Greendogs

Hi,

Hoping to make the move this year with my spouse and two young children.

My job is on the skills shortage list and I’ve found a few jobs to start applying to.

With all the difficulties with travel at the moment, are people still finding they are able to make the move?

Is an August target start date achievable (we have no house to sell)?

How much savings have others put aside for the move and initial living costs?

thanks for any advice.

Charismatic

Current border requirements are here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/abou...and-exceptions
Normal border operations not expected to resume any time soon. The managed isolation system is booked out six months in advance so, if you are eligible to travel, you probably want to get on with booking.

BEVS

Hi and welcome.

Question for you. Does your occupation fall into the critical worker category? Have a read here for further details on that It is for NZ employers but gives an idea of current policy re visas.

Good post Charismatic.

Framps69

We've signed up to the managed quarantine system already, as my wife and I are moving to NZ in November. Checking today, you can only book up to 6th June, which is 4 months in advance, and no further than that, although there are no dates available within that time. We are hoping that by the time we move the managed quarantine will have been lifted, but it will certainly be worth you keeping an eye on when blocks of dates are released in order to get your booking in for August.

We have had quotes for the removals (£6700-£7500 depending on whether our 40' container is full or not), about £1000 for insurance, and £2700 to ship the cat. We have put aside money to buy a car and £11000 to cover rent and living costs for at least 6 months as a backup in case things don't pan out with jobs (I have an NZ passport and my wife a permanent residency visa, so we don't need to go down the skills route).

Good luck!

garethwm

Nobody knows, but I reckon NZ might not open it's borders this year. A lot possibly depends on the vaccine rollout and uptake. But that's just a hunch on my part.

Greendogs

​​​​​​​Thank you. That's helpful. I hadn't appreciated that there would be a quarantine waiting list/ limited spaces. Will have to ensure we factor that into our move.

Thanks for the info re the moving costs too.

Good luck with you move.

Greendogs

Thanks for the useful link. Yes, my occupation falls in the critical worker category.

Justcol

My interpretation of the current rules is that ONLY current visa holders or returning kiwis (passport holders) are being let in
No new migrants
Framps would be ok but greendogs wouldn't
Of course I could be wrong but everything seems to point in that direction 🤔

Pom_Chch

According to the government, managed isolation facilities have been planned until the middle of 2022. Not to say MIQ will still be around then but I don't think it'll be too far off. I don't think there will be much in the way of quarantine free travel this year (apart from Oz and maybe Pacific Islands). I was under the impression that it's only returning residents allowed in at the moment if they can even get an MIQ space.

Framps69

My wife has two sets of friends who have entered NZ during the pandemic with working visas as they are on the skills shortage list, so it's not just limited to citizens and permanent residents.

jarv5116

did your wife friends have medical occupations?
A few guys at my work are on WTR visas and there wifes and kids are stuck at home and can't get them into NZ because of the covid restrictions.
I think its a bit of luck aswell.
We had a lad go back to China on holiday over Xmas in 2019 and couldn't get back to NZ. He just came back a few weeks ago. was stuck in China for over a year.

jarv5116

If I was you and you have fulltime jobs in the UK. I would stay put in the UK. Especially if you work in construction. By the time the end of the year comes I don't think there will be much work next year.
Going be tough year or two ahead in NZ aswell.
If you aren't already established you may find it very diffcult to find work.

BEVS

I totally agree with your post. NZ will continue to apply common sense re borders for 2021 I would very much hope. NZ is a safe country. Much of the rest of rhe world lags behind. NZ populace needs to be mostly vaccinated however even with that countries outside its borders needs to get control of covid. Relying on vaccination is simply not enough.

Bo-Jangles

I think we'll be crying out for Tradies again soon, there seems to me to be a heck of a lot of building work going on currently, the housing market is still going gangbusters and every spare section around Auckland seems to be being built on with multiple townhouses and apartment blocks popping up on sections replacing what was previously just one house and garden. Government is also pumping quite a lot into infrastructure works to keep economy going.

Pom_Chch

When roughly did they enter NZ? Up until just before Christmas MIQ spaces were much easier to get. Now not so much and that will be your main hurdle as you have found.