Anyone moved to NZ?
Discussion
I came to this thread a bit late......
Wife and I moved here from Manchester not quite 20 years ago, and we've never looked back. There are very, very few things we miss. I think NZ is actually quite English in its overall outlook, but a lot more laid back, and the "She'll be right mate" is a lot more apparent. I reckon it's actually more friendly than Australia, Aussies still have stronger racist and misogynist views. Aus strikes me as more American, especially Sydney, but Melbourne seems more European. Course this IMHO and an overall average.
It's not all fabulous of course, as said above, it depends what you are looking for, and where you go. There's a truly VAST difference between, say, Auckland and Pahiatua , and they are both in North island. South Island has most of the "Lord of the Rings" scenery. Roads are (relatively) Crap, not many motorways, but less traffic.
Auckland could be any big city, and you can choose from there right down to true real life one horse hamlets in the middle of nowhere.
I brought my TVRs with me, and whole house contents, but rules change, so I don't feel I can advise what it's like today. We chose Brittania movers and they were very good, sorted all the paperwork etc. We contacted NZ customs to check rules, and they too, were very helpful.
If you can, come here and rent first, and get a feel for the place, and THEN decide.
We decided on Wellington as we wanted to move away from large urban, I had a job offer, and yeah the weather can be crap, but it's a great city to live and work in.
One thing I will say though, is make a pact that you do not go back after a week, or even a few months, because that's when it's too tempting to go back. Agree with the family that you won't go back for, say, 2 years. A lot of families go through all the hassle and decide they don't like it and give up after a few months. That's too short a time. There are some culture differences and attitudes to adjust to.
Wife and I moved here from Manchester not quite 20 years ago, and we've never looked back. There are very, very few things we miss. I think NZ is actually quite English in its overall outlook, but a lot more laid back, and the "She'll be right mate" is a lot more apparent. I reckon it's actually more friendly than Australia, Aussies still have stronger racist and misogynist views. Aus strikes me as more American, especially Sydney, but Melbourne seems more European. Course this IMHO and an overall average.
It's not all fabulous of course, as said above, it depends what you are looking for, and where you go. There's a truly VAST difference between, say, Auckland and Pahiatua , and they are both in North island. South Island has most of the "Lord of the Rings" scenery. Roads are (relatively) Crap, not many motorways, but less traffic.
Auckland could be any big city, and you can choose from there right down to true real life one horse hamlets in the middle of nowhere.
I brought my TVRs with me, and whole house contents, but rules change, so I don't feel I can advise what it's like today. We chose Brittania movers and they were very good, sorted all the paperwork etc. We contacted NZ customs to check rules, and they too, were very helpful.
If you can, come here and rent first, and get a feel for the place, and THEN decide.
We decided on Wellington as we wanted to move away from large urban, I had a job offer, and yeah the weather can be crap, but it's a great city to live and work in.
One thing I will say though, is make a pact that you do not go back after a week, or even a few months, because that's when it's too tempting to go back. Agree with the family that you won't go back for, say, 2 years. A lot of families go through all the hassle and decide they don't like it and give up after a few months. That's too short a time. There are some culture differences and attitudes to adjust to.
Edited by RCK974X on Saturday 23 January 22:03
We went back to the UK at Christmas for the first time in 7 years and it took 20 minutes of being on the M3 to realise I'd made the right move.
I've definitely looked back on the UK with rose tinted glasses. I never remember it being so dirty or gloomy or miserable.
When I first got to NZ it was weird getting harassed in shops by overly friendly staff, but trying to find anyone in the UK to help in shops was awful.
The only good thing was the ease of getting anywhere on the Motorway and decent chips with vinegar.
I've definitely looked back on the UK with rose tinted glasses. I never remember it being so dirty or gloomy or miserable.
When I first got to NZ it was weird getting harassed in shops by overly friendly staff, but trying to find anyone in the UK to help in shops was awful.
The only good thing was the ease of getting anywhere on the Motorway and decent chips with vinegar.
Yeah, I've been back a few times, and it confirms it for me too. I wouldn't go back there to live.
Last time we got a hire car and joined an hour's traffic jam straight out of Heathrow (M25). Later went North and got stuck for two hours in the now legendary Birmingham M6/M5 permanent snarl-up ... and on the way back ....
And at the risk of being accused of being racist, I couldn't help notice how many people didn't speak English. It sure isn't the same place I left, that's for sure.
Eeee....proper mushy peas with the chips .... I do miss that
Last time we got a hire car and joined an hour's traffic jam straight out of Heathrow (M25). Later went North and got stuck for two hours in the now legendary Birmingham M6/M5 permanent snarl-up ... and on the way back ....
And at the risk of being accused of being racist, I couldn't help notice how many people didn't speak English. It sure isn't the same place I left, that's for sure.
Eeee....proper mushy peas with the chips .... I do miss that
Edited by RCK974X on Monday 29th February 01:59
Currently sitting in NZ, staying with my wife's parents in Auckland and returning to the UK on Friday. I have to say, I'm not looking forward to it.
I've been over here five times now, and each time I go back to England, it seems harder. (Always worst being holiday time too, and back to work on Mon
We have been here for four weeks this time, to get married to my wonderful Kiwi fiancée last week, and are planning on a final move back here in a couple of years when we have managed to save some money to somehow get on the property ladder (Simply a dream in London at the moment).
I have a million questions around job's (I work as a bar/restaurant manager at the moment, although my other half is in nursing, and did all of her training at Middlemore before going to the UK for an OE stint), shipping over the TVR etc and where to settle down with Auckland house prices still out of control, but have no hesitations about fitting in.
I love it over here, and strangely have far more sincere friends in NZ than back home these days. So hopefully all will go to plan, and sometime in the next two years, we will be calling NZ our home too
I've been over here five times now, and each time I go back to England, it seems harder. (Always worst being holiday time too, and back to work on Mon
We have been here for four weeks this time, to get married to my wonderful Kiwi fiancée last week, and are planning on a final move back here in a couple of years when we have managed to save some money to somehow get on the property ladder (Simply a dream in London at the moment).
I have a million questions around job's (I work as a bar/restaurant manager at the moment, although my other half is in nursing, and did all of her training at Middlemore before going to the UK for an OE stint), shipping over the TVR etc and where to settle down with Auckland house prices still out of control, but have no hesitations about fitting in.
I love it over here, and strangely have far more sincere friends in NZ than back home these days. So hopefully all will go to plan, and sometime in the next two years, we will be calling NZ our home too
PJ57 said:
Currently sitting in NZ, staying with my wife's parents in Auckland and returning to the UK on Friday. I have to say, I'm not looking forward to it.
I've been over here five times now, and each time I go back to England, it seems harder. (Always worst being holiday time too, and back to work on Mon
We have been here for four weeks this time, to get married to my wonderful Kiwi fiancée last week, and are planning on a final move back here in a couple of years when we have managed to save some money to somehow get on the property ladder (Simply a dream in London at the moment).
I have a million questions around job's (I work as a bar/restaurant manager at the moment, although my other half is in nursing, and did all of her training at Middlemore before going to the UK for an OE stint), shipping over the TVR etc and where to settle down with Auckland house prices still out of control, but have no hesitations about fitting in.
I love it over here, and strangely have far more sincere friends in NZ than back home these days. So hopefully all will go to plan, and sometime in the next two years, we will be calling NZ our home too
Don't feel you have to settle in Auckland (unless your OH is hooked on it). It's a lovely city, but there are other very attractive places that also have bars/restaurants and hospitals where housing is much cheaper.I've been over here five times now, and each time I go back to England, it seems harder. (Always worst being holiday time too, and back to work on Mon
We have been here for four weeks this time, to get married to my wonderful Kiwi fiancée last week, and are planning on a final move back here in a couple of years when we have managed to save some money to somehow get on the property ladder (Simply a dream in London at the moment).
I have a million questions around job's (I work as a bar/restaurant manager at the moment, although my other half is in nursing, and did all of her training at Middlemore before going to the UK for an OE stint), shipping over the TVR etc and where to settle down with Auckland house prices still out of control, but have no hesitations about fitting in.
I love it over here, and strangely have far more sincere friends in NZ than back home these days. So hopefully all will go to plan, and sometime in the next two years, we will be calling NZ our home too
CR6ZZ said:
Don't feel you have to settle in Auckland (unless your OH is hooked on it). It's a lovely city, but there are other very attractive places that also have bars/restaurants and hospitals where housing is much cheaper.
Thanks, to be honest, we both love Auckland (all friends and family are based here too), but have seen a dramatic increase in traffic over the last 5 years not to mention the house prices.We are also very fond of Tauranga and Taupo so these may be a better option, although I gather Tauranga has the fastest growing population in NZ at present so house prices are rising fast too.
Will just keep saving in the UK, and shift over ASAP
We are hoping to earn $140-$150k a year between the two of us, and have no kids, so maybe the outskirts of Auckland maybe do-able?
Will keep an eye out and see where the jobs etc are in the coming years
Hi All
We're looking to move to New Zealand later this year / early next. Will be myself (IT / Software Developer), wife (Chartered Accountant), 2yr old (pilot / racing driving!) and the my mother in law (retired).
I have a few questions..
1) Has anyone used any visa / job agencies?.. UK / NZ based?.. any recommendations?..
2) It's my understanding that you can live in NZ for 6 months while applying for a permanent visa and job hunting?.. did you go to NZ first or sort it all before you left?.. I assume the latter is risky?!..
3) My mother in law is retired, could there be a any issues with her application?!.. what's the healthcare implications as she does have pre-existing conditions?!..
4) Property - Hopefully we will be in the position to buy outright, being mortgage free. However, as these things tend to pan out, if we find the dream house and need a mortgage are there any issues?!..
Any advice would be restfully received.. thanks in advance..
We're looking to move to New Zealand later this year / early next. Will be myself (IT / Software Developer), wife (Chartered Accountant), 2yr old (pilot / racing driving!) and the my mother in law (retired).
I have a few questions..
1) Has anyone used any visa / job agencies?.. UK / NZ based?.. any recommendations?..
2) It's my understanding that you can live in NZ for 6 months while applying for a permanent visa and job hunting?.. did you go to NZ first or sort it all before you left?.. I assume the latter is risky?!..
3) My mother in law is retired, could there be a any issues with her application?!.. what's the healthcare implications as she does have pre-existing conditions?!..
4) Property - Hopefully we will be in the position to buy outright, being mortgage free. However, as these things tend to pan out, if we find the dream house and need a mortgage are there any issues?!..
Any advice would be restfully received.. thanks in advance..
Some answers, with the caveat that it's been a long time since I looked at the process in detail, so this may be a bit out of date.
nekrum said:
1) Has anyone used any visa / job agencies?.. UK / NZ based?.. any recommendations?..
Visa agents offer no greater chance of success than doing it yourself, and since the process is pretty straightforward (tiresome yes, complex no), I wouldn't waste your money on an agent.You'll be much better off looking for a job when you're here, so I wouldn't bother with job agencies either unless for research.
nekrum said:
2) It's my understanding that you can live in NZ for 6 months while applying for a permanent visa and job hunting?.. did you go to NZ first or sort it all before you left?.. I assume the latter is risky?!..
If you've applied for permanent residency but can't quite make the points without a job offer, they will give you a six month work visa so you can come over and look for a qualifying job.Unless you're under 30 and can get a working holiday visa, the only way you'll get in is on a tourist visa in which case you can't actually look for work (and neither will anyone offer you a job).
If you can make the points, I'd apply before you go and don't book flights until you have some sort of answer about your visa status.
As an employer, I get five to ten emails a week from chancers in the UK and Europe looking for jobs. Without a visa they're binned immediately since it's a pain in the bum for me to sponsor someone.
nekrum said:
3) My mother in law is retired, could there be a any issues with her application?!.. what's the healthcare implications as she does have pre-existing conditions?!..
This is where my knowledge gets seriously sketchy, but as I understand it, unless your MIL is pretty well-heeled, she won't be able to get a visa until you (or your wife) are here and with a permanent job that earns at least NZ$60k pa. If she has any chronic illness or a history of major health problems, she probably won't get a visa at all. If she does get here she'll be a permanent resident and entitled to the same health cover as any other PR.
nekrum said:
4) Property - Hopefully we will be in the position to buy outright, being mortgage free. However, as these things tend to pan out, if we find the dream house and need a mortgage are there any issues?!..
Mortgages here are like anywhere else really, the less you need (as a proportion of the overall property value) the less the bank will care about whether you have a regular income.When we organised our first (and only) mortgage here we were only borrowing 25% of the value of the property. The deal was done over the phone, with no questions asked about our work status or anything much beyond the name of our lawyer and the address of the property.
Do take a look at property prices here if you haven't already. Most of NZ is still reasonably affordable, but Auckland is silly money and growing at 13%pa on average.
k
klootzak said:
Visa agents offer no greater chance of success than doing it yourself, and since the process is pretty straightforward (tiresome yes, complex no), I wouldn't waste your money on an agent.
We didnt use an agent, most of the people I know didnt, some did though and if you are marginal or have more complex questions then perhaps they can help some.Note its now actually illegal to give immigration advice in NZ without being qualified and registered! Which is why most of the online resources ( uk2nz movetonz forums etc) have almost dissapeared.
Seems to be some excellent info/contributions, so thanks to everyone for that.
I'm now in Gibraltar, and unemployed. I have applied to be a Vehicle Mechanic in the TA (which is what I used to do full time before leaving 4 years ago) so that will keep me doing something.
But I keep revisiting the idea of NZ in my mind.
Is the weather similar to UK but more mild?
At least there seems to be plenty of HGV Mechanic roles, so that's a big positive.
I'm now in Gibraltar, and unemployed. I have applied to be a Vehicle Mechanic in the TA (which is what I used to do full time before leaving 4 years ago) so that will keep me doing something.
But I keep revisiting the idea of NZ in my mind.
Is the weather similar to UK but more mild?
At least there seems to be plenty of HGV Mechanic roles, so that's a big positive.
RobDickinson said:
I prefer it to Auckland too!
Plenty of IT jobs all around NZ really, obviously more choice in Auckland but Welly, Christchurch, Dunedin too
If you are in IT theres plenty of jobs, you will have to prove yourself again here but if your competent it wont be a problem
Plenty of IT jobs all around NZ really, obviously more choice in Auckland but Welly, Christchurch, Dunedin too
If you are in IT theres plenty of jobs, you will have to prove yourself again here but if your competent it wont be a problem
RCK974X said:
IT - depending what your specialist field is, there are nearly always good IT jobs in Wellington, as it's the capital, and so home of government......
and Wellington is a great city in its own way. Personally I prefer it to Auckland, but not everyone will agree.
Hi Rob / Andyand Wellington is a great city in its own way. Personally I prefer it to Auckland, but not everyone will agree.
I have an general IT / Development background - do you know of any good employers / agencies that would be worth contacting?.. Thanks..
have a general look around www.seek.co.nz see what is in your area and talk to them.
It'll be tough to get a job offer without a visa but not impossible given the current market, and having a job/employer sponsor makes the visa process faster/easier.
It'll be tough to get a job offer without a visa but not impossible given the current market, and having a job/employer sponsor makes the visa process faster/easier.
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