[biomikebryan]

Hello again!
We are having a "discussion" in our house about the mounting cost of this emigration business. We have just found out that it will cost not a lot less than £500 to prove that we are in fact healthy. This is in addition to the £100 for submitting eoi, same each for NZQA and Teacher council registration. And all before we factor in cost of flights, shipping and visa payments.
My other half is all for calling it off on account of the increasing cost. She alleges that it would be a lot cheaper to get into UK. Does anyone know how much UK immigration does cost? Any other strategies for dealing with this panic? We sold our house and are living in rental, so we could be flexible about going, it is a bit startling watching the capital disappearing so rapidly as we cros al the hurdles!!

[markkellaway]

Hi,

Surely in the whole scheme of things a couple of grand is not that much of an impact? It has been said many times, on this forum as well as other places, that finances alone are not reason to move to NZ.

If your wife is for calling things off because of the cost of these things I would question if she really wants to go, after all you've all got to want this to make it work. :nice1

It's a big decision and we all go through periods of questioning the move, perhaps that's what this is?

Good luck with this, if you've already sold up I would say "go for it", the rest of your life is waiting. :nice1

Cheers,

Mark. :D

[alexh]

Hiya

We have a lot of "discussions" in our house as well ;)

I just asked a kiwi colleague and he said it cost about $200 (NZD) for him and his wife for a 4 year "right of abode" (& work) visa. That was it - nothing else!

Mind you his grandfather was/is UK national.

I'll see if some of the Indians and Aussies without UK grandparents will give me an idea.

cheers

alex

[alexh]

One of the Aussies has applied in the last month for the highly skilled working visa on top of her working holiday visa. She reckons tops its about £350. She did say she is spending much more on a solicitor as she has a dependant that she wants with her....

Mind you, according to some of last week's newspapers Mr. Blunkett is going to get all Aussies, Kiwis etc to prove that they can speak English -so that might cost them a bit more :D

[Timbo]

I reckon Mr B has more chance of getting Aussies & kiwis to speak proper English than he has with a hell of a lot of born and bred English kids these days. Eastenders has a lot to answer for. :roll:

[karltsmith]

Hi Mike,

Son't forget to add £115/person (adult or child) migration levy if you are sucessful in getting PR!

Karl

[biomikebryan]

Thanks Karlsmith for that info, and thanks for the encouraging replies!
We are just back from the Xrays, seemed to go OK and came out clear -medicals in a month.

I keep going by looking at pictures of Kaitaia where we are going. I think I have got more nervy as time has gone on, as we have committed more money, time and emotional energy into the project.
Does no-one else out there think with all these charges? Or are we just being whingeing POMs? Or are people too paranoid that NZIS monitor these boards and screen out negative posters???

[markkellaway]

Hi Mike,

I don't think the charges are that bad but it does depend on your perspective. If buying a second hand car most people wouldn't think twice about spending a couple of grand, the move to NZ is a much longer term investment. :nice1

I haven't looked at the costs to other countries but would imagine they are much the same, I have a niece that is moving to the US soon, I'll ask her how much that costs, although she may not be paying herself!!

Goood luck with all the decision making, it is pretty hard at times. I myself am wandering what I'll do about a job if we are invited, i.e. do I move over with no job to go to or not? :?


Cheers,

Mark. :D

[Lisa.C]

Hi all,

2 Grand is alot of money to us, we are 4, I wish it was a drop in the ocean, however I really do think it'll be money well spent :hopeso I always think when you consider they need our skills in New Zealand that perhaps they should pay us :laugh Now that'd be nice ;)

Lisa :D

ps....Actually i just read that back and it'll be much more than 2 grand, when you pay for shipping, flights, rentals connection fee's, etc, etc, ooooh i don't want to think too hard about that right now, may end up having ''discussions'' here too :laugh

[markkellaway]

Hi Lisa,

It will be more than 2 grand if the flights and everything are taken into account, and it's a hell of a lot of money for us as well!! :(

I'm just moving ahead on the assumption that I'm going to lose a few grand out of the sale of the house, I think we all just have to accept that it will cost and move forward as we are.

Just wish that job offer had come through, visa arranged, relocation paid for....Ohhhhh. :wah

Cheers,

Mark. :D

[biomikebryan]

On refection, i guess our family is quite fortunate, as there is a job offer ,that we have accepted, a "small" but welcome relocation fee ,and a school house /flat.
It's the total mounting cost, first to get registered as a teacher , that totals nearely $500, then flights ,car hire,b&b for 3 days, (that was expected), but it's those "little" hidden costs . And at £90
+ £30 for bloods( each) , then 3 kids at £50, has made me wince.
Now there's a immigration levey per person, :uhoh
But there i go again
I am TOTALLY committed to going , and all 5 of us have ,and will have to make huge sacafices. The boys( 5,7,&9) are all totally up for it, and since Hubbie has has a job offer the 5 year old has had his rucksuck filled with toys raring to go.. :angel

Best of luck to all of you in your quest/dreams
The wingeing wife of biomike

[Rimbo]

Mike and wife
chin up.
I don't even have enough points to submit an EOI. i need a job offer before doing that. So it's going to cost me extra as i will have to pop accross to look for a job first. If i don't find one i would have wasted alot more money and i wouldn't have even reached the application stage. But i'm chasing my dream. :yes
I hope you do go for it as you are in a very favourable position :nice1
Good luck to you all.

John

[Annierobrigado]

Hello all,

Maybe those in UK would be interested to see the Opportunities New Zealand Expo on October 16-17, 2004. here's the link

www.smallworldmedia.co.nz

Lotsa luck, :hopeso

Annie :nice1

[biomikebryan]

Thanks to all of you who have responded with encouraging messages. Just going through a cynical patch there. And thanks Rimbo for reminding us of how lucky we are to have a job lined up! I had a look at your website, we are just up the road from you in Lancaster! What area are you looking for work in?

[biomikebryan]

Kaitaia is where the job is, that's where we are going. We live in the far north of England so why not the North of New Zealand, with the added bonus that it is freezing in winter round here and there won't be a frost where we are headed. That raise all sorts of growing possibilities that would not be there if we were going somewhere like Dunedin.

Someone came to see us from the school to check that we were serious about living so far north of any major city. I'm not that keen on cities in any case so we were passed.

Do you know something that we should know?

[petersmit]

biomikebryan

My brother has a medical practise in Kaitaia. He has lived there for about 4-5 years now and his whole family loves it there. I was also an exchange student at Kaitaia College many years ago. It is a good life up there...great beaches and excellent fishing.

Local newspaper: The Northland Age (http://www.northnz.co.nz)

Peter

[Diny]

I was in Kaitaia last year and thought it was lovely. Anyway - it has a Pak 'n' Save and a Warehouse so what more do you need.

It is a fair way 'up north' but it didn't strike me as being too remote. Nice weather and I agree - nice beaches.

[Rimbo]

Hi Biomike,
Are you like Steve Austin? good name! :laugh

Were looking to settle anywhere in NZ! my options are open but the less people the better. I currently comute 5 mins to work here and so does my wife. I have never had to spend 2-3hrs a day on a train or motorway, so the lifestyle thing has to be similar over there. The more rural and the cheaper the housing so that will also benifit us. I would like to think that i will get a 4 bed, 2 bog house without a mortgage. :nice1
Don't laugh, but we've never even been to NZ, but all you on this forum can't be wrong. :hopeso so we want to jump in the deep end with both feet! :eek :eek :eek

John.

[biomikebryan]

Hiya Rimbo (Rambo?!!)

Biomike on account of I teach biology! Though I did enjoy "we have the power to rebuild you"!! all those years ago.

You are lucky to live so close to work, I currently commute 45 mins each way and am looking to reduce this considerably in NZ. I prefer to walk or cycle to work.
:mrgreen:

[Rimbo]

Biomikebryan,
I've had a look at were your headin', cycle or walk to work with a digital camera. take a few photos and send them home to ex-colleagues cos that place looks fantastic! :nice1 We're both quite lucky really. The Lake District 1 hour north, Yorshire dales 1 hour east, Wales about an hour away to the south west and if you want to go somewhere completely uncivilised, "that there London" isn't too far away either! :mrgreen:
But nothing, compares to the places you'll be able to visit over there!

anyway, back to cost of emigration.
Have you priced up cargo yet? there may be a few threads on the old forum that could help you out.

John

[biomikebryan]

Diny, thanks for your words of encouragement. What took you to Kaitaia?

Rimbo, we are using a local bloke to ship our stuff, got a quote of £600 odd for a moderate amount of stuff. The digicam idea is good, to get a feel of the place I did a google images search and found all sorts including a nice aerial photo. Reccommend it to others researching an unknown area.

Also found this site about a farm 10 miles south, check out the photos - scenery lush, cattle wounds healing not quite so lush but very educational!
http://diggersvalley.co.nz/Home.htm

[Diny]

Biomike - we were taking my sister and her family on a 2 week tour of the north island, we were in motorhomes, arrived at Kaitaia late one night during a real bad storm. Woke the next morning to blue skies and sunshine ..... spent the morning in the town and thought it was a really nice place. Like I said - it has a Pak n Save and a Warehouse so it's just fine for me.

[Graham Barnes]

My brother lives just around the corner in Dargaville...aka the "sweet potato capital of NZ". Smallish market town, very similar to Kaitaia, with pretty much everything you would need on a day-to-day basis, but you might need to go to the big city for big-ticket items or something special.
He's really enjoying it out there...particularly the weather, and doesn't seem to wear anything other than shorts and sandals. His fishing, surfing and diving has improved a fair bit too!!
The only couple of downsides he mentions up there are;
1. Although weather is warm/hot all year round, it can be very humid at times during the summer (the winter rain has already been mentioned already!)
2. Lots of biting insects (probably sandflies)...so watch your legs!

But compared to living/teaching in Bristol...no contest!! :nice1

Graham