending all time working in bar..
As for UK citizens, the 3 months in NZ thing isn't even there. So much for equality. Not to mention 23 months (who's going to police if you worked less than 12 months total in two years???, you got work permit, that's what counts) From what I can see on
Immigration New Zealand they have special rights. Ditto for WHV makers from Australia in the UK, no limitations anymore, two years straight away.
Even in OZ, it used to be 3 months for 'common people' and Brits and they changed it a bit.
With that hours and time on Stationair etc presume bush experience, you should be sought after in Southern Africa (not SA). You must have seen plenty threads on here.
As for NZ and working as pilot, OK, it's not on 'skilled job in demand', either short or long term. But, in NZ it's not that hard to get temporary work permit. I don't have first hand info on sorting papers with aviation companies, but one guy I talked to on Skype/ICQ went to NZ as a tourist on waiver and organised temp work permit for kitchen porter job, basically. On the spot. Btw, he can't do WHV with his passport.
I'm sure with the hours you could find a job with one of the schools for the starters and then sort work permit. Don't know your CV, but if there's something of a 'value' ie degree, NVQ in trade, skilled experience (and do cross check it with their lists, you never know).
If it doesn't work out and you really want to stay in NZ, I'd get a 'skilled' job on WHV or job offer and if you fit their fairly laidback point system, (check the calculator on the site), you're onshore and in job/w job offer, you can actually sort residence visa. If not work permit would be able, but then if you're tied to non-flying job, it's no good for long.
Once you've got residence visa, you can dump the job and get into aviation.
This or the other thread Okavango started, guys talked about some OZ schools that would do 457 visa sponsoring. Why not try that? Unless you want to go up the ladder.
I AM NOT IN NZ. I'M JUST FOLLOWING THE SITUATION, CHECKING OUT VISA/PERMIT STUFF. ANY IDEAS I GIVE SHOULD BE RESEARCHED ON YOUR OWN.
As for licensing, OZ and NZ in between conversions are not that hard. Plenty info here as well.