Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > New Zealand
Reload this Page >

emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Old Mar 4th 2012, 10:30 am
  #1  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 6
maryv is an unknown quantity at this point
Default emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Hi, this is my first posting here, so hello everyone. My husband and I are 50 and we'd like to emigrate to NZ to be lifestyle farmers. (We're looking especially at the south of the South Island.) We want to retire from the rat race, so we wouldn't be looking at getting jobs, although some very small-scale craft work, kitchen herbs, etc., sold from the farm might be enjoyable to do...

I'd be very grateful for advice about the immigration process. Having read a lot of material at the NZ government website, am I right to think that

- changing a temporary residence visa into a permanent one after 2 years is very straightforward - the only requirement is that you've stayed most of the time in NZ in each of those 2 years

- therefore there's no reason not to buy a lifestyle block soon after arrival (once we've checked out loads of other things of course - I just mean that immigration requirements aren't a reason not to - clearly it makes sense to rent first)

??

My other big question is how do the authorities feel about your immigration application if you tell them you want to immigrate in order to be a lifestyle farmer?

We have enough resources to buy a small lifestyle block and live for some time. Once we've sold our UK house, we'd have about GBP500K=NZ950K, so could spend say NZ400K on a beautiful lifestyle block and live off the rest. But we don't have enough resources to qualify in the 'business' category, and in fact we wouldn't want to be breadhead business types anyway. In short, we're looking to be something close to self-sufficient.

How would the authorities feel about that?

Are there any other big requirements we need to satisfy to get in?

(I should add that our son is going to start a PhD in NZ, although we want to settle before he arrives. So we can't say we've got a close relative currently in NZ, but only that we will have one.)

All advice very gratefully received!

Mary
maryv is offline  
Old Mar 4th 2012, 3:52 pm
  #2  
BE Enthusiast
 
ellenarosemary's Avatar
 
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Upper Hutt, NZ
Posts: 507
ellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Forgive me if I am not reading this correctly, but you are not going on a Skilled Migrant Visa (i.e. get a job), or a work to residence visa nor a business visa, the only other main one left is an investor visa and as I dont think you are going on any of these, you cant just buy a farm and live there it doesnt work like that - unless of course you are already citizens. A two year temporary visa is normally granted only on one of the above you can then apply for permanent residency after this period.

Unless I am missing something, or totally mis-understanding.

Last edited by ellenarosemary; Mar 4th 2012 at 5:25 pm.
ellenarosemary is offline  
Old Mar 4th 2012, 4:34 pm
  #3  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 6
maryv is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Originally Posted by ellenarosemary
Forgive me if I am not reading this correctly, but you are not going on a Skilled Migrant Visa (i.e. get a job), or a work to residence visa nor a business visa, the only other main one left is an investor visa and as I dont think you are going on any of these, you cant just buy a farm and live there it doesnt work like that - unless of course you are already citizens. A two year temporary visa is normally granted only on one of the above.

Unless I am missing something, or totally mis-understanding.
Thanks for this! We seem to be falling between all four stools. I can't work out which one we're closest to. The long and the short of it would seem to be that we'd have to be involved in more economic activity. I wonder whether we could buy a farm in our son's name, and then stay there and work towards residence by means of self-employment (say translation work and crafts)?
maryv is offline  
Old Mar 4th 2012, 5:22 pm
  #4  
BE Enthusiast
 
ellenarosemary's Avatar
 
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Upper Hutt, NZ
Posts: 507
ellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond reputeellenarosemary has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

You cannot work on a visitors visa, and its valid for max 6 months only, you have to be in skilled employment as a skilled migrant, either temporary, work to residence or permanent residency (if you have enough points) - look at the points calculator.

Are either of your jobs on the skills shortage list?

If its self employment you are after, you have to go on the business visa and prove you have run a business before, buy an existing or set up from scratch, you also need enough funds for 3 years, plus you have to provide business plans etc etc

You also cannot work towards residency unless your employer is accredited - if you prefer employment rather than self employment.

Read up on the skilled migrant section and the business one on immigration.co.nz, also there are several threads on the business one.

There are a couple of other lesser type categories i.e. religious worker, arts etc categories which might apply - but from what you mention I doubt it.

Sorry but what you are proposing wont get you into New Zealand.

Last edited by ellenarosemary; Mar 4th 2012 at 5:26 pm.
ellenarosemary is offline  
Old Mar 5th 2012, 5:08 am
  #5  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: In a large village called Auckland
Posts: 5,249
Bo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Originally Posted by maryv
(I should add that our son is going to start a PhD in NZ, although we want to settle before he arrives. So we can't say we've got a close relative currently in NZ, but only that we will have one.)

All advice very gratefully received!

Mary

As previously said, you cannot just rock up here and buy a farm and stay here indefinitely.

Seems you would have to play a longer term game and let your son get his own situation sorted. Assuming he himself will want to and is able to continue to pursue NZ permanent residence in his own right; with him living here for the required number of years, before he could apply to sponsor you under the family category. A very long game.

There are no guarantees such a plan woud be successful as you have to meet the requirements yourself with regards jumping through all the usual hoops and meeting all the visa conditions with regards medicals etc, and it is a lengthy process. You can of course come and go in the meantime as visitors for six months at a time and there's no restriction on you owning property as a non-resident.
Bo-Jangles is offline  
Old Mar 5th 2012, 8:15 am
  #6  
BE Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Whangaparaoa
Posts: 458
GoingIn2011 has a reputation beyond reputeGoingIn2011 has a reputation beyond reputeGoingIn2011 has a reputation beyond reputeGoingIn2011 has a reputation beyond reputeGoingIn2011 has a reputation beyond reputeGoingIn2011 has a reputation beyond reputeGoingIn2011 has a reputation beyond reputeGoingIn2011 has a reputation beyond reputeGoingIn2011 has a reputation beyond reputeGoingIn2011 has a reputation beyond reputeGoingIn2011 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Is this land not still in the Empire? Do we not still own it? Perhaps not. I'll get my coat.

Originally Posted by Bo-Jangles
As previously said, you cannot just rock up here and buy a farm and stay here indefinitely.

Seems you would have to play a longer term game and let your son get his own situation sorted. Assuming he himself will want to and is able to continue to pursue NZ permanent residence in his own right; with him living here for the required number of years, before he could apply to sponsor you under the family category. A very long game.

There are no guarantees such a plan woud be successful as you have to meet the requirements yourself with regards jumping through all the usual hoops and meeting all the visa conditions with regards medicals etc, and it is a lengthy process. You can of course come and go in the meantime as visitors for six months at a time and there's no restriction on you owning property as a non-resident.
GoingIn2011 is offline  
Old Mar 5th 2012, 8:38 am
  #7  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: In a large village called Auckland
Posts: 5,249
Bo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond reputeBo-Jangles has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Originally Posted by GoingIn2011
Is this land not still in the Empire? Do we not still own it? Perhaps not. I'll get my coat.
Apparently we stole it.

If the debacle over the Crafar Farms is anything to go by I'd be very wary; one minute we're for sale, then we're not.

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/iwi-occ...nese-rm-110394
Bo-Jangles is offline  
Old Mar 5th 2012, 8:40 am
  #8  
`
 
BEVS's Avatar
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 38,595
BEVS has disabled reputation
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Originally Posted by maryv
(I should add that our son is going to start a PhD in NZ
How?
BEVS is offline  
Old Mar 5th 2012, 6:13 pm
  #9  
*********
 
Catchafire's Avatar
 
Joined: May 2008
Location: Up in dem hills.........
Posts: 1,458
Catchafire has a reputation beyond reputeCatchafire has a reputation beyond reputeCatchafire has a reputation beyond reputeCatchafire has a reputation beyond reputeCatchafire has a reputation beyond reputeCatchafire has a reputation beyond reputeCatchafire has a reputation beyond reputeCatchafire has a reputation beyond reputeCatchafire has a reputation beyond reputeCatchafire has a reputation beyond reputeCatchafire has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Originally Posted by Bo-Jangles
As previously said, you cannot just rock up here and buy a farm and stay here indefinitely.
Unless you are James Cameron!

If your son gains residency then you can apply under the family stream. Although the process I understand takes a few years.
Catchafire is offline  
Old Mar 5th 2012, 6:41 pm
  #10  
A land far far away
 
pixi-dust's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Northland
Posts: 1,288
pixi-dust has a reputation beyond reputepixi-dust has a reputation beyond reputepixi-dust has a reputation beyond reputepixi-dust has a reputation beyond reputepixi-dust has a reputation beyond reputepixi-dust has a reputation beyond reputepixi-dust has a reputation beyond reputepixi-dust has a reputation beyond reputepixi-dust has a reputation beyond reputepixi-dust has a reputation beyond reputepixi-dust has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

I'm not sure I can help with the immigration side of things, as we came under the skilled migrant category then bought a small farm.

However, not to be the voice of doom and gloom, but have you ever done anything like farming before? I ask, because we hadn't - ever. It's a HUGE learning curve. We didn't even keep any animals ourselves for the first few years, but leased the land out so we could learn about how to do it all.

How much land are you thinking of buying? How will you keep the grass down? what sort of animals will you have? Fencing? Stockyards? Will you grow your own veggies? how will you keep rabbits out? Grow your own fruit? Trees are expensive if not already there. Pest control?

Make a list of what you want to actually do.

How will you make a living once your money from the UK has run out?
I only ask this because even though it sounds like you are bringing a lot over, if you are only living off the land the chances are it will run out! You're still young - I worry that what you have simply won't last.

To keep a lifestyle block properly is expensive. Our little farm does make some money, but runs at a loss every single year - fencing is so expensive everything is so expensive!

There is this romantic idea that farming/lifestyle block is all lovely, you get up in the morning and collect your eggs, chuck out some grain for the chooks... ok you do do this! But it is incredibly hard work, 7 days a week.

People come to our place and think it all looks lovely, but I'm like a duck - all smooth on the surface and paddling like hell under the water!

Don't get me wrong, it's an amazingly, lovely lifestyle but there are statistics ( somewhere, or maybe it was a friend of ours who is an estate agent and resells lifestyle blocks all the time!) ) that show just how many people buy a lifestyle block only to sell it after a couple of years because they just can't manage.

We love it though, but then again I am the farmer and my husband is a dentist! This is the only way we can afford to do this. I honestly don't know a single person with a lifestyle block/small farm who doesn't have a job of some sort to pay for it all. And we are not well off -we would be if we didn't have a small farm to look after, though!

All I'm saying is really think about it. I wouldn't change our lives for the world,I absolutely love it, I get to drive a tractor but really, really think about what you want to do!

If you want to PM me for any advice or just to chat please do - I realise that I've come across as very nagative in this post and I don't mean to I always post happy stuff, honest!
pixi-dust is offline  
Old Mar 5th 2012, 8:54 pm
  #11  
BE Forum Addict
 
luvwelly's Avatar
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,285
luvwelly has a reputation beyond reputeluvwelly has a reputation beyond reputeluvwelly has a reputation beyond reputeluvwelly has a reputation beyond reputeluvwelly has a reputation beyond reputeluvwelly has a reputation beyond reputeluvwelly has a reputation beyond reputeluvwelly has a reputation beyond reputeluvwelly has a reputation beyond reputeluvwelly has a reputation beyond reputeluvwelly has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Originally Posted by Catchafire
Unless you are James Cameron!

If your son gains residency then you can apply under the family stream. Although the process I understand takes a few years.
Yeah but even he had to stump up lots of cash which normal people simply wouldn't have, didn't he? NZ Immigration drives a hard bargain, plays so hard to get, it is quite confidence trickery almost.

The issue for OP is that they don't fall into a category of skilled employment that NZ wants. I think they need to look elsewhere.
luvwelly is offline  
Old Mar 6th 2012, 2:15 am
  #12  
`
 
BEVS's Avatar
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 38,595
BEVS has disabled reputation
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Originally Posted by maryv
Hi, this is my first posting here,
Hi and welcome

Having read your first post I'd like you to spend some time browsing around the New Zealand Immigration website. ( click the link)

Get to grips with the assortment of visas.

All that you have so far proposed won't get you residency here in New Zealand.
You can't just buy a farm and decide to come live here, with or without doing a bit of odds and sods of work.

A couple of basics that allow people to remain here
1 - You have a skill that New Zealand wants and will work at that.
2 - You have a shed load of money to afford one of the investors visas + settlement funds. A few million bucks.
3 - You will run a business.
BEVS is offline  
Old Mar 6th 2012, 2:59 am
  #13  
Banned
 
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Queensland, Australia
Posts: 1,010
Expat Kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeExpat Kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeExpat Kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeExpat Kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeExpat Kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeExpat Kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeExpat Kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeExpat Kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeExpat Kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeExpat Kiwi has a reputation beyond reputeExpat Kiwi has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Originally Posted by Catchafire
Unless you are James Cameron!

If your son gains residency then you can apply under the family stream. Although the process I understand takes a few years.
I'd watch that family stream thing, it's all going to change soon.
Expat Kiwi is offline  
Old Mar 10th 2012, 12:36 pm
  #14  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 6
maryv is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Originally Posted by luvwelly
The issue for OP is that they don't fall into a category of skilled employment that NZ wants. I think they need to look elsewhere.
Any suggestions as to where?
Mary
maryv is offline  
Old Mar 10th 2012, 1:54 pm
  #15  
MODERATOR
 
MrsFychan's Avatar
 
Joined: Oct 2011
Location: Wellington - I miss Castles, the NHS & English school system
Posts: 9,077
MrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond reputeMrsFychan has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: emigrating to lifestyle farm - advice please!

Originally Posted by maryv
Any suggestions as to where?
Mary
France
MrsFychan is offline  

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.