logo

  New Zealand Immigration Guide









rosco
22nd May 2007, 01:18 AM
Story so far.

We are three – myself (Ross – project manager), my partner (Mary - homeopath) and our almost three-year-old (Amelie – really cute).

My partner came up with the radical idea of moving to New Zealand in March 2007. With no thought from myself other than ‘that sounds like a good idea’ we were embarking on the long process to emigrate. We didn’t consider emigrating anywhere else. For us it was a case of wanting an English speaking nation – and automatically discounting the US and Oz for reasons I shan’t go into.

After a quick check on the Immigration New Zealand website revealed that they are short of IT project managers, I submitted our EOI on 11 April 2006 with 130 points on the skilled migrant stream with no job offer.

We were selected from the pool on 29 May 2006 and it took us until 9 November to get all the info together and submit the ITA. A long and nail-biting wait ensued. We had still not heard anything by the beginning of March 2007. I phoned INZ, who said we had been assigned a case officer and put me through to her – Pascale Battrick.

She arranged the telephone interview for a couple of days later. Some frantic searching of these forums came up with a list of probable questions. Quick bit of research, nice 40-minute chat and bobs your fathers brother, we were offered permanent residence. Passports returned a couple of weeks later, champagne slurped and down to the real work of organising a move to the other side of the world.

Don’t know why I’m telling you all this really, maybe it will help someone sometime.

So, here we are, semi-planned and not nearly ready, but really wanting to be there.

Here are some of the reasons we wanted to emigrate:

UK too expensive, too crowded, too dirty.
Not enough family time – working non-stop just to pay the mortgage.
New Zealand looks loooovely!
Wanting to break away from the routine we are in while we can.
Wanting to have an adventure, see a bit more of the world, seize the day, make the most of life etc.


Here is our current situation:

We have a flat on the south coast that we will rent out for a few years until we are settled and found the area we want to live. We will rent a house in NZ for the first couple of years then sell up in blighty and buy a nice home in NZ.
We hope to be moving to NZ in October of this year.
We have some work to do on the flat to get it into a nice condition to rent out.
We have to organise shipping, sort out our finances and do all the other bits and bobs before we leave.
I need to do as much as I can to find a job.


We are fairly settled on Auckland. I fancy out west, in the mountains – titrangi, waitakere – that sort of area. Out of the city but still commutable and somewhere with a few people for Mary to set up a practice.

So there you go. HELLO EVERYONE. I’m sure I will have lots of questions for you lovely people in the next few months, please be nice :uhoh .

Ross

nicaukids
22nd May 2007, 01:25 AM
Hi Ross, Mary & Amalie
Welcome... I'm sure the gang can help out with any queries.
Have you made a visit to NZ yet ?
Got my head in the clouds as we leave (for holiday only) on Thursday.
Hope this trip will give us the oomph to go for it (neither me or OH are skilled in anything that's remotely useful).

Nicky

speckythecky
22nd May 2007, 01:26 AM
Welcome to the forum Ross and Mary and Amelie.

Congrats on the PR:clap :clap
You sound almost sorted and good luck with the move

rosco
22nd May 2007, 01:44 AM
thanks folks

no, we haven't been for a reccie. I have never been to NZ despite living in Oz for a couple of years. Mary has been. She had her backpack stolen within a few hours of getting there, so it wasn't the most successful trip!

We have discounted the reccie because a) it'll be expensive, and b) we know we'll love it there anyway. Its so different going there on holiday to living there, we thought we won't get a real feel for the place on a short visit. Everyone who visits loves the place, its rare to come across someone who has been who didn't like it. The only negative I ever hear is its like going back in time 35 years. As far as I'm concerned thats a positive!

I think we are fairly sorted really, apart from the logistical task.

I have lots of questions about life there though, so I'm relying on you lot to furnish me with lots of information.

cheers

Ross

liamnrach
22nd May 2007, 03:08 AM
Ross

Well done on getting your PR!:clap We went on a visit last year (4 week campervan holiday), and absolutely fell in love with the place. You're right, going on holiday is different (you wear those pink-glazed spectacles!). We are going back in Feb 08 (campervan again) but this time we will do much more research on where to live, where the jobs are (I'm in IT too), schools etc.

May well look you up when we get there?!!

Good luck to you all, hope it all goes well and smoothly......:D

Liam n Rach:nice1

dharder
22nd May 2007, 03:32 AM
Welcome to the forum, Ross.

I have moved once not knowing what it was going to be like/look like. But that was during college days, I don't think I would be brave enough now :)

Good luck with your next 'phase' (the nitty gritty of moving), and hope you find lots of answers to your questions here.

Daniela

StevieD
22nd May 2007, 03:45 AM
Very descriptive intro, welcome to the madhouse guys! :)

Sam B
22nd May 2007, 06:27 PM
Hello Ross

Welcome to the forum. We had the old 'rent your house out in the UK and rent in NZ for a while' plan too. We lasted exactly 3 months before we sold up in the UK. It's HORRID renting when you're used to owning your own place, and it stops you from settling properly too. But you'll find all this out for yourself too soon! Exciting times ahead. Good luck.


Sam

zardell
22nd May 2007, 06:32 PM
Hi and WELCOME to the forum.

Fire away with as many questions as you want - someone will be able to help I'm sure.

Ooh, forgot to say......we had Pascalle too. Lovely lady.

Julie

xx

rosco
22nd May 2007, 08:52 PM
thanks folks. I don't think either of us are scared dharder - perhaps we should be! Since we made the decision to emigrate, or at least try to get accepted, we haven't had a moment of doubting this decision at all. It really feels right for us, and we are happy going with this instinct and trusting that it will all be for the best. Not that we are going in to this with our eyes closed - we are trying to do as much research as possible.

Sam B - yes, I understand your point and can see how keeping a toe in the UK could prevent getting fully settled. However, having never been to NZ and knowing nothing apart from what I've a) read in books, b) read on internet and c) seen on google earth(!) - I think we will need at LEAST 6 months to find our feet and decide where we want to live. Still, I wouldn't be suprised if you end up being right, and we sell much sooner than we first thought.

LiamnRach - from your pic you already look like you have taken to NZ life pretty well. I guess you are hoping the leg tattoos will help swing it with your case officer eh?

Ross

JoanneG
22nd May 2007, 09:18 PM
Good Luck from an ex-project Administrator in a life BC.

Keep posting, it will be lovely to hear your progress. My OH (networks & security) are just considering submitting our EOI in advance of our intended recce so your post is an inspiration. :clap

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15