Dandy du2

Hello
Please get yourself a coffee before reading as I may go on a bit but wanted some advice regarding making the move.
We have both been thinking of moving to NZ for the last 10 years when we spent 10 months travelling around the islands in a campervan. The distance has always something for me as I am very close to my family and we all seem to live withing quite close proximity to one another.
Now we have children the issue of where we want to be has come up again. My husband works abroad so flies out regularly from the UK so we don't actually have to live in England. He has a good wage which could support us wherever we lived.
I do work part time due to having 1 preschool child and 1 at school, also because I am at home with them on my own when husband is at work.
It has been mainly me that wanted to stay in the UK for family but I have now got seriously itchy feet, added to the fact that my Sister in law and brother have been talking about NZ as well. We don't want to persuade each other to go but are both quite excited about all going.
When I filled in the points indicator on EOI I got 145 points as I work in a long term skill shortage area. I am unsure about what to do next?
My husband has suggested going with his works and just renting to see what it is like but I wonder whether to fill in the EOI and see what happens.
Really not sure what to do and it has been going around in my head the last 2 weeks. Any advice would be more than welcome!!!!!

MrsFychan

I personally wouldn't come without my husband being employed in NZ. Long stretches as a single parent I can imagine away from family and friends would be to much for me to bear.
Cost of flights out of NZ are a joke so would your husband still be able to carry on his current occupation?
People are friendly here, mainly the expats from my experience, the Kiwi's are with their "hello's" and "how are you settling in?" but when it comes to invites round it's a different story and invites to ours are not taken up or even acknowledged.
Lots of places shut at 9pm and everyone goes home which can make for a long a lonely night if no partner at home and kids in bed. My hubby going away for 5 nights soon and I am dreading being at home with all the creaks and bangs the house makes and the winds whipping round.
But then you may be used to that and enjoy your own company and not see it as a problem but for me it would be a no without the daily support of my husband.

Genesis

If husband booked the flights from out of NZ he would be okay, like someone who lives in the Uk and visits NZ they pay hugely less than we do for the same flight booked from NZ.

Will you be on your own here a lot or could the old man work out of NZ? I agree that it would be hard on your own as a single mum with little or no support while hubby was away. But anyone who is thinking of NZ seriously I would say so long as you know all the pit falls that are so often talked about on here and your positive bag is outweighed by the negative one just do it. You are a long time dead and whilst my 8 yrs here has been mired with way too many issues (like some others) I am deep down happy to have come this far even though I feel like I may have regreted it now and then I am glad overall to have done my time here. No idea what the future holds or where I will be in 5 years. Final point is NZ is a great place to bring up young kids for many a reason. Only downside is the rotten hole in the ozone layer above NZ that can be very bad for kids if you don't take care.

BIG melanoma issues here.

maisiep

I think your husband's idea of trying it out and renting first is probably the safest bet. I think people tend to underestimate how much they will miss family and friends and if you have always lived close by to them, even more so. My family are scattered around the place but I'm very conscious of how far away I am from all of them and I was surprised by how hard I found the first couple of years here. Having just had a baby I now also feel the distance very keenly. So whilst I think the missing people thing does diminish it doesn't entirely go away, ever. But, but, but...we do have a good time here and have made plenty of friends now and life is good...I would give it a go on your husband's job and rent a place and see how you go for a while.

Dandy du2

Thanks for your replies.
Husbands work pays for flights in/out of any country to the boat so that isn't too much of an issue.
We have talked about him taking some time off work to help us all settle in and possibly him looking at trying to use his degree in other areas (possibly retraining??) so he could be at home. The big thing is his current wage could make it work for us financially in NZ.
Did you apply through the EOI or other ways to live/work in NZ?

Dandy du2

Hello

How easy is it to just come over and rent. Which visas do you need and how long do you get before they want you staying/working or going home?
I haven't looked at all the different visas yet and just wonder what would work for us.

MrsFychan

I think the best option for you at the moment is see if you can get a visa which will allow you come, live and work. not sure how it would work if your husband is out of the country for months on end as I know we have to reside in NZ for a certain amount of time in the 2 years to allow us to stay longer. we came over through husbands work on Skilled Migrant Visa which granted me a visa to work and the kids to attend school without the international student fees.

someone will come along I'm sure and point you in the right direction or outline the options available