Canuck wants to be a kiwi!

[albertaboy]

Hi there
I have just finished my Canadian CPL along with my night,float, multi and multi IFR ratings. Now begins an even bigger challenge then the training, finding my first job! Living in the oil rich province of Alberta, we have over expanded in the past few years and due to the North American recession and low cost of oil, most companies have frozen their hiring and are playing the waiting game. That being said, I would love to go on a new adventure to the beautiful country of New Zealand. I also accept the fact that ramp work to start is almost assured.
I realize New Zealand may be feeling a dowturn as well these days and am curious how the job market actually is down in that part of the world. I would also like to know how difficult it is to convert my licence.
Thanks for any advice or comments!

[Tarq57]

Gidday albertaboy.
I'm not qualified to answer your questions, but consider posting the same post also on the D&G reporting points or GA forum.
Usually gets a bit more of us folk from the Antipodes watching.

[albertaboy]

Good idea, Thanks!

[portsharbourflyer]

New Zealand is about the worst place you could pick to find pilot employment. Most New Zealanders will leave New Zealand to find flying work due to the competition for employment in NZ even when times are good.

NZ and Australia have in the past been quite a closed shop to non-nationals.

[Der absolute Hammer]

If you go to Africa Forum and track back through the Jobs in Maun thread, you will find that just about every newly qualified Ozzie, Kiwi and a few other peculiars are trying to get to Africa because there is no work where they are. It is all very depressing and it seems to me that it has always been almost impossilbe for a non antipodean to get work in NZ or Aus unless he has a lot of experience and a specific job offer? Australia and New Zealand have operated very restrictive pilot visa employment policies for decades whilst flooding the more tolerant world with their own nationals.
But hey-who cares-it is a clever plot if you pull it off!

[Luke SkyToddler]

Do you have NZ citizenship / residence / work permit? Discussing the whys and wherefores of NZ jobs or licence is kind of pointless if you haven't got that.

Having said that, myself and many hundreds of my fellow countrymen left NZ in recent years due to lack of jobs. I'm now long haul in the middle east, I don't know if staying out here is the answer but I have got NO intention of returning before my retirement, due to the utterly pitiful and pathetic job scene down there both in terms of available jobs and pay.

[dabz]

reading this thread depresses me since I'm a lowbie stuck in NZ right now... :ugh:
When this downturn ends I won't be looking for work in NZ that's for sure