Scouse Mummy

Hi everyone,

I'm new here and have finally took the plunge to ask some questions and gather some advice. Apologies in advance for a long post which probably has been asked a million times before!!
Well here goes................... I've had this idea in my head to emigrate to New Zealand for quite a few months and I've no idea were it has come from! Hubby and I have good, secure well paid jobs in the UK (I'm a Nurse Manager and he's an Accountant) but I just feel that I want a better quality of life for us all, especially our 2 boys aged 8 and 5. We have sought advice from the Emmigration Company, based in Chester who have assured us that we basically have a 99% chance of gaining residency visa and I'm frightened to proceed as I know realistically it is a huge life change. I'm not looking at it with rose tinted glasses and I know I'll have to find a job (more visa points for me!), research areas, sort out house rental, re-settle the kids, leave family behind and basically take a huge leap of faith!!!! Is it normal to feel this scared? One moment I'm veering from excitement and 'yes - let's do it' and the next moment I'm terrified and want to stay!! I'm scared the schooling isn't as good as UK and the boys won't settle, I'll be homesick and we'll have to manage on my salary for a while as hubby will have to settle the kids and sort out school runs etc until we get to know the area and if there is breakfast/after school clubs. The other thing is the 5 year old has possible very mild autism and is being assessed - he's in mainstream school and does not need any additional educational support etc - will he settle?? Will we fit in and make friends??, we will only have about £20,000 UK pounds to put towards eventual new house deposit if we stay and buy.
Right - I'll stop now and take a deep breath as I know I'm starting to sound hysterical LOL . but I just can't shake the feeling that's in my gut to give it a go. I know if we go we have to be sure as it's a huge life change for us all, especially the boys.Any advice/thoughts or a slap to calm me down would be greatly appreciated!!!!

bourbon-biscuit

Is there any way you could "give it a go" without burning your bridges on what you currently have? For example, could you take a sabbatical or something from your current job? I've seen the best times had by people who come here for a year or two, have a wonderful time and then can slot back into their lives back home with happy memories of a real adventure. Don't underestimate the trauma of leaving family - it's not something that necessarily gets easier over time but it may get harder and harder to undo your emigration.

escapedtonz

Completely normal reactions IMO......well for the female of the species at least ;-)
Can't say I had all those emotions/thoughts. I was just excited for a new life changing adventure and didn't worry at all about any other possibilities or consequences as that's not how I rock and roll. I knew the move would be a leap of faith. I knew it wouldn't be easy. I knew there would be tears along the way from my partner missing her family and the comfortable life we were leaving but I did know that somewhere along the line the move would be successful and she would settle and we'd all be happy and call NZ home.
It's a great place to bring up kids and a great lifestyle and now being back in the uk for a few weeks holiday it has reinforced the fact that IMO NZ is the place to be. Itll be difficult leaving family behind again in another weeks time but the in laws have already booked to come out and we will probably be going back again in a couple of years so expecting it to be a little easier.

I'd say just go for it but leave the door open in the uk for a couple years just in case.

thistlehollyberry

a note of caution - emigration company telling you you are 99 percent certain to obtain a visa. How much are they charging you? Have been there - done that with emigration companies - not all of them are above board - just want to take your money.

allyokay

Yeah, I wouldn't use an immigration consultant or whatever they call themselves. There are plenty of people on here to give you advice, really!
Of course you're going to be anxious about making such a big move it's only natural. I don't know if you've ever visited New Zealand but if you had you probably wouldn't feel so anxious. I think you are right about getting a better quality of life for your children, its all about the out doors over there, family get togethers with friends, picnics, swimming, cycling barbies. Growing your own fruit and veg and the sun shines a lot more than it does in the UK. Course, you'll have to work as well, so it won't all be sunshine and lollipops but I think theres a greater chance of having a more fulfilled life in New Zealand. 'Stuff' is expensive in NZ, they aren't the great consumers that we are, things like European shoes and clothes cost at least a third again in NZ so if you do make the move stock up on Birkinstocks! Ha ha!
Personally I don't want to have a foot in the UK and a foot in NZ because I think I'll be less likely to make it work if I can come back to the UK at the first wiff of homesickness. We're selling up lock stock and barrel and shipping EVERYTHING over to NZ including the car and the washing up bowl! It's an adventure. If it doesn't work, at least we tried to have a better life, wheres the shame in that? Don't regret the things you've done, regret the things you haven't done.

BEVS

1 - Forget Immigration Company or whoever they are called. That can wait until you get you head in order.

2 - Lets start at the beginning and unravel the spaghetti in your head.




So-----------

Why New Zealand

and not somewhere else in the UK
or Europe or Oz or Canada and all that.

Let's TALK

Scouse Mummy

Thanks everyone for all your advice - I am going to take a little more time and not be rushed into using an emigration consultant - the reason we decided to use one was we don't know were to start and it all seems sooooooo confusing, calculating points, submitting EOI, medicals, visa applications,shipping etc etc, plus I've been told it's also catch 22 in that you can't apply for a visa without a job offer and you can't get a job offer without a visa!!!!! (The only thing I do know is I would have 170 points with a job offer)
Yes Bev - you are right, I do need to untangle the spaghetti in my head!!!.

Reasons against Europe would be language barriers and completely different cultures and we would struggle as a family to cope with this. Canada has brutal winters and to get jobs would mean relocating to big cities which we want to avoid - I know NZ has 'big' cities but I get the impression they wouldn't be as big or commercialized - I could be wrong??? UK , now that's were it gets a bit more confusing! I live in Liverpool which, don't get me wrong, I love and it is a great city but I feel everywhere is 'grey', crowded and busy!! I don't want to seem 'down' on the UK - It is a great country but I feel that as a family it doesn't offer the boys the way of life and opportunities that NZ would in term of jobs for hubby and I. We are not a particularly 'outdoorsy' family but it would be nice to have more space and a more relaxed way of life for us all (or am I wearing my rose tinted specs again here??) NZ seems friendly, cleaner and more community spirited. Also the schooling and health system seem good. I suppose the fear of homesickness and it not working out are panicking me - we would be using all our house equity to make the move and that in itself is frightening. I think guilt also enters the reason for not going as I know Hubby's parents would be devastated, mine would be upset but are more encouraging. Am so glad I discovered this forum, it's a great help

mikelincs

Have a read through this part of the BE Wiki, see just what, if any, visa you would be able to get.

Category:New Zealand Immigration : British Expat Wiki

and what skill assessments you might need.

dfjordan

I would question your idea that there are better job opportunities in NZ, and that your children wll "have a better way of life". You really need to read the multitude of posts both positive and negative that are on this forum, before you make a decision. Your £20000 will last only a short time once you arrive.
It can be great to take the risk of moving , but only once you have really made yourselves aware of what you are doing.Good luck

MrsFychan

deposit on houses here generally ask for 20%. so 20K UK say gives you 40K NZD which isn't going to get you much, if anything. Some banks will give out higher mortgage amounts but you will pay with the interest rates. currently anywhere from 4.5% - 6+% or even higher. they have just come down so not sure how long that will last.

is the 20K purely for a deposit or is it all the money you have to move as you will be looking at anything above 10K UK for visas and shipping before you get here.
My experience with schooling and health care have been nothing short of awful initially but that just our experience but has blighted my thoughts on the move and has put major doubts on staying here.
If you are not outdoorsy people then I feel, like us, you will struggle. Sport activities are more seasonal here which we have found to be frustrating as well as distance you may have to travel to find a club for a sport you like or just not bother. And as the kids get older the novelty of going to the beach or climbing yet another hill wares off. (well it has for our kids as they are not out doorsy and we have only been here 3 years).

Jobs again for some are very hard to come by and also will depend on the area you go to so if you do get a job offer for one of you, please base your calculations on just that one wage and do not expect that the OH will get a job as it may not work out like that.(but hopefully with both our occupations you may not have that problem but then you would need to factor in child care).

A major regret I have at the moment is that we sold our house in the UK to pay for the move and now if we want to go back we will be starting again with nothing and a lot less money in our pockets as the exchange rate back to the UK is very low. plus also all the problems with do we have to pay international student fees for the kids schooling as we have been out of the UK for more than 3 year and if we do go back it will probably be more like 5-6 years out.

For me my day to day living does not afford me the same standard of living as I had in the UK, obviously for others it has been a good move for them and their family. comes down to what you leave behind and what are you prepared to compromise/put up with and how you think your day to day life will improve if it does.

I would love to be able to be a ping pong pom (would need uk salary to manage) as NZ does have some beautiful scenery and wildlife so would love to be able to embrace that but have the standard of daily living that UK could give us.

Scouse Mummy

Food for thought....... The £20,000 would be purely towards a deposit as we have separate funds for the visa process, shipping, car, bonds for initial rent etc etc but you have certainly echoed my worries in having to live on one wage initially. Not being 'out doorsy' also worries me and the thought of giving it a go, not settling and having to come back with no funds and start again is a sobering thought. Lots more research and time for weighing it all up is needed I think.

j19fmm

We made the move a couple of years ago, me , partner and my 2 children who were then 16 and 14. We were lucky that we had visited before and had family here, although we actually live 3 hours away from them! We survived on one salary, I got a teaching job very quickly.
The standard of education here I find to be comparable with the UK; I love that the children are given the freedom to be children, playing up trees, kicking balls around and general rough and tumble!
My eldest is just finishing her first year at Uni and my boy is finishing Year 12 and will go back to school after Christmas.
My son had serious eye problems after we moved here and I have nothing but praise for the medical care he has received. His surgeon even gave us her mobile phone number and email address so he can contact her whenever he has worries.
People have been friendly and helpful to us.
My father still lives in the UK but visited us this last Christmas, hopefully he'll make the move out too.
We're not overly outdoorsy. We love supporting the local rugby games and I am a total addict of the beach.
We feel very settled and none of us have felt we've done the wrong thing by moving; the children wish we'd been able to do it earlier.
There is little we miss from the UK. Facebook and Skype are great for catch ups and you'll be surprised how many people want to visit!
No-one else will ever be able to tell you if it's the right thing for you to do. It is a leap for each and every one of us. I truly believe life is what you make of it. Enjoy the journey!

Alilek

Hi Scouse Mummy, Our familly (I, hubby and 2 boys + dog) moved to Bay of Plenty mid August. Hubby arrived here begining of Feb on job search visa, secured job within a month (he's an electrician) then he had to work here for 3 months so we can get the residency visa. We were quite scared, but we wanted a better lifestyle for our children. Boys have settled very well, older one started Kindergarten week after our arrival, he will start school mid Nov. Younger one is 17 mths old and stays at home with me. At the moment only hubby is working, we are renting a house here, still looking for a car Don't have many friends yet, but hoping to change it soon. Money wise it's not as easy as it was back in UK but we feel happy. We decided to keep our house in UK just in case. My thinking was if you have the opportunity go for it.

Spacecake799

Mrs F

Just to let you know a friend returned to the UK a couple of months ago. They had been in NZ maybe 10 years. Her son just received domestic fee status at uni!! Never say never

Scouse Mummy

Thanks again for all your replies. I am almost sure we will go for it. Still feel very apprehensive but also deep down know it's the right decision for us a family - just researching now how to convert my UK nuring registration over to NZ and were to book my nearest IELT test and family medicals etc. Loads to do and research😲. Would like to do it without 'forking' out to an immigration advisor but all jobs advertised state visa needed - complicated!!!!!!!