Originally Posted by dannigirl

Well it would be a hard difficult road back to the good old days, that's for sure!

Originally Posted by Tom1983

Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggghhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

You've just made me think of that awful home advert, CJ Gardener Homes I think it is, with the couple from somewhere in the Midlands

As Stewie Griffin says - Damn you Dannigirl!

Originally Posted by dannigirl

Is that the one where the woman's face and her voice do not match AT ALL. She looks quite glam, then she speaks......

Originally Posted by dannigirl

Well I stand corrected then about Romanians. I just think you sound a bit hysterical. If UK immigration stands at about 13%, worst case 15%. Last census 7.5 million people in Britain born outside of UK.

I think roughly in Nz according to NZ census (and this will most likely change as another census just done) 27% of people were born outside of NZ!

I think it more an over population thing in the UK, so I think it is unfair to blame "immigration" per se. There are a higher percentage of "foreigners" in NZ.

And however much you say you integrate/assimilate you are still changing the cultural and historical context of NZ, which I personally have no issue with at all, but I am sure there are lots of small minded kiwis who do. We want the money from the Chinese, just not the immigration that follows. Asian immigration numbers will soon overtake British and that will certainly be interesting to say the least.

How nice that you find Chinese people compliant

Originally Posted by Pollyana

Anyhone who thinks its easy to migrate to the UK should take a look at BE's newest forum
http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=196 which is aimed at helping the thousands of UK citizens who are trying to return home with non-UK citizen spouses and children. Try telling THEM the gates are open when some of them face being parted from their families for years, or not going home at all.

Originally Posted by dannigirl

That was my sentiment in my first post Polly, as I have had to jump through numerous hoops to gain status in the UK. In 11 years I was never eligible for public funds. I gratefully accessed the NHS to have my two children under the commonwealth agreement. Child benefit was paid via my British husband for our children.

Of course there are two categories EU and non-EU but it's not all immigrants running riot in the UK as many would have us believe.

Sorry OP - have totally hijacked your thread.

Originally Posted by M_and_M

Pollyanna I agree. My US friend is married to a British man and has a British born son but still hasn't got the right to live in the UK!!!!

Originally Posted by BEVS

Actually, people emigrate for differing reasons. We didn't emigrate for a 'better' life. We emigrated to try something different.

The OP is entitled to her viewpoint, so she can critisise if she so wishes. Others may or may not agree with her and that is also fine.

Originally Posted by Mark Smith

New Zealand doesn't just allow a potential EU population of approx 300 million to walk in, then claim housing, health, education, welfare. Such huge influxes of numbers were never voted in by the British, but have altered a whole way of life and destroyed 1000 years worth of history/culture/traditions. I would say it's a huge draw to come to a country that only wants skilled/professional immigrants (or those with lots of $$$ to spend on the NZ economy).
NZ will never be swamped by the same numbers coming into the UK, she manages her immigration (actually knows who's coming in and out) and although there are many downers about living here, I don't miss a rising population equivalent to a new Leeds every year.

Originally Posted by tom1000

Utter rubbish, of course people emigrate for a better life at the end of the day.

Originally Posted by tom1000

Utter rubbish, of course people emigrate for a better life at the end of the day.

Originally Posted by sarah.herod

We are emigrating next year, initially we looked into Oz however after leaving the NZ an Oz Expo in Birmingham yesterday we were warmed to NZ, now we are confused as what would be the best move for our family! We live in Bury I am an Ambulance Driver an Stuart is a roofer, we have 2 children aged 2 and 11, we want a better lifestyle for our family, we want the children to be children,we want to open a world of opportunities to them, we are a hard working family an we are aware in neither country the streets are paved with gold, we know it will be hard work wherever we end up, we don't know what to do!!! Arghhhh 😜

Originally Posted by sarah.herod

Stuarts roofing trade is on the skills list however to get into Oz he has to do the AQF3 first which is jus getting his trade recognised, it's about 2k then around 5k for the Visa, NZ on the other hand is easier an cheaper to get into his skills are recognised an in high demand in CC, the Visa for NZ would be around 2k, yes NZ would be cheaper an easier but that's not a reason to move there is it?

Originally Posted by Pollyana

I didn't and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I emigrated because it was easier for me to move to Aus than for my future husband to move to the UK.
Don't judge the whole world until you have walked in their shoes

Originally Posted by tom1000

Point taken, however I don't know many people who emigrated to a new country knowing they would be worse off.