moving to New Zealand , any one done it ?!

[icantgetnosleep5]

Evening all :)
Was hoping to speak to anyone who has done what we are hoping to do.. how did you find the process/ life now ?

:)

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

There was a really long running thread on here about someone thinking if it, then doing it. It was absorbing. Might be worth a search. I didn't, but it was fascinating reading

[dontevenblink]

Hi, we did it 6 years ago. Lived on south island, now on north. We really like it. Visas took a long time but I was pregnant which complicated it a bit. Have you got a job offer? Dh's company was good at chasing things up from the NZ end. There is a lot of talk about clamping down on visas, if Labour gets in next election they are saying they will be reducing the number, so might be worth doing sooner than later.

Property prices can be bit crazy here, particularly in Auckland, but we live in a more rural area so not so much a problem here. Rentals are hard to get in areas outside of main cities though.

It is a beautiful country, we go camping lots. Dc have more freedom here I think. There are negatives obviously, a lot of people don't like change (although this may be more of a problem outside of cities), houses can be freezing with little to no heating, kiwi attitude is to just stick on another jumper.

What would you like to know?

[JellyTipisthebest]

We did it 4 ish years ago, love it what would you like to know

[Pixiedust2017]

I moved to Wellington about 3 years ago. I met my partner here and now we are expecting :-)
Visa process was tedious and very expensive.

I got in with skilled migrant as I am a pharmacist and now have residency.
Rentals in Wellington are hard to find and most houses have damp issues and are in my opinion not very well built.
I like living here I think there is more sunshine and the winter is not as harsh.
I am not a fan of the comparatively restrictive health system, but I think the NHS is the best part of the UK so may be biased.
I think the experience would depend on where you move to and what jobs you hope to get.
We have been talking about moving back to Wales when little one is a toddler to be near my family and to be honest I'm not so sure if it would be worth it as I am much happier here than in the UK at the moment.

[swimmerforlife]

Not quite the same as I'm a New Zealand citizen (grew up there but left 15 years ago in my early 20s), we were back there in NZ 18 months ago looking to move back.

Never could go back there after that visit, everything is so expensive, astronomical house prices in akl and wgt, no jobs in the regions, shit government. Yes it is a beautiful country but sadly beauty doesn't pay the bills.

I'm quite happy in the UK. (My Dh is English though and we've got heaps of his family support here).

[FiveShelties]

Yes moved to NZ from UK in 2003, had to return to UK in 2014 and just arrived back in NZ last month. Two international moves in three years are definitely not recommended ---- especially with a dog!

I am on the North Island and happy to answer any questions.

[HoleinmyBucket]

We came here (Auckland) about three and a half years ago - husband got a job here and we came on work visas - have since been granted residency and watching the clock tick by to make it permanent residency. We don't plan to return to UK.

With a job offer we found the visa process to be quick and straightforward - job offer in the October, Visas granted before Christmas and DH left UK to start his job in the January. He has stuck with his job here (he's quite specialised) but I've hopped around a bit with jobs and tried a few things. We have a little boy and love the school system. House prices in Auckland are bonkers so we've bought further afield. We miss family in UK - mil has declared she will never venture this far - my parents visit annually - we've gone back once so far and will probably do so again next year.

We like the way of life here and the climate is generally a few degrees warmer than UK - but it's taken some getting used to living in a 'shed' - our current rental has no insulation and it's mid-winter - it's like the 1970s have come to haunt us - hot water bottles every night and thermal pyjamas!

We haven't yet had to face anything serious happening to family back in UK - that will be when the reality of the distance will really bite us I think - we Skype and FaceTime regularly so it's easy to forget how far away it really is.

[MargeryFenworthy]

I have a friend who is planning to leave the UK for later in the year. Personally I think she is crazy as it is most definitely her rather moody DH who is pushing it. I fear for her as it is so far away and I don't think it is the right move for her. That said, colleagues and friends who have made the move have, for the most part, been glad they did so. Property prices are ridiculously high, I do wonder how long they can be sustained.

[Note3]

This thread is reigniting my dream of emigrating! We were considering a move then I fell pregnant and we stopped thinking of it. Then we started looking again and turned our sights to australia...only just at that precise moment they took my skill off the shortage list!

Now I keep seeing new Zealand threads popping up today and it's making me think all over again! Just seems so massive when you have children to factor in :(

[LittleKiwi]

Yep, I did! DP and the DC are kiwis. I'm waiting for PR and have been consistently happier here than I ever was in the UK, although nothing anyone has said on this thread so far strikes me as unfair - it's definitely bloody expensive and I definitely wouldn't move on a whim or because it looks pretty in pictures!

What would you like to know?

[SuperBeagle]

Property prices are expensive in Auckland and (maybe) Wellington, but they're not bad outside of those areas. I'm in Aus (born here and lived here all my life), but my mum's a Kiwi - from Dunedin. We're often gobsmacked by just how much we could all buy if we sold up here and moved there, but obviously that's not including Auckland.

Queenstown is one of the most beautiful places in the world, IMO (although my heart will always be in the Snowy Mountains, Aus )