short term housing and working

Old Jan 2nd, 2009, 08:15 AM
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short term housing and working

My wife and I went to NZ for our honeymoon two years ago and LOVED it! Our dream is to go back and stay longer. We originally wanted to live there for a year, but looked into visas and realized that this is not possible. Now, we're looking to probably stay there for 3-6 months. Here's our problems.
1) Where do we sleep? Hostels have a max number of days to stay (around 14). Hotels are too expensive for us. We can't find any information on short term apartments. We'd like to be on the south island... ideally near Christchurch.
2) We most likely will be bringing a child with. Which means that one of us does not qualify for a "working holiday" visa... won't be able to do part time work while there. We'd both like to work part time doing a job that we normally wouldn't have the opportunity to do... like work on a farm or in a national park.

We'd really like to be in NZ for 3-6 months working part time and traveling around the south island on our free time. But, bringing a child with makes it a little more complicated. Does anybody have any ideas on lodging/ working, etc.?
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Old Jan 2nd, 2009, 01:38 PM
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Could you rent a mobile home/caravan to use as vehicle + accommodation? That way, you could move from place to place as work opportunities presented.

If you google the locations you're interested in .. eg "rental accommodation Queenstown" you will probably get a selection of real estate agents you could contact for short/medium term house/flat rentals.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2009, 04:38 PM
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I'm not sure that you actually HAVE to work to qualify for a working holiday visa. All you have to do is have the intention of possibly working at some time during your stay. THe restrictions are more on how long you can work for. I think there is a maximum of 3 months with any one employer, and there are restrictions the number of jobs you can have.
Most families moving somewhere for more than a month would probalby rent a furnished house or apartment. I Googled "christchurch rental accommodation" and came up with a lot of hits, including tnis one http://www.christchurchapartments.co.nz/
Accommodation in tourist areas such as Queenstown, is likely to be expensive relative to city prices. In Te Anau a three bedroom house, unfurnished, rents for $300 -$400 per week.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2009, 05:52 PM
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Have you checked how NZ immigration will view one parent not bringing a child and the other doing so! - http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...idayscheme.htm and if not from US, it'll likely be a standard condition.

Or if you kind of figure you will not be considered a couple doing it with different types of visas I certainly hope it works out, the non parenting one needing a tourist visa for greater than 3 months unless you're from the UK, and then part-time work will be under the counter for that one and carry with it the usual implications if caught.

I'd reckon you'll find some of the quieter located hostels will not have the 14 day max stays, www.bbh.co.nz, www.yha.co.nz, www.vip.co.nz listing most and also have a look at http://www.holidayparks.co.nz/ and http://www.top10.co.nz/ as a lot have cabins and even double as hostels.

If you google New Zealand Cottages, you'll get a heap of sites from which you'll likely find some not too expensive.

You might also want to consider www.wwoof.co.nz or www.helpexchange.net and see if you can find some longer stay arrangements, even a caretaker existence or one works more hours if the other is able to get some paid work.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2009, 08:47 PM
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http://www.kinlochlodge.co.nz/ is a place down Queenstown way that has been recommended by a few and on their web site they have employment vavancies - probably a few others like that around NZ.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2009, 09:17 PM
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Bushranger -

Kinloch Lodge is near Glenorchy, and it's rather difficult to get to.

langrobe - here's some info on working in NZ on a temp basis:

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...rktemporarily/

Perhaps if you were to find a job in NZ first, your employer could help with the housing logistics.

Have you considered looking into the hospitality/tourist industry? I'd think there would be a huge demand for seasonal employees in NZ.

This site might be helpful:

http://www.job.co.nz/Seasonal%20Jobs.htm

This link provides a list of current farm jobs in NZ:

http://www.frenz.co.nz/JobSearch.asp...ge=Farm%20Jobs

Here's another site with temporary jobs in NZ:

http://www.backpackerboard.co.nz/wor...ew-zealand.php

The first listing on the site above is for a position in Christchurch that offers free accommodation in exchange for work.

It appears that you have to be a permanent NZ resident to work with the DOC (Department of Conservation, which oversees the National Parks).

I suggest you spend some time on your computer doing a search - I pulled up all sorts of information.

Good luck.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2009, 10:23 PM
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Mel,
Kinloch [and Glenorchy] are both still down Queenstown way is a way of letting people know the general region if they do not have a detailed map.
The site says it all, along with the location details and how to get there - http://www.kinlochlodge.co.nz/location/location.htm

But it is given as just an example.

Heading in the direction of attempting to get a temprary work visa will be far more complicated than a WHV, the WHV also likely to offer far greater freedom for travel.
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Old Jan 3rd, 2009, 12:37 AM
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Fair enough.
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Old Jan 6th, 2009, 02:59 PM
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Thanks for the great information everybody! From a few searches and your help, it seems like the best alternative for us is to find a few small organic farmers that are looking for a couple to help out with their farm in exchange for free accomodation. We're both very excited to find out that this might become a reality! Thanks again.
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Old Jan 6th, 2009, 04:37 PM
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There's actually a worldwide organisatin devoted to volunteer work on organic farms, WWOOF - Willing Workers On Organic Farms. You might want to look up this site and go to 'New Zealand' in the sidebar:
www.wwoofinternational.org/

Or Google 'WWOOF' - there are plenty of sites to be found.

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Old Jan 6th, 2009, 05:05 PM
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You don't say Neil!, and there's also helpexchange, both previously posted.
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Old Jan 7th, 2009, 11:41 AM
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Bushranger, your posts are so replete with URLs that it's easy to miss a couple.

As a newbie it would show appropriate respect if your were to refrain from pointlessly chipping your elders.

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