Top 5 Things To Know About Immigrating To New Zealand

Perhaps it’s the world-renown Sauvignon Blanc wine that’s drawing you to New Zealand. Or is it the kiwi fruit, or the All Blacks rugby cult, or the 29 million sheep for the 4.6 million population? Whatever your interests are, there are a few things you ought to know before deciding to permanently or temporarily immigrate to this island country.

New Zealand Is a Real Island

That seems so obvious. By the way, are there artificial islands? Consider a country like Cyprus. Of course, it’s an island. But it’s surrounded by countries like Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Greece. Traveling from Cyprus to these other countries is relatively easy.

For New Zealand, the closest country is another minor island called Norfolk Island, about 1,460 kilometers away. The nearest major country is Australia, which is more than 4,000 km away. You’ll spend more than five hours on a direct flight from New Zealand to Australia.

Not to mention the distance to other economic powerhouses like China, UK, Germany, and America. As such, you expect less consumer choice. Don’t expect to find stores for popular brands like Apple. And when you order anything online, the shipping distance involved raises the costs.

Life May Not Be That Cheap

If your plan is to settle in the capital city, Auckland, you’ll have to part with an average of USD$435,330 to buy a house. Other towns and cities are cheaper, but the national average still stands at a whopping USD$360,891, which is slightly above the UK average of USD$314,298 and just below the Colorado average of USD$412,819.

Renting is definitely cheaper than buying. Auckland weekly rental rates for typical two-bedroomed houses are fast approaching the USD$600 mark. You may, however, land cheaper deals in the suburbs.

Your first port of call should be a trustworthy Immigration Consultant Auckland company. You certainly need a team of experienced advisers to help you find your way around. They’ll help you choose the best neighborhood to settle in, keep you up to date with migration laws, provide you with all required immigrant documentation, and assist you in completing all applications.

There’s A Lot to Enjoy in New Zealand

Aside from the financial shock, most other aspects of New Zealand life are cool. The current population stands at slightly above 4.8 million people. That’s equivalent to the population of Kentucky alone.

To put it in an even better perspective, New Zealand is 20,000 sq km bigger than the UK, yet the UK hosts 61.7 million more people than New Zealand.

What does that mean? Plenty of space! You’ll never feel the congestion that commonly characterizes many other towns and cities across the world. As most New Zealanders live in urban areas, the countryside feels even more spacious.

What more? The people are considerably friendly. It never feels like America, where it’s everybody for themselves. Kiwis blend with immigrants quickly and make you really feel at home.

In addition to the wonderful people, you’ll surely enjoy the beautiful landscape. New Zealand boasts famous tourist attractions like the bay of islands, Tongariro National Park, Rotorua, Coromandel peninsula, Fiordland National Park, Fox, and Franz Josef Glaciers, and Milford Sound, among many others.

Remember, it’s six sheep for every person. Don’t be shocked by the endless flocks of sheep dotting the lush green pastures across the country. Instead, enjoy the spectacle.

New Zealand Has Three Official Languages

These are Maori, New Zealand sign language, and English. Maori is mainly spoken by the indigenous Maori people who dominated New Zealand before the Europeans arrived there.

The interaction between the Maori people and the Europeans must have interfered with the Queen’s English. New Zealanders now have a special accent that confuses many other English speakers. Don’t be surprised if you fail to understand some words from your new neighbors.

Also, be prepared to learn some out-of-this-world slang. If they find you witty, you’ll henceforth be referred to as a ‘hard case.’ And lots of people will call you ‘cuz’ even though it’s very obvious you’re not related.

New Zealand Weather Is Very Unstable

You’re used to four seasons in a year. New Zealand may present you with all these on a single day. You may never know whether to dress for a hot or chilly day in the morning. The South Pacific Ocean that surrounds it is chiefly responsible for this unpredictability.

Nevertheless, the summer months run from December to February, and wintertime runs from June to August. Use these facts to know when to arrange for visitors from your home country. They’ll undoubtedly appreciate the warmer months.

To Wrap It Up

Immigrating to New Zealand is a great decision. The country is generally likable in more aspects than one. If you’ve never been there before, consider engaging the services of an immigration consultant to help you get settled in the swiftest manner possible. After that, enjoy the weather, people, Maori culture, landscape, beaches, name it!

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William Woodall

Hi, My name is William Woodall, and I am a person who is determined to make the world a better place. I like to be around people and enjoy adventure and challenges.
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