/What a great video!!! When my friend came here from/nZ with 2 little babies we had just moved back from living in Greece and you are soo right"Friends do become family"!!They have moved back to NZ 20 yrs ago we are still very close! I truly believe no matter where you live in this world you should be Happy and Love to call it home.XX
So I arrived in New Zealand on Saturday. I also have lived in both South Africa and the UK. Your videos, Grant and Jen, have been a great source of information for us, thank you!
I think my most important tip is to immediately start calling NZ home and the country you left behind, what ever it is called. So I will refer to South Africa as South Africa and not home. I think it is a physiological thing, and getting the words out and right are super important for your brain to process the move as well. And when your mindset and brain knows this is home, there is no "going back"cause THIS is home.... I hope I am making sense.
Oh!! I totally agree. I keep saying that we will be "going home". ...hopefully soon! Just a quick question, my son is in year 9 (UK) and chosen his subjects for next year to study. (Awkward time) Is it the same in NZ? Great video...keep them coming:)
Re: bringing pets. I'm in Sydney, Australia and considering moving to NZ. I got quotes about bringing my 3 cats with us. Australian company JetPets was recommended to me by a friend, and they quoted $1000 per cat (but that includes pretty much everything that needs to be paid, all forms, vet checks, and their amazing door-to-door service), so yes expensive. It also depends on where you are coming from. From Australia and some other rabies-free countries, there is no quarrantine required on arrival in NZ, so long as your pet is vaccinated and has all the appropriate vet check papers proving that your pet is well and disease free. If you are from most other countries in the world, you will also have to book and pay for a quarrantine stay on arrival in NZ. Check the NZ government website on immigration. It has really good information on what is required depending on where you're arriving from.
Luubelaar Hey mate, I am Aussie and also from Sydney. I highly recommend NZ, its a simple stressfree life. The locals are delightful, great scenery and plenty of hospitality employment opportunities. 😊
We do not provide portable gas heaters in our rentals because we noticed that they create a large amount of moisture and then having to use dehumidifiers to compensate which in the end cost the tenants a lot in their power bill. Hot air holds a lot of moisture, and at night when the air cools down, the moisture condenses on the walls etc. As a matter of fact, the Master Plumbers wants portable gas heaters banned from all residential properties in New Zealand, because of the serious risks they pose to your health and safety. Portable gas heaters lack a flue or chimney to carry combustion products outside. "An unflued gas heater produces lots of C02, together with all the water vapour in the air, condenses on the wall, and then the C02 feeds the mould. We have heat pumps (and some both) in our rentals and an additional column heater in areas where heat might not have reached and furthermore we noticed in most cases do not need to go full blast as only require low heating to be at a comfortable level. We install additional ventilation in our older housing. The add on heating we have in our ventilation can also be used when you can see that an oncoming cold is coming your way. The ventilation does make a big difference with condensation. Also when the building is dry it is easier to heat. All these will not work without good insulation. All new builds must have insulation and double glazing. Also it is now law that all rentals must be insulated and provide good heating in main areas of the house (most install heat pumps as some cities have banned log burners)
I love your garden. Is there a growing season and what can you grow? What are the rules if you want to grow non native fruits, nuts, vegetables? Example, I’m from the States and my wife and I love Mexican food. Could I grow avocados?
All avocados sold in NZ are grown in NZ. As for growing season, you can grow veg all year round here, depending on what you grow - obviously things like squash, tomatoes, etc will grow in summer but in winter you can grow root veg, dark leafy greens, brassicas, peas.
1. You guys are just great. 2. I'm never moving to NZ (not that it wouldn't be cool) but I watch the crap out of these videos. It's still pretty fascinating. I see one in my youtube feed and rub my hands together. 3. My question is about the South Africa thing. I get the sense that it is a bit of a delicate subject that maybe you don't want to get into but can you point us to some videos or information that gives an accurate summary of what is happening that is causing people to leave? I think I googled it the last time it came up but I don't know that I got really good information and a lot of it seemed overly biased. I have no dog in the fight; I'm just interested in the issues as they are perceived by South Africans/people who used to be South Africans.
Thank you :) I don't have any sources to point you to as I avoid the news about SA as it's just upsetting. I left so I don't have to deal with that, you know? Basic summary: the government is a joke, corruption is rife, crime levels are through the roof and constantly rising, you are never safe there, Affirmative Action still exists even though the white population is around 8% and shrinking. If you're reading things that make it sound extreme then they are probably correct. We left in 1999 because it was bad, and it's only become worse since then. :(
Thank you so much. After this I went and watched some documentaries. I honestly had NO IDEA. I wanted to fly an airplane with a streamer out of the back of it over South Africa to say "Get out while you can!" Absolutely horrifying. I'm very glad you guys got out of that. Good job.
Good insights as usual. I'm a NZ'er living in the US but soon to bring my US wife back there. That visa process sure is long and still in process 4 months so far. Trying for the partner of a NZ citizen/resident permanent visa which would be good to get. Had some difficulty trying to convince immigration nz that we have been living together for 5 years even though i provided lots of proof through bank statements, utility bills, insurances, etc etc. Overly pedantic to the nth degree is how I'd describe that govt dept. I've partially answered the pet question too. It's costing me 4 grand US each for my 2 dogs. That's about $11.500 NZD in total given the current exchange rates. Going to try to get them registered as emotional support dogs but have yet to weigh up the costs to see if it's viable that way. I hear it can be done and also be much much cheaper so here's hoping.
i think if you want to bring your US wife with you, fastest option is work visa or visitors visa family category that's what i did to join my husband, it took only less than 2 months and application fee is around $100nzd. Once she's in here in NZ after a year she can apply residence visa, i did applied residence visa as a spouse of a New Zealand citizen living in New Zealand but was declined, they want us to start from the bottom. So, we did step by step, from visitors visa, then work visa, then residence visa for 2 years, then permanent residence , then after 3 years citizenship. Total of more than 6 long years. I lodged my work visa and residence visa at the same time as immigration advice me that it will take 6 to 9 months processing for residence, by that time i'll be out of status, to be safe i applied work visa which is processing only 2 weeks, i got that while waiting my residence visa.
yes there are various ways to get into nz but she wanted to get it done one step first time with the permanent resident visa so that no other steps need to be taken down the track. Done once and that's it. We don't mind the wait. Cheers though.
Re: the roads I had to laugh about "if you're coming from a 3rd world country" the roads in NZ would seem amazing ... I'm from AUSTRALIA and the roads in NZ were great. Where I live is pothole-central. Less than 10 km from my house there are places with dirt roads. The street I live on has no footpath or even guttering.
Thank you so much for all your videos. My husband are just starting to think about moving from the US. I was wondering if you have a video just about the schools? We have two boys so that is a big deal to us. Thanks!
From how you've described NZ roads outside the big city, it sounds like Oz. But with so little traffic compared to the UK is doesn't matter that they're not as "good" as are motorways. It's great having good motorways, but if you're stuck in traffic it makes no difference haha Totally none move to MZ comment - What is it that you have in your roof to help with condensation?
Thanks lovely video. Maybe if you have a chance you can make a video explaining how the school system works. We have 3 kids Tegan 10, Tessa 8, David 7. They are all currently in primary school (we only have primary GR 1- 7 & High school 8-12 ) What time do they go to school and come home. How do the holidays work? Do you pack lunch or do they go to a cafeteria? Do they get a lot of homework or is most of the work done at school. (Obviously not private schools, just the general public school)
Hi Melissa, I've answered those questions in previous videos. Primary school begins the term after they turn 5, and is from Year 1-6. Intermediate school is Year 7-8 (some primary schools continue through Intermediate though, but sometimes they don't and it's a separate school). High School is Year 9-13. School hours are from around 9am-3pm. There are four school terms a year, and hHolidays are 6 weeks over summer (December - end Jan / beginning Feb); and then the rest are three 2-week holidays. No half -term holidays. Homework varies depending on the teacher; Noah used to get a lot in his last school, now he gets none at all.
It's great video. Thanks for this. Let me ask a few questions. Recently, i am married man with a 4 yr kid living in a developing country. I also wish to move to there as i have strong intention to bring INT education, health and fantastic living environment for not only my kid, but also me and spouse. What plan will i kick off to prepare myself in the next several years?
Hi Jen, exactly what are the expenses involved in migration? I know of friends who studied in a country and simply found a job and became a pr there. sometimes the employer will even pay for the visa/permits. Assuming you are not moving furniture there and not using any consultants, what kind of expenses are involved that sets one back for 10 years?
The costs of moving include visas, medical tests, flights, container shipping, temporary accommodation, deposit for a house / flat, setup costs (e.g. buying all of your pantry goods from scratch), new school uniforms, a car, etc. Then you are sometimes forced to start at the bottom (or at a lower level) with jobs as well. That was our experience, and immigrants we've spoken to with similar experience agree. Removing the cost of the shipping container for bringing furniture only removes some of the initial expense, but you would end up having to replace the furniture anyway so it's not really a saving. Your mileage may vary.
A Thousand Words Oh my friends are currently renting a room not owning a house. We are still not able to afford houses yet. Hence this saves alot on housing and furniture. Being single without children saves alot too. Thanks for the information!
What about indian citizen have skilled shortage in new Zealand such as bachelor of technology specialization in food technology. which visa will be suitable for me.
what video will i find information on healthcare in New Zealand? I have Crohns disease and was wondering if anyone knew if that would be covered by the health service or would i have to take out health insurance? Thanks
I don't know about video suggestions or about pre-existing conditions. If you develop Crohns disease here treatment would be covered by the health service, but I don't know how it works if you already have the condition before immigrating.
I have plenty of friends who are Maori, it's a non issue, they are lovely people. Of course there are bad apples, just the same as any group / race of people.
such a sweet couple!!! Thank you for taking your time to help others, love your videos!
I think having talks with other families who are in New Zealand and made the move is an excellent idea. Can't wait for those videos!
Hoping to film one soon - please subscribe so you don't miss it!
/What a great video!!! When my friend came here from/nZ with 2 little babies we had just moved back from living in Greece and you are soo right"Friends do become family"!!They have moved back to NZ 20 yrs ago we are still very close! I truly believe no matter where you live in this world you should be Happy and Love to call it home.XX
Absolutely! Bloom where you're planted :)
Hello. I watched all of you Q&A sessions. I want to move to NZ and this is very useful information.
Thank you for all of the details!
There are another few of those kinds of videos, and please be sure to join the Moving to NZ Facebook group (linked in description box).
So I arrived in New Zealand on Saturday. I also have lived in both South Africa and the UK. Your videos, Grant and Jen, have been a great source of information for us, thank you!
Welcome to NZ! Have you moved over permanently? If so, where have you settled? Thanks for the comment btw.
Thank you, I am here permanently and in Tauranga.
Cool. I knew.a colleague who moved to Tauranga but I haven't been myself. Heard its a good place to live, as is most of NZ.
Congrats on the move, hope you are settling well!
Yey! Another great NZ Q&A video from Jen and Grant....thank you thank you 😊
Enjoy!
So great of you 🙂 Mr. and the Mrs.
I think my most important tip is to immediately start calling NZ home and the country you left behind, what ever it is called. So I will refer to South Africa as South Africa and not home. I think it is a physiological thing, and getting the words out and right are super important for your brain to process the move as well. And when your mindset and brain knows this is home, there is no "going back"cause THIS is home.... I hope I am making sense.
Such a great tip!
Oh!! I totally agree. I keep saying that we will be "going home". ...hopefully soon!
Just a quick question, my son is in year 9 (UK) and chosen his subjects for next year to study. (Awkward time) Is it the same in NZ?
Great video...keep them coming:)
I agree, but it sometimes confuses other Kiwis as I still have a very strong accent.
I think the more crucial time is year 11; Daniel had to choose his subjects last year (he's in year11 now).
Thanks for the info:)
You are such a good couple and I really enjoyed this videp of q and a. thank you.
Aw thank you!
Re: bringing pets.
I'm in Sydney, Australia and considering moving to NZ. I got quotes about bringing my 3 cats with us. Australian company JetPets was recommended to me by a friend, and they quoted $1000 per cat (but that includes pretty much everything that needs to be paid, all forms, vet checks, and their amazing door-to-door service), so yes expensive. It also depends on where you are coming from. From Australia and some other rabies-free countries, there is no quarrantine required on arrival in NZ, so long as your pet is vaccinated and has all the appropriate vet check papers proving that your pet is well and disease free.
If you are from most other countries in the world, you will also have to book and pay for a quarrantine stay on arrival in NZ.
Check the NZ government website on immigration. It has really good information on what is required depending on where you're arriving from.
Luubelaar Hey mate, I am Aussie and also from Sydney. I highly recommend NZ, its a simple stressfree life. The locals are delightful, great scenery and plenty of hospitality employment opportunities. 😊
Thanks for sharing the info!
Really enjoy your videos about NZ, such a beautiful place. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
So glad you enjoy them!
We do not provide portable gas heaters in our rentals because we noticed that they create a large amount of moisture and then having to use dehumidifiers to compensate which in the end cost the tenants a lot in their power bill. Hot air holds a lot of moisture, and at night when the air cools down, the moisture condenses on the walls etc. As a matter of fact, the Master Plumbers wants portable gas heaters banned from all residential properties in New Zealand, because of the serious risks they pose to your health and safety. Portable gas heaters lack a flue or chimney to carry combustion products outside. "An unflued gas heater produces lots of C02, together with all the water vapour in the air, condenses on the wall, and then the C02 feeds the mould. We have heat pumps (and some both) in our rentals and an additional column heater in areas where heat might not have reached and furthermore we noticed in most cases do not need to go full blast as only require low heating to be at a comfortable level. We install additional ventilation in our older housing. The add on heating we have in our ventilation can also be used when you can see that an oncoming cold is coming your way. The ventilation does make a big difference with condensation. Also when the building is dry it is easier to heat. All these will not work without good insulation. All new builds must have insulation and double glazing. Also it is now law that all rentals must be insulated and provide good heating in main areas of the house (most install heat pumps as some cities have banned log burners)
I'd be interested to know what the "stay at home mom culture" is like in New Zealand. Do most women work or stay home or is it pretty evenly split?
I love your garden. Is there a growing season and what can you grow? What are the rules if you want to grow non native fruits, nuts, vegetables? Example, I’m from the States and my wife and I love Mexican food. Could I grow avocados?
All avocados sold in NZ are grown in NZ. As for growing season, you can grow veg all year round here, depending on what you grow - obviously things like squash, tomatoes, etc will grow in summer but in winter you can grow root veg, dark leafy greens, brassicas, peas.
How many months did you wait to get that rusty nail out😟?
I don't understand. Why is heating not common in NZ? It's not like it's a new invention
1. You guys are just great.
2. I'm never moving to NZ (not that it wouldn't be cool) but I watch the crap out of these videos. It's still pretty fascinating. I see one in my youtube feed and rub my hands together.
3. My question is about the South Africa thing. I get the sense that it is a bit of a delicate subject that maybe you don't want to get into but can you point us to some videos or information that gives an accurate summary of what is happening that is causing people to leave? I think I googled it the last time it came up but I don't know that I got really good information and a lot of it seemed overly biased. I have no dog in the fight; I'm just interested in the issues as they are perceived by South Africans/people who used to be South Africans.
Thank you :)
I don't have any sources to point you to as I avoid the news about SA as it's just upsetting. I left so I don't have to deal with that, you know?
Basic summary: the government is a joke, corruption is rife, crime levels are through the roof and constantly rising, you are never safe there, Affirmative Action still exists even though the white population is around 8% and shrinking. If you're reading things that make it sound extreme then they are probably correct. We left in 1999 because it was bad, and it's only become worse since then. :(
Thank you so much. After this I went and watched some documentaries. I honestly had NO IDEA. I wanted to fly an airplane with a streamer out of the back of it over South Africa to say "Get out while you can!" Absolutely horrifying. I'm very glad you guys got out of that. Good job.
Good insights as usual. I'm a NZ'er living in the US but soon to bring my US wife back there. That visa process sure is long and still in process 4 months so far. Trying for the partner of a NZ citizen/resident permanent visa which would be good to get. Had some difficulty trying to convince immigration nz that we have been living together for 5 years even though i provided lots of proof through bank statements, utility bills, insurances, etc etc. Overly pedantic to the nth degree is how I'd describe that govt dept.
I've partially answered the pet question too. It's costing me 4 grand US each for my 2 dogs. That's about $11.500 NZD in total given the current exchange rates. Going to try to get them registered as emotional support dogs but have yet to weigh up the costs to see if it's viable that way. I hear it can be done and also be much much cheaper so here's hoping.
Wow that's a lot of money. Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope the visa comes through soon!
i think if you want to bring your US wife with you, fastest option is work visa or visitors visa family category that's what i did to join my husband, it took only less than 2 months and application fee is around $100nzd. Once she's in here in NZ after a year she can apply residence visa, i did applied residence visa as a spouse of a New Zealand citizen living in New Zealand but was declined, they want us to start from the bottom. So, we did step by step, from visitors visa, then work visa, then residence visa for 2 years, then permanent residence , then after 3 years citizenship. Total of more than 6 long years. I lodged my work visa and residence visa at the same time as immigration advice me that it will take 6 to 9 months processing for residence, by that time i'll be out of status, to be safe i applied work visa which is processing only 2 weeks, i got that while waiting my residence visa.
yes there are various ways to get into nz but she wanted to get it done one step first time with the permanent resident visa so that no other steps need to be taken down the track. Done once and that's it. We don't mind the wait. Cheers though.
Taranaki is awesome!
Re: the roads
I had to laugh about "if you're coming from a 3rd world country" the roads in NZ would seem amazing ... I'm from AUSTRALIA and the roads in NZ were great. Where I live is pothole-central. Less than 10 km from my house there are places with dirt roads. The street I live on has no footpath or even guttering.
Wow lol!
Thank you so much for all your videos. My husband are just starting to think about moving from the US. I was wondering if you have a video just about the schools? We have two boys so that is a big deal to us. Thanks!
I don't have a video just about the schools but have addressed questions about schools in a couple of my Q&A videos.
From how you've described NZ roads outside the big city, it sounds like Oz. But with so little traffic compared to the UK is doesn't matter that they're not as "good" as are motorways. It's great having good motorways, but if you're stuck in traffic it makes no difference haha
Totally none move to MZ comment - What is it that you have in your roof to help with condensation?
Our system is an HRV one, it ventilates the house and pulls dry air down from the roof space. You can see details here: www.hrv.co.nz/ventilation
Thanks lovely video. Maybe if you have a chance you can make a video explaining how the school system works. We have 3 kids Tegan 10, Tessa 8, David 7. They are all currently in primary school (we only have primary GR 1- 7 & High school 8-12 )
What time do they go to school and come home. How do the holidays work? Do you pack lunch or do they go to a cafeteria? Do they get a lot of homework or is most of the work done at school.
(Obviously not private schools, just the general public school)
Hi Melissa, I've answered those questions in previous videos. Primary school begins the term after they turn 5, and is from Year 1-6. Intermediate school is Year 7-8 (some primary schools continue through Intermediate though, but sometimes they don't and it's a separate school). High School is Year 9-13. School hours are from around 9am-3pm. There are four school terms a year, and hHolidays are 6 weeks over summer (December - end Jan / beginning Feb); and then the rest are three 2-week holidays. No half -term holidays. Homework varies depending on the teacher; Noah used to get a lot in his last school, now he gets none at all.
It's great video. Thanks for this. Let me ask a few questions. Recently, i am married man with a 4 yr kid living in a developing country. I also wish to move to there as i have strong intention to bring INT education, health and fantastic living environment for not only my kid, but also me and spouse. What plan will i kick off to prepare myself in the next several years?
Begin at immigration.govt.nz/ and work from there. Best of luck!
Hi Jen, exactly what are the expenses involved in migration? I know of friends who studied in a country and simply found a job and became a pr there. sometimes the employer will even pay for the visa/permits. Assuming you are not moving furniture there and not using any consultants, what kind of expenses are involved that sets one back for 10 years?
The costs of moving include visas, medical tests, flights, container shipping, temporary accommodation, deposit for a house / flat, setup costs (e.g. buying all of your pantry goods from scratch), new school uniforms, a car, etc. Then you are sometimes forced to start at the bottom (or at a lower level) with jobs as well. That was our experience, and immigrants we've spoken to with similar experience agree. Removing the cost of the shipping container for bringing furniture only removes some of the initial expense, but you would end up having to replace the furniture anyway so it's not really a saving. Your mileage may vary.
A Thousand Words Oh my friends are currently renting a room not owning a house. We are still not able to afford houses yet. Hence this saves alot on housing and furniture. Being single without children saves alot too. Thanks for the information!
What about indian citizen have skilled shortage in new Zealand such as bachelor of technology specialization in food technology. which visa will be suitable for me.
what video will i find information on healthcare in New Zealand? I have Crohns disease and was wondering if anyone knew if that would be covered by the health service or would i have to take out health insurance? Thanks
I don't know about video suggestions or about pre-existing conditions. If you develop Crohns disease here treatment would be covered by the health service, but I don't know how it works if you already have the condition before immigrating.
Question, have you made friends with some of the native people, them being Maori and have you had good or bad experiences with them?
I have plenty of friends who are Maori, it's a non issue, they are lovely people. Of course there are bad apples, just the same as any group / race of people.
good answer
How about a driving license I leave in Europe will mine work there
Here is info about converting your licence: tinyurl.com/lkc4krn
what is that music in the background?
A piece of royalty free music.
Do you have kids? Moved with kids?
Yes, we have two boys, we moved when they were 6 and 9.