Emigrate to NZ? Not been there before! ???

[looking4ward2]

Hi there everybody. I am a new member. Hope I'm doing this right.
We are seriously considering taking the plunge and packing up sticks and moving out there next year. We have a little girl aged 7. We were going to holiday there later on this year to get a feel of the place etc. However, am having doubts about doing that because of the ?3000+ it'll cost us would be put to better use spending on the actual emigration costs + flights etc.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone else out there done this and risked everything?

Please dont be too hard on me everyone - be gentle with your replies. I've already had the 'you must be bl..dy mad' quotes!

Hi,
Welcome to the forum!

Well, in general, most people want to, and get advised to take a holiday first. However, we'd never been to NZ before, packed everything up and moved.

We love it and have never looked back, but I guess you can only take that as a personal experience. It's a hard one to call, and it would very much depend on your finances as to whether or not you take a holiday, or take a gamble. It worked for us, so there's always the possibility it could work for you.

The best advice I can give you would be to cram as much research as you can in to jobs, houses, schools, etc etc, pick an area you'd like to live and research that to death. If you like what you see, its worth the risk, if you are unsure, take a holiday.

All the best

[suzebaby]

I think you should definitely take the plunge and move down under!

I currently live in Australia with my boyfiend and my 18 month old daughter. My boyfriend is a Kiwi and we have been to NZ a couple of times. We are looking to move to NZ in the next year or so to bring up our daughter.

I know its a little easier for Aussie's as we can live in New Zealand indefinitely and its only a 3 hour plane ride for us, but I do recommend that you travel there first to see if it is exactly what you want. Then you can suss out different areas and see if you can find somewhere you would really like to live.

Hope you find what your looking for! :)

~Suzie

[nessie]

We were going to go to a friends wedding in January, but at the time we had submitted our Expression of Interest but had not heard from immigration so felt it would be better going when things were more certain. Now though were inclined just to do it. The cost of a holiday and my lost earnings would be considerable, and as you can't get a proper feel for a place when on holiday why bother? I think we've done enough research into the place to conclude we want to try it, and I don't want to be here in 10 years thinking 'wish I'd...'.

So no, I don't think your mad :016:

Fordy, not nessie

[looking4ward2]

Thanks alot for all of your replies and for being 'gentle' with us!
I expecially likened to Nessies response as there is no doubt that our budget is tight and as said before that ?3000 would be put to better use. Exactly our sentiments also, that time is running out, point system can change at anytime, so much to think about. As Taffy said, we are doing as much research as poss and its thanks to sites such as this that we can gather up as much info as poss., read books, watch Billy Connollys tour of New Zealand time and time again. Ha! Ha! Did you have a job offer before going out there ? Did you go through the immigration process - or did you get citizenship once out there? That question probably applies to those who ' took the risk'
We are probably looking at New Plymouth (Taranaki region) as we are getting positive feedback from job recruitment companies there, so any info ie; cost of housing (has to be near to the beach - our 7 year olds request!), primary schools and I personally dont want to be too isolated.
So looking forward to hearing from you again. Thanks.

[andersonclan]

Nessie

I couldn't agree with you more. We started out planning a holiday (for the British Lions Tour) later this year. During our research we began to feel that NZ was the place we wanted to live and bring up our kids in. We're hoping to take the plunge (NZIS willing!) without a visit, as you say saves money, a holiday is nothing like living in a place and no what if's in the future.

[looking4ward2]

Hi there Anderson Clan

So your in the same boat - (or rather on the same 'plane' perhaps.) When are you planning on going out to NZ and have you decided where yet? How far have you got with your application process?

Looking4ward2

[nessie]

For house prices click here

[Milliemoo]

hummmmmmmmmmmmmm

It is a tricky one. The way I look at it, you've done a lot of research, you want to live somewhere other than the UK, you like the look of NZ..... what would have to happen on a holiday to NZ to change your mind ? Yes, it's a nice luxury being able to visit before hand, but if that ?3k is an important ?3k, I would save it for a deposit on a house.

I've been to NZ before (worked on a flower farm in Kerikeri :icon_biggrin: ) but the OH hasn't. We're getting married in Nov and spending the honeymoon in NZ. It's a luxury, but as we would be going on holiday anyway, it kinda makes sense.

What I'm trying to say is that if money isn't a huge issue go for a visit otherwise keep the dosh for a deposit. Just ask yourself what would have to happen on that holiday to change your mind to move? There's no getting away from the fact you will have rose tinted specs on whilst on ya hols. Research is very very important, but you'll never know exactly what will happen till you take the plunge. Ohhhhhh scarey :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif

Milliemoo :icon_wink:

[andersonclan]

Looking4ward2

We're planning to go when (if?!) the ITA is processed. Our house sale is due to go through June 20th and ideally we'd like to be ready to go by then - but that's maybe a bit optomistic.

Not sure where we'll end up - we're planning to take a few weeks holiday and do some travelling and if I haven't managed to score a job by then to try and get one. We like the idea of the South Island - possibly around Christchurch - but realistically more likey to end up around Wellington where the majority of the government jobs are.

I think having no pre conceived ideas - we'll be happy just to get there!

Margaret