Emigration From Aberdeen,
Scotland to Christchurch

What were your reasons for emigration:
Wanted to expierience living and working in a foreign country, breakdown of marriage.

What were your reasons for choosing New Zealand:
Ease of getting permanent residency.

What differences have you noticed between your NZ town and your home town:
More friendly and helpful people in Christchurch.

What do you like best about New Zealand:
Lifestyle, scenery, wide open spaces.

What don't you like about New Zealand:
Shockingly low wages, apathy from kiwis that this is the way its always been & wages cant get any better

What do you miss from your home country:
Decent wages and friends and football games, cheaper everything in relation to wages paid.

How easily did you find work in New Zealand:
Easy at first but been looking for 4 months for another job, I was given permanent residence without a job offer as I am a fitter/turner and was on absolute skills shortage list but there is absolutely no vacancies in Christchurch.


How does your working life in New Zealand compare with your previous work experiences:
Similar job and hours with half the wages and it costs more to live here-dont be conned by immigration agencies!!

What is your daily commute time:
20 minutes.

How does your standard of living in New Zealand compare with your previous country:
I am much worse off, the wages here are absolutely shocking, around 50% less than a comparable job in uk and its maybe 10-15% cheaper here.

How does your quality of life now compare with your previous country:
Much better, lots to do here but no money to do it.

Do you have any other personal experiences or observations that would be useful for people considering immigrating to New Zealand:
Dont do it unless you have a lot of money behind you, trying to buy a house here is like taking on a £200,000 mortgage if you were on uk supermarket money, a decent 3 bedroom home costs $300,000 kiwi dollars and you will be paying approx $2600 per month, the equivelent of a entire months wage if you make $47000 kiwi dollars. Think very carefully, also homes dont have any central heating or double glazing and it does get cold in the winter months.

Would you like to share your own experiences of living in New Zealand? You can do this at My Story.