The Reality of Expat Life in New Zealand

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.

Bethany and her husband didn’t make the move to New Zealand on a whim.  They took time to explore and examine the country, research it and apply for permanent residency status.  Fortunately for them they did do their homework and they did apply for a visa that cannot be rescinded – at the moment.  Although as Bethany says: “I’m guessing the quest for Citizenship will open up a whole new can of bureaucratic worms in the years to come.”

You see Bethany and the Morgan-Smith family arrived in New Zealand right in the depths of an economic downturn that is being further compounded by the volume of returning expatriate New Zealanders who are returning home after losing their jobs abroad.  These individuals numbered in the tens of thousands last year, and still the inflow is significant and steady with many returning home and landing straight up on the unemployment list.

According to Bethany, the first indication for her that it was going to be hard to find work now that she had set up home in New Zealand was an announcement that came from: “the newly elected Prime Minister, John Key, stating that employers must consider Kiwi’s first and foremost above other applicants.”  As Bethany puts it: “Fair enough I thought, but with so many jobs advertised, particularly in the field of publishing, in which I have over eighteen years experience, I felt certain that I would, at the very least, get an interview.”

However, despite applying for every single job she came across, even when she was clearly overqualified for the role, the best Bethany has achieved is a few rejections via email, with many employers not even taking the time and making the effort to do that.  Bethany explained that: “My lowest moment was receiving three refusals by email in one day, with one briefly stating that they had been overwhelmed by applicants and, their standards being very high, I didn’t meet the criteria needed for the role – this was positioning logos on plastic bags!!!”  A job her resume demonstrates she is clearly massively overqualified for.

To sum up Bethany’s feelings on the matter she advised us that: “What does annoy me is not that getting work in my area of expertise is nigh on impossible, but that the tourism industry and immigration are still desperately trying to promote New Zealand as a wonderful place to work and live.  Why?  When so many Brits are being refused residency or even entry, why encourage people in the first place?

“Unfortunately, it seems that for those of us who do make it here with the intention of contributing and becoming useful working members of New Zealand society, it’s more a case of ‘now we’ve got you, but we don’t actually want you, please feel free to vacate our country at the earliest opportunity.’”

If you’re finding it equally hard living in New Zealand, or you’re an expatriate living elsewhere abroad and finding that the local, host country is no longer as welcoming a place, feel free to contact us and share your story.  We won’t publish it without your permission.  At the same time, if you’re happily living and working abroad as an expat, tell us where you are and what life’s like.