neckwatch
After visiting the beautiful city of Wellington I was enchanted by how idyllic a city it was. For a while i was toying with the idea of moving down to NZ after experiencing the paradise that is Wellington. But I want to know what the reality of making a living in NZ is really like. Does the government kill you with taxes? Are deductions nonexistent? Is the cost for car insurance pretty high? What is socialized and what isn't?
I know that it's very hard for foreigners to find work in NZ.
What's it like to own a house? What are the financial responsibilities of owning a house like i.e.: property taxes, insurance etc...
Answer
New Zealand is a wonderful place to live. But if you are coming from the Us you will probably find the cost of food and electronics much higher. It was 2 months before I started working over here and the pay is lower than I received in the US. Health insurance is socialized which means you may have to wait a while for an operation if you can wait. You can also get insurance that would speed that process up. Regular doctors visits are 40-80 dollars. Taxes at the highest bracket are 39%, but you are only taxed at the national level. Most people don't file taxes, they are taken from your pay and there isn't deductions for mortgage interest like in the US. The cost of car insurance is relatively less but car registration is more. There is a no fault policy on accidents where the government handles reparations for accident injuries, see ACC for more information. I am married to a kiwi so getting permanent residency was easy but if you have needed skills you can apply as well. Search for immigrate new zealand skilled migrant for more info. We are in the process of buying a house. Interest rates are low here right now but you can only fix your rate for up to 5 years, then you have to negotiate another rate. Property taxes seem to be less at least compared to Maryland and closing costs seem to be covered by the lender. For moving money I used a company call HIFX. For an immigration bank account I used Westpac. I hope this gives you a start to answering your questions.
New Zealand is a wonderful place to live. But if you are coming from the Us you will probably find the cost of food and electronics much higher. It was 2 months before I started working over here and the pay is lower than I received in the US. Health insurance is socialized which means you may have to wait a while for an operation if you can wait. You can also get insurance that would speed that process up. Regular doctors visits are 40-80 dollars. Taxes at the highest bracket are 39%, but you are only taxed at the national level. Most people don't file taxes, they are taken from your pay and there isn't deductions for mortgage interest like in the US. The cost of car insurance is relatively less but car registration is more. There is a no fault policy on accidents where the government handles reparations for accident injuries, see ACC for more information. I am married to a kiwi so getting permanent residency was easy but if you have needed skills you can apply as well. Search for immigrate new zealand skilled migrant for more info. We are in the process of buying a house. Interest rates are low here right now but you can only fix your rate for up to 5 years, then you have to negotiate another rate. Property taxes seem to be less at least compared to Maryland and closing costs seem to be covered by the lender. For moving money I used a company call HIFX. For an immigration bank account I used Westpac. I hope this gives you a start to answering your questions.
Uk to Canada or New zealand???
Q. Ok so my parents are certain they want to move out of the UK. They are looking at either Canada or New Zealand but which is best?
We are a family of 4. Mom is a nurse and would therefore be the visa applicant. Dad works in the manufacturing industry. I will finish school before emigrating and would be looking at university, my brother will be starting secondry school. I would like info on the best country for education,lifestyle and a place that is less stressful then England.
Thank you.
Lola xx
We are a family of 4. Mom is a nurse and would therefore be the visa applicant. Dad works in the manufacturing industry. I will finish school before emigrating and would be looking at university, my brother will be starting secondry school. I would like info on the best country for education,lifestyle and a place that is less stressful then England.
Thank you.
Lola xx
Answer
I have lived in Canada first, then the UK, and now live in New Zealand. I suppose something about that order tells you something about Canada already. Canada is very beautiful, don't get me wrong, but I left there out of sheer boredom. The winters in Canada seem permanent. It's like you never get to see anything green or leave the house without major clothing, and if you get in your car and drive (and I have to say, they've got cool cars there if you like big, American ones) to see something different, you end up driving endlessly, and may not see anything different at all, just the same old, huge prairie.
I left the UK because the crime freaked me out, and the cost of living meant I came pretty close to having to live in a cardboard box on the sidewalk. But it certainly was more exciting than Canada, and had more opportunity and character. Sorry, any Canadians - I don't mean to slam your country, it's just that, if you've come from elsewhere, it's really very... serene.
NZ has the density of places to go and feel diversity (I can go skiing or surfing on the same day), and the visuals are mindbogglingly colourful, the light amazing. Flowers and greenery are always up and running, and winter means, even down here where I live (Otago is considered NZ's freezer), that I may have to scrape a bit of frost off my windscreen maybe three times a year before I drive off to work in the morning, but I can have my lunch outside in the sun.
Your mum is a nurse from the UK? She'll be accredited and have a job right away. My wife is a nurse, and they are absolutely gagging for more. UK registration was accepted immediately - in Canada, that may not be so easy.
Schools and universities are of similar quality and cost in both countries.
I have lived in Canada first, then the UK, and now live in New Zealand. I suppose something about that order tells you something about Canada already. Canada is very beautiful, don't get me wrong, but I left there out of sheer boredom. The winters in Canada seem permanent. It's like you never get to see anything green or leave the house without major clothing, and if you get in your car and drive (and I have to say, they've got cool cars there if you like big, American ones) to see something different, you end up driving endlessly, and may not see anything different at all, just the same old, huge prairie.
I left the UK because the crime freaked me out, and the cost of living meant I came pretty close to having to live in a cardboard box on the sidewalk. But it certainly was more exciting than Canada, and had more opportunity and character. Sorry, any Canadians - I don't mean to slam your country, it's just that, if you've come from elsewhere, it's really very... serene.
NZ has the density of places to go and feel diversity (I can go skiing or surfing on the same day), and the visuals are mindbogglingly colourful, the light amazing. Flowers and greenery are always up and running, and winter means, even down here where I live (Otago is considered NZ's freezer), that I may have to scrape a bit of frost off my windscreen maybe three times a year before I drive off to work in the morning, but I can have my lunch outside in the sun.
Your mum is a nurse from the UK? She'll be accredited and have a job right away. My wife is a nurse, and they are absolutely gagging for more. UK registration was accepted immediately - in Canada, that may not be so easy.
Schools and universities are of similar quality and cost in both countries.
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