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Moving to New Zealand

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 laurentb 03 Jan 2012
Ok not strictly about climbing but, thinking about moving to the other side of the world.

Anyone with some experences of it??

Currently i work as a care assisstent, have past experence in werehouse work. Just didnt know if you needed certain quls there for it.
 Joez 03 Jan 2012
In reply to laurentb:

If you're under 30 do the working holiday visa, by far and away the easiest way to get in. Most decent employers out there will sponsor you if you work hard. I got an offer of sponsorship while I was stacking shelves in a supermarket!. 10 weeks was enough let alone the 2 years you have to do to get residency.

Be warned though it's very different to the UK, a lot more rural and if you want nice specialist kit (climbing, kayaking, etc.) its expensive at first. Food in the supermarkets can be expensive too.

Once you're part of a community though its pretty good, theres always someone who knows someone that can get you what you want at discount. Getting homekill meat saves you loads and is way tastier.

Cars and petrol are reasonable and garages don't rip you off when you do break down (so long as you're not in Welly or Auckland) Car insurance isn't mandatory (but cheap and worthwhile)

Weather is good - proper seasons on the south island and fairly predictable (unless you're in the mountains - where it can change very fast)

Holidays and flights out of the country (Australia, Fiji, Cook islands etc.) are expensive but NZ is so nice you don't really need to go on holiday anywhere else!

I got back in March last year and am really missing it. Can you tell?
needvert 03 Jan 2012
In reply to laurentb:

NZ rocks, I've spent the majority of my life there.

The downside though is I can make much more money elsewhere. There's not really any huge amount of money to be had in NZ, no large mining or petroleum activity. There's tourism, and farming relating ventures. But outside that...

Really nice place though. You probably won't become rich, but life is really good there. Public healthcare is really good, people seem nicer, no nasty wildlife.
 barney800 03 Jan 2012
In reply to needvert:
> The downside though is I can make much more money elsewhere.

Such as Australia (if you haven't got your heart set on NZ). The rock climbing is also meant to be much better here, but there's not really any mountaineering. Visa wise, if care assistants are on the list of desired skills (check the immigration website) you shouldn't have any trouble getting over here. Otherwise you'd have to get sponsored which could be more tricky.
Removed User 04 Jan 2012
In reply to laurentb:

If you are YF&S then go for it. If you have a family then I'd visit the place first.

Canada is looking for people also.
 Helen R 04 Jan 2012
In reply to laurentb:

I moved out here just over 4 years ago, happy to answer questions but I don't know much on immigration - there was a new immigration act last year. Loads of info on the NZ immigration website. If you're under 31 the working holiday thing is a good plan - that's how I started.

There's good and bad things about living here, and it certainly depends where you are and what you do for work, and the standard of living you'd like. Things are expensive (like for like) compared with the UK - to get the same standard of living would cost a lot (i.e. standard of housing, going out for meals/drinks, newish car, brand clothes (including outdoor stuff), speed of internet, international foods, etc). However, if you are happy with a different standard (15 year old car, going to house parties, tin roofed no heating house, capped internet limits, t-shirts and board shorts, grow your own veg) then you can live here fairly well on not too much money.

Housing is expensive in the cities but cheap in the sticks or the south (Auckland is comparable to London and more expenisve with respect to wages, you just get different things for your money).

Not a lot of jobs around right now - not well paying ones anyway. Saying that - I think I'm on comparable wages to the UK (outside London) but I know a lot of people think wages are lower here (but I think they presume everyone in the UK is on 60k a year). Less holidays tho.

It's expensive to travel overseas and the costs keep going up - important to consider if you have family in the UK. This is my biggest current concern.

Places are a long way apart here. And people drive all the time. You can't live without a car and even in auckland you'd struggle without one unless you lived in the centre. It's much easier to be lazy here, for all it's 'outdoor' image.

Everything is fried. Or a pie.

The climate is better generally, although here in the North we are still waiting for the summer. The humidity is here, but the sun is yet to catch up....

Christmas is completely at the wrong time of year.

My negative points might be positives to you. On balance I'm fairly happy here, but I think I would be just as happy back in the UK, for different reasons.

There's a few of us on here that have either moved out or moved back. I'm sure we all have different ideas and views. Have a good look into it - read the nzherald.co.nz or stuff.co.nz for the news and you'll get a feel for the country. Look on trademe.co.nz for rents and house/car prices. And visit and see if you like it!

Good luck,

Helen R

 Aigen 04 Jan 2012
In reply to laurentb: I would consider Australia before NZ. I have been here for 3 months and can not get a job, just a few hours here and there per week. I have a masters in computing and was hoping to get my career started here in Wellington. I am stuck here for the next 4-5 months saving up to move to OZ. Its expensive here only thing that is cheaper than UK is avacodes. I am not joking.
Its a nice place here with lovely people and landscape, but be warned that you might run out of money here as I and a bunch of other people have.
 Helen R 04 Jan 2012
In reply to Aigen:

And avocados get really expensive here in the winter.

Good luck with the job hunt.
 ben b 04 Jan 2012
In reply to laurentb: Much like Helen R, I guess. For immigration I have ROR as my wife is a kiwi, but came on a work permit initially and have done a couple of years on these. Not sure what the current situation is since the change in the law.

Costs are very variable. The first thing to say is currently everything is expensive if your brain works in pounds as it's basically NZD2:GBP1, whereas when I worked here in 2002 it was 3.3:1. So a litre of diesel costs about 75p, and petrol a pound a litre. When there is basically no worthwhile public transport infrastructure that's a bonus. Fresh seasonal veggies at the markets are very good value indeed. But all the comments about the price of outdoor gear are very true: rock gear best purchased in the US on the way.

I have a (very good and enjoyable) job in a fairly protected sector (health) and whilst I could earn twice as much in Australia I wouldn't - too hot for me, and the wildlife tries to kill you. We have a reasonable work life balance - huge rambling old house 10 minutes walk from work, Mrs B works 2 sessions a week, kids school 10 minutes walk etc. but the vagaries of my job mean I'm basically working every other weekend which cuts down the opportunities for play (almost as much as the family!).

It is, in many places, a stunningly beautiful country but certainly not an environmentally friendly one. We live in Dunedin - penguins, albatrosses, a mediocre crag or two, 3.5 hrs to the ski fields / mountains, and a fairly vigorous student vibe thanks to the university. I reckon the weather is pertty good but seem to be in a minority - it's always interesting, anyway


Unlike Helen I find the food to be great, even as a vegetarian. Tradesmen and garages round here are usually very helpful and reasonable (once the car refused to start and I had to get a bloke out on a sunday morning to get it going - b*stard thing then started first pop. He laughed with me, I gave him a beer, we called it quits at his suggestion "cos it's a nice day to get up early" - can't see that happening in the UK!).

People (massive generalisation ahoy) seem refreshingly short of class consciousness and certainly in my job very glad both to be helped but also often to help themselves. Not to say that this is always the case (or never the case in the UK) but it does appear to be a slightly old-fashioned attitude that people actually try to help rather
than line their own pockets or rely on others to do stuff for them.

Something like 90% of the crime occurs in 10% of the population. There are awful things that happen but risks to individuals are pretty low thankfully.

Anyway, I'm happy to be here, but very aware it is a long way from my family should they ever get ill (parents not getting younger...). Fortunately we can afford to go back annually which helps.

Oh and books cost a fortune (both here and Australia) as they are taxed like crazy and few get imported. Every time I come in to the country my 25kg allowance is basically dead trees these days!

Good luck
b

Bob kate bob 04 Jan 2012
In reply to ben b: I couldn't help reading your write up. It's interesting hearing other ex-pats experiences.
One thing though, have you ever thought of getting a Kindle? Books in English are expensive in Europe so I find I have saved money and had more choice now I have my Kindle.
 Helen R 04 Jan 2012
In reply to Bob kate bob:

I got a kindle for christmas. I'm hoping it will be slightly more environmentally friendly that the horrendous book depository habit I've built up over the past year.

PS. Ben - on the food I'm doing better - have a veg garden now and been investigating more markets. Also been developing my kaimoana contacts.

Good point about the exchange rate - at some point the dollar will collapse and we'll seem cheap again.

As well as book depository, Next Directory have started free postage to New Zealand for clothes and stuff. Now, if we can just persuade Rock and Run....
needvert 04 Jan 2012
Do remember that cities differ quite a lot across NZ, from Auckland to Dunedin to Queenstown.

Australia is similar, contrast Canberra (the capital, full of public servant types) to Darwin (a city with a reputation for being a place to run away to, to start a new life).

You don't need a car in either country. Some cities are much more friendly regarding nocarness though.


To be honest anyone who isn't a lemon can carve a happy life for themselves in either country.

Regarding the cost of living, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I believe cars in NZ are cheaper since AU protects its local car industry, a lot of things in AU are just a complete rip off, far cheaper to order from the US and pay postage. In either country you'll be fine if you have full time employment with reasonable pay.

Australia has the much higher population, and everything that goes with that, many people prefer that.
In reply to Helen R: http://tinyur... might be of interest to you.
needvert 04 Jan 2012
In reply to needvert:

Actually one thing...

I feel much safer solo hiking in NZ than AU. Though I've never been bitten by a funnel web or a brown snake, that's sure to severely ruin your alone time.

NZ was great like that, just a sleeping mat and a tarp, who cared what crawled around when you were sleeping, it was sure to be harmless. And not having to watch every step, or getting nervous in tall grass.
 KiwiPrincess 04 Jan 2012
In reply to laurentb:
I'm not an immigrant, but a local.
People often complain of cold houses but Just make sure to rent or buy something with double glaxed windows and a sunny aspect and you'll be fine.
I live in a resort area so living is expensive and wages low
Housing will be quarter to half your income unless you just get a room. However In only 30 mins drive from my house I can get to 2 skifields, Downhill mountain biking, 3 different crags, and several Paragliding takeoffs. I can cross country ride from home. And get to world class climbing in 3.5 hours. When I lived in the city I could only have fun on the weekends and drove miles to do it.
I have less money for overseas holidays etc but enough for toys and domestic missions, and a nice house to live in. Not as many cheap clothing options here Bring Your clothing.Care assistants don't Earn alot but at least they are needed everywhere so you will be free to choose where you live.
 Tom Last 04 Jan 2012
In reply to needvert:
> (In reply to needvert)
>

> NZ was great like that, just a sleeping mat and a tarp, who cared what crawled around when you were sleeping, it was sure to be harmless. And not having to watch every step, or getting nervous in tall grass.

Yeah, but woe betide you should come across a screaming possum in your idyllic camp. Little devils. And make sure you peg your tent down lest some nutty parrot try to steal the thing. Oh and don't tread on any sealions as I nearly did!

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