LeoRob13

Hi,

I am wondering if anyone could help me. We are looking for the total costs of emigrating to New Zealand and wondered if anyone who has recently moved could give us a rough guide? We are a family of two adults, two children. I cannot find a total amount apart from a forum in 2008 and obviously pricing is going to be somewhat different now!

A bit of background on us and a few questions...

We have two children aged 4.5 & 1.5. 4.5 year old started in reception in September 2012.
Other halfs brother lives in Auckland with his kiwi wife. He now has residency due to getting married (I hope I have worded that right!)
Neither of us have jobs that are seeked in NZ. Other half studied carpentry and plumbing at college (8-9 years ago) but due to not being able to get a job when he left college he now works for a car autofactors. I am a secretary at a University.
How easy would we find jobs and what kind of visa could we get? Is it possible for OH's brother to sponsor him, how permanent would that be?
Obviously we would want our move to be a permanent thing, because of the children, I'm not sure a working visa would be the best idea?
We have been to NZ twice, both times travelling North and South Island so we have a fair idea on the country as a whole and we have also done a lot of reasearch, obviously holidaying and living are completely different things so we would be going in to this knowing it will not be plain sailing.

If anyone has young children and has moved, how have they taken it? How have they taken to schools? I am really worried about how it could affect them but I know that it would be a much better lifestyle for us all, especially the children. We have quite a few friends as well as OH's brother in and around Auckland so we would not be completely on our own. We are very close to our families here which also makes the decision that much harder.

Sorry for the long and waffling post and thank you to anyone who can give us any help

Bo-Jangles

I think you need to start at square one and see if you have any way of obtaining a visa before you start building up your hopes and researching costs of full move, schooling etc.

It doesn't sound like you would meet the requirements of skilled migrants nor the family category since the sibling sponsorship was pulled.

On 16 May 2012, the Sibling and Adult Child Category of residence closed. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) no longer receives applications for residence under this category.


http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...categories.htm

To get a non-permanent work visa, you would need to secure certain quality of job, paying above a certain wage and the employer would need to be accredited or provide evidence that no Kiwis available to do that job.

http://www.dol.govt.nz/immigration/visaoptions

MrsFychan

as Bo-Jangles says you need to see if you can qualify for a visa and then the visa costs that go with that visa.
we as a family of 4 came over last year on a Skilled Visa and our visa costs, 40ft container, flights was roughly 15K. You then need to think about rental costs, bonds, schools "voluntary" fees, dental care, GP's fees on top of cost of daily living.

Children start school on their 5th b/day here and I think it depends on what visa type you get if you have to pay International Student Visa fees, not sure if you pay student fees if you then are expected to pay the "voluntary fee" on top.

Catchafire

From the sounds of it, at the moment you would not have enough points to apply for residency. So the only real option left to to get a work visa, which can be valid for up to 3 years. You have to get a job which is regarded as "skilled". So if you can find work which falls into this category, then you have a fighting chance.

Here is the list from immigration of what it considers as skilled occupations

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/35165.htm

If you score a work permit, then you have a much better chance of applying for residency.

A work visa will allow your kids to access the school system here, without having to pay fees. But you would not be allowed to get a mortgage.

BEVS

Hhmm. Tough one but maybe not impossible if you are determined and willing to play the long game to achieve what you want.

As others have stated, you need to start from the basis of whether or not you can gain a visa which would allow you to live and work here first.

As to costs I think MrsF has a reasonably recent post somewhere which states what the cost was to them

Of all you have written, this is the phrase that offers a glimmer here.

Exactly what qualifications did he gain in the above 2 trades please?