Living in New Zealand

Despite the fact that New Zealand remains one of the most appealing places to emigrate to, many would-be expats are putting their dreams of relocation on hold because they are facing such economic uncertainty in their own lives.  To sell up everything and move to the other side of the world and start again is nothing if not daunting…and to do so against a backdrop of a world teetering on the brink of recession is downright scary!

However, there are actually economic reasons why you should perhaps take your dreams of a new life in New Zealand off the back burner – including the fact that income tax rates have been cut, the terms of the investor visas have been vastly improved, and because the nation is one of the OECD countries with the lowest tax burden on labour income and the only OECD country that does not levy compulsory social security contributions.  If you need more reasons to convince you to move to New Zealand, read on…

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The latest migration statistics from New Zealand show that the nation is losing its own skilled workers to Australia in increasing numbers, thanks in part to the fact that Australia’s economy has weathered the global economic storm particularly well.  New Zealand knows it needs to do more to retain it’s skilled workforce – and at the same time, it needs to work hard to promote its appeal to international skilled workers such as Britons looking for a new life abroad.

If you’re contemplating a massive life change and you’d like to find a place to live where the lifestyle on offer is second to none, where there are jobs, a healthy economy and where everyone speaks English so that your integration will be as smooth as possible, have you thought about New Zealand?  And more specifically, have you thought about living and working in Wellington?

The capital city of New Zealand has undergone a total revamping and transformation over the past 20 years, and it has been given such a new lease of life that a new survey of expats living in the city revealed that all had chosen it because of the quality of life it offered them.  In this report we’re going to look specifically at the job opportunities available to expats who move to Wellington, and what the lifestyle is really like.  We hope that the information will help you to decide whether this very beautiful little city could be your new home abroad.

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Invercargill on New Zealand’s South Island is actually one of the southernmost cities in the world.  It is billed as the gateway to some of the most stunning scenery in the whole nation, and locally it’s boasted that those from Invercargill and the Southland are among the keenest sports fans and participants in the whole country.

If you look at the city ‘on paper’ it certainly has a lot going for it.  It has the much talked about velodrome, the ice rink, an Olympic sized pool complex and a multi sports stadium, it also has cinemas, a theatre, a museum and art gallery as well as multiple primary and high schools…

However, we thought we’d ask an expatriate family, who’ve recently relocated from the UK, for their take on what it’s really like living in Invercargill in New Zealand.  We wanted to discover what’s good and what’s not so good about this city.  After all, if any other Shelter Offshore readers are thinking of moving so far from home they need to know what to expect in advance.

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New Zealand has slipped significantly in the word rankings in terms of its competitiveness on a global scale, and its slide is widely being blamed on the brain drain the nation is still suffering from annually.

Despite news that up to a fifth of expats in the UK are considering leaving Britain and returning home because the economy and prospects in general in the UK are so bad, New Zealand is not seen as having a strong enough retention of talented workers, and as a result it is becoming less competitive.

New Zealand’s annual brain drain can be seen as an opportunity for Britons who want to emigrate to New Zealand however, and if you’re a talented worker looking for a nation that will respect your skills and reward your commitment to it, why not consider living and working in New Zealand?

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At a time when Britain is on the brink of bringing in further tax increases and we’re witnessing a surge in the numbers of enquiries from British readers contemplating a move abroad, one nation has gone all out to win over the highest skilled, most wealthy migrants – namely New Zealand.

The nation has already proven that it has weathered the economic fall out from the global financial crisis well, and now it wants to cash in on the brain drain evident in nations like the UK.  How better to catch those who want to escape excessive taxation and massive government spending cuts than by introducing personal income tax cuts and new investment based visas, one of which that doesn’t even have an upper age limit.

These benefits are in addition to the fact that English is the main language in New Zealand, business, legal and educational standards are similar to our own in the UK, the climate is decent, the landscape is stunning and the lifestyle opportunities are second to none.  So, if you’re looking for a way out of the higher taxes that Britain is about to be hit with, why not move abroad and live in New Zealand and enjoy a lower tax lifestyle?

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The media has presented a completely divided opinion about New Zealand recently, with many choosing to focus on the fact that it is a top choice with professional migrants because of the way of life, standard of living and level of opportunities available.  Whilst others in the media have been giving column space to the stories of those who have made the move to New Zealand and really regretted it…

So, we decided it was perhaps time to hear from someone who has made the move, and court their opinion about their relocation experience to New Zealand.  After all, if you want to relocate to a given country, there is no one better to speak to or hear from than someone who has been through the entire process already!

To that end, the following is the first hand account of Giles and Alexa Smallwood’s move to start a brand new life living and working in New Zealand.  If you are looking for inspiration you will likely find it in this very full account of one couple’s major move and life changing emigration from the United Kingdom to go and live in New Zealand…

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There is nothing more valuable than local knowledge when you’re thinking about going to live abroad – as we all know, things change in our own home country so quickly that what’s written today can be out of date by next week.  Therefore in this report we’re going to prove to you how important useful knowledge is - using the example of New Zealand…

…what’s more, we’ll explain how you can get your hands on the invaluable facts and the support you need when planning your new life abroad.

So yes, as the title suggests, the cost of living in New Zealand has gone up – but did you know that?  No: unless you’ve got a friend living in New Zealand who recently came and shopped in British supermarkets and was shocked at how cheap everything was, you wouldn’t necessarily have a clue!

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New Zealand ranks consistently highly when it comes to surveys of the countries Britons would most like to emigrate to live in.  For example, earlier today we looked at the survey from Foreign Currency Direct that reveals that up to 11 million adult Britons of working age are potentially contemplating relocation overseas for employment reasons – and even in that survey New Zealand was one of the countries favoured by such individuals.

It seems to offer such a lot to so many people – but can you tangibly list what New Zealand might be able to offer you?  We thought we’d offer you five reasons to emigrate to New Zealand that have ‘appeared’ in recent weeks and months to add to your list of positives in the country’s favour if you’re actively planning a new life abroad too.

Whilst New Zealand certainly isn’t the only country favoured by would-be British expatriates, it is a top choice…and here are just a handful of reasons why: -

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According to one Shelter Offshore reader, life in New Zealand is getting harder by the day as employers refuse to take on expatriate workers, are inundated with CVs for even the most menial jobs as unemployment rises, and are under so much pressure from the government that they don’t even bother replying to non-New Zealand applicants in many cases.

Bethany Morgan-Smith, who has only been resident in New Zealand for five months, has had her rose coloured glasses well and truly ripped off her nose and stamped on by the New Zealanders she’s come across as she seeks gainful employment.

Fortunately for her family, she and her husband have permanent residency status in the nation because of his job, but for her to find a job, despite being highly skilled, experienced and qualified in an area that was until recently still listed on the skills shortage list, is proving nigh on impossible.

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The Institute for Economics and Peace, in conjunction with the Economist Intelligence Unit, recently named New Zealand the most peaceful nation in the world in their assessment of 144 countries around the globe.  This was the latest accolade for the nation that has always ranked in the top 10 for countries in which expatriates really want to live.

The nation has fared particularly well with would-be British migrants in recent decades because of the way of life, the lack of language difficulties, the employment opportunities and the stunning nature of the nation – however, is New Zealand now failing British expatriates?

In recent reports in the British press, expatriates who have lived and worked in New Zealand for years are losing their jobs because of the economic downturn, and apparently losing their right to remain in the nation as the country tries to get rid of non-domiciled residents to make room for returning New Zealanders.  Could the New Zealand expat dream be coming to an end?

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