Hi and welcome to the forum!

Sorry for the delay in replying to you. I have posted the link here to Immigration and you can find out a lot from there. PLumbers do okay here averaging $NZ25 - $NZ30+ per hour depending on qualifications.

My son-in-law emmigrated from Germany and still had to sit the NZ exams so check whether your qualifications are recognised here.

http://www.pgdb.co.nz/
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/

Hi - do not assume that because you are fully qualified outside of NZ that your qualifications will be recognised here.  At first you will need to find a job and then apply for an exemption licence - this will severely limit what an employer will be willing to pay you as initially for the first two years you will need to work under the direct supervision of a certifying practitioner i.e. in the eyesight and earshot.  You may be able to get some qualifications recognised but you will still have to attend a three week (I think it is three) course to be assessed on your practical skills and then have to sit our registration exams.  Visit the websites on the pgdb.co.nz and all the information you need should be there.  Good luck!

Hi Celtic i am a UK qualified plumber gas engineer and they dont recognise anything we have, if the immigration had mentioned this, the agro and despair this has causedmy family could have been avoided like i would have gone to aussie straight off. we have put everything we have into this country and they have f------ us the people are great and so is the country but the government who let this board stiff every trades men should be brought before the human rights as traitors to there people.    john key more like john amery

If you seriously want to come over here, I'd advice you do the whole apprenticeship again. I too am Scottish, (qualified plumbing, gas, and drainage in Germany) and I've already went through the process your considering. I can explain it all in detail if your still interested. Just send me an email, and I can answer all your questions.

Good luck

Gordon