Important Things to Know Before Relocating to New Zealand

New Zealand is a country rich in culture and adventure, so it's no surprise Kiwis fall in love with life here and never wants to move away. New Zealand has cities that consistently fall in the top twenty of Quality of Life Indexes, while its national parks are recognized as some of the most untouched and beautiful in the world. Moving to New Zealand (or anywhere else) after being overseas, can be confusing. We have tried to put together a guide to help you find the answers you need when moving to New Zealand.

Get the Necessary Documents

The New Zealand government is easy to work with and it’s quick to apply for New Zealand immigration, especially via the skilled migrant visa program. But what documents are you going to need?

The Interagency Country-Specific Information for New Zealand provides information on the requirements for persons who intend to enter and remain in New Zealand and persons seeking residence in New Zealand. It also provides information for family members of foreign nationals who want to join or accompany a family member to New Zealand. To get advice on your specific situation, you can discuss your circumstances with a trained New Zealand immigration adviser, a registered migration agent who is accredited by the Immigration Advisers Authority. To help you with your immigration process, the department of immigration in New Zealand has created a checklist that outlines what documents you will need to be able to move there and live.

Research Where you’ll Live

Before you visit or emigrate to New Zealand you may want to complete your research about the places and locations where you could live in New Zealand. Finding the perfect home in any city can be challenging. Finding the perfect one in a new country is even tougher. This is even more important if you have kids as you will have to consider their education. So, before you move, you should have your new residence sorted to put you at ease- from the right neighborhood, to making friends, settling in, and easing the transition for you and your family.

Your research should include suitable schools for your kids, preferably one with a right blend that resembles their previous school while integrating them with their new environment

Employment and Cost of Living

Finding a job after relocation is a very important and hard mission. It helps to have a job lined up before you arrive in New Zealand. This will not only ensure that you hit the ground running but also makes you rest easy financially. If your move to New Zealand is Bourne out of a job, then it is better to get acquainted as quickly as you can with the practices and work culture of your new job - perhaps even before you are due to resume.

The cost of living in New Zealand is quite different from the UK. Of course, it all depends on how much money you earn as the salaries offered are generally higher than in most other countries. There's no mortgage culture in New Zealand meaning that not many people purchase their own homes until they are well established. Most young families rent at first and then move to more spacious houses, which you can do too.

Ensure you have adequate information on the costs of living in your planned location of residences, as well as average rental rates and prices for food and petrol. The cost of living in New Zealand is higher than in many other places, but with higher income levels and the strong Kiwi dollar, it doesn’t necessarily have to be prohibitive. Whatever you do, it is very important that you have a solid financial base to start off.

Lifestyle and Culture

New Zealand has a European feel in terms of its standard of living, cleanliness, and respect for rules and regulations. There is much less crime than in other places. New Zealand is proud of its natural beauty, the legacy of Maori culture, and the traditions of British forefathers, while at the same time remaining modern. English is spoken throughout New Zealand.

New Zealand is famous for its stunning scenery, unique culture, and friendly locals. It has been named by several world magazines and researchers as the best place in the world to live (in one survey it beat out places such as Australia). 

Caring for your health and Wellbeing

If you're moving to New Zealand, taking the time to put your affairs in order and prepare for the big day can help ease the transition. Information on supporting yourself and children through the process which can cover everything from organising medical insurance to finding a new GP or dentist, up-to-date information on work and travel health cover, immunisations and travel advisories are must-have. In this Covid-19 era, there New Zealand government has made some rules and guidelines for those coming in. It is important to stay updated.

Acclimatising to a new country can take some time, and it is no different when moving to New Zealand. However, migrating to New Zealand offers a whole new life, and can certainly be an exciting one. Remember, moving to a new place is a big decision and there are plenty of factors to consider besides those mentioned above. So, If you want to move to New Zealand (or anywhere else for that matter) it is important that you are aware of what is involved, from the practicalities of applying for an immigration visa and finding work, to the best places in the country to live. So before you start making travel arrangements, get yourself informed about moving abroad, to have as much hitch-free transition as possible.