[Peter&Liz]

We have been considering emigrating to New Zealand for a while now and during a holiday there last year we decided to go ahead. We had originally thought of moving in 3 or 4 years time, but changing circumstances mean that we have decided to try and move this year.

My OH Liz (35) is a Financial Director and I’m (Peter, 36) an IT Developer. We are hoping that we get by on one salary for a bit so that we can also start a business.

Everything seems to moving much faster than I anticipated, we had our EOI one day after applying at the end of November, and then our ITA arrived in the space of 2 weeks. I had been hoping for less than 3 months. Its great that things are moving faster than we had hoped but the pressure is on to get our house ready to sell.

Location wise Christchurch is our favourite and we are hoping to move no later than October this year, but like most people, that is dependent getting a job offer and successfully selling our house.

Anyway this forum has been an absolute godsend for finding out information I have been using it near daily for the best part of two years. Seeing others share the emotional hopes and fears we have is incredibly reassuring.

Happy New Year one and all, and hopefully we will be happy in a new county this time next year!

Peter

[ellenmelon]

happy new year peter and liz :D welcome to the forum.

[dilanium]

Welcome! :)

[Mickstim]

Hi guys and welcome. We are also in Sussex and all ready to go - but still waiting for a house sale!!

[peebles16]

Hi Pete and Liz and welcome to the forum it is a fab place :D
We're off to Christchurch too in oh about two weeks time (scary or what!) so maybe we'll see you on the other side!
Good Luck
Karen

[Belmont Babes]

Hi Peter and Liz,
We too are ready to go but for house sale. We started the process this time last year. To begin with it seemed to be going a little fast but now I am fed up as it is going far too slowly. Wishing you all the very best with everything.

[benandclare]

Happy new Year guys and good luck with the process and welcome to the forum :yes

[Leccy-Lee]

ah... Sussex born and bred, strong in the arm and thick in the head!

NOTE: Thats not an insult by the way, thats what they say about Sussex, dont believe it myself as i am a Sussex man myself and neither really fits with me!
Which part of Sussex? How is my old neck of the woods, cold and damp i bet?

Welcome to forum

[Moorf]

Perhaps a Sussex meet needs to organised - my family are all moving here and are all in Sussex :laugh (Worthing "costa del geriatric" to be precise!)

[stephenandjulie]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

We lived in Brighton, Sussex for many years. Loved it, one of the best places on the planet.

Best of luck with the process.

Julie

[james the mechanic]

Members in Sussex other than Lucy & I and Barb & Michael, where the hell have you people been hiding?:confused:
We're in East Sussex (Bexhill-on-sea) but I'm in Mid Sussex every day.:nice1
James

[Mickstim]

Members in Sussex other than Lucy & I and Barb & Michael, where the hell have you people been hiding?:confused:
We're in East Sussex (Bexhill-on-sea) but I'm in Mid Sussex every day.:nice1
James

Still here James (but been in Florida for Christmas), still trying to sell the bloomin' house............. Hows about you? Aren't you on your way soon?? :exit

[Peter&Liz]

Hi Everyone,

Glad there are so many people from Sussex out there. We spent a lot of the Christmas break painting and we are getting a bit frantic about getting the house on the market before everyone else in March. We can’t wait till this bits over and we get to start packing (fingers crossed)!

We are both originally from Scotland and have been very happy in Horsham having lived here for the last 10 years. I also spent most of my teenage years in Sussex but we are ready to start something new.

And thanks for all the welcome messages.

Peter

[nickydwuk]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

We lived in Brighton, Sussex for many years. Loved it, one of the best places on the planet.

Best of luck with the process.

Julie

What - better than Chch ??:laugh

[Mickstim]

Horsham is SO close Peter as we are in Copthorne. We put our house on the market the very day the market started to slow down (coincidence? I doubt it!) and have had quite a lot of interest and a couple of offers that haven't worked out but so far the sale eludes us, although houses are still selling around here. Good luck with yours!

Barb

[Peter&Liz]

Hi Brab,

Yip Copthorne is about 15 miles away from us, good luck on the house sale, it’s probably the thing I’m least looking forward too dealing with. Hopefully things will now begin to pick up now that we are in the New Year and interest rates are coming down.

Peter

[mikewalkerfrom]

I know what you mean about trying to sell the house after spending 6 months decorating it. Good luck for your house sale in 2008. Basingstoke's quiet as a mouse. We're off to Chch also this year (hopefully sooner rather than later). Coincidentally I'm in IT also (oracle type). Hayley's a marketing exec (full time Mum at the moment though).

[Rorschach]

Hi Peter & Liz,

Wish you every success.
I am also from Sussex (Brighton), and my wife and I are also in the early stages of planning the same move as you!

What I wanted to ask you is this: I am also an Accountant (CIMA qual) with 10yrs+ exp. My wife is a Secondary School Maths teacher.

Do you have any idea if qualified accountants are sought after in NZ and would score any points?
If not, we'll probably try with my wife as the main applicant, but thought I would ask in case you had managed to find out.

Anyway, best of luck with everything!

[Moorf Junior]

Worthing :)

[Peter&Liz]

Hi Rorschach

Only certain auditors (members of NZICA) get extra points in the emigration process but your wife’s skills are on the skills shortage list. I think it would be more successful for you to have your wife as the lead on your application (as Peter and I did). Try the following link:

http://glossary.i.mmigration.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/063ECB35-F5D5-44D8-8325-7041A727A9D5/0/1093.pdf

I have had a look at job adverts for accountants, and like the UK qualifications help. There seems to be enough demand but I can't tell how many of them would require me to become a member of the NZICA. I currently am a member of ICAS and CIOT.

I have posted a few queries with agents and most of them say that the larger suppliers in Auckland would not require me to join NZICA provided I am happy to get any new skills I need. We are hoping to relocate in Christchurch and I prefer financial reporting and taxation, so I think I will probably have to do some more exams. I thought I had left all that behind me 10 years ago! Experience does seem to count for a lot. I guess it’s just a matter of trying to find the best employer for you.

Liz

[Rorschach]

Liz,

Thanks for the info

Very useful to know.