Bev MK

A slightly random question, but it's one that's unsettling me at the moment.

Hubby and I have both worked overseas on and off for years, since before we got together. We've been in the tropics for the last 5 years on expat jobs, with me not working as I decided to take a few years out to have kids.

We've had a vague interest in emigrating to NZ for a while. He happened to apply for a job there just before we left the last post and got offered the job about 2 months ago now. Negotiations then commenced and are now finally at the stage where he should be signing the contract. The contract is for 3 years and we're applying for PR because it seems to me to be well, why wouldn't you? We went down to NZ on hols just after he'd interviewed for the job and we loved it. We figure we should get PR reasonably easily as we've 170 points, good health, good qualifications and work exp and a very good job offer. It seems like we might as well apply for PR as then we have the option to stay after the job. From what we saw off NZ, we could easily be happy staying there if we continued to get the right work. We've got the ITA and would have filed it this week only the panel doc keeps getting the forms wrong!

But I'm more used to going places knowing that you won't stay past the end of the posting and strangely I find this uncertainty as to whether we're emigrating or just off on another posting quite unsettling.

We're dithering over whether to sell our London home or not - if we were going for good, we'd definitely sell. If we're coming back in 3 years, we'd definitely keep it, let it out again while we're overseas and use it to keep our place on the UK property ladder. Not knowing which is confusing! We'd already put it on the market as we'd thought we'd be in the UK for a while and we got good offers within a week but now I'm leaning towards keeping it and letting it out again in case we don't settle in NZ.

Has anyone else gone out with this "will we stay or won't we" attitude or have you all been sure it was for good? If you weren't sure, how long did it take you to feel you knew which it was going to be?

Just being nosy!

MrsFychan

we came over with the idea that we will at least stay for 5yrs so the children can get their citizenship which will give them more opportunities in the long run. From what I understand you have 4yrs to move things over to here before you get stitched up on tax etc so you having 3 yrs means you are still in that time frame to be ok.
We sold as we needed the money to emigrate and also leave some in the pot. We are also very fortunate to have family that would be able to help out if things don't work out.

Jan n Neil

If you can afford it keep the London pad, we kept a house in the UK and we have been here 3 years now it,s nice to have a fall back


Neil

BEVS

No. I wasn't at all sure and even after 8 years I am still not sure We simply grabbed the chance offered.

Saying that. We live here , so our focus is here not on the horizon.

Bev MK

We have family in Oz who we'd see a lot more of if we were in NZ. Our last posting was meant to be 3 yrs and ended up being 5. Though this contract is for 3, I could easily see us doing more and if it got to 5 or perm, then like Mrs F, I'd like the kids to have citizenship - not just for the NZ aspect but because they'd then be able to work in Oz, which could be very useful as we've probably more family there than in the UK.

We could keep the London place, the mortgage is paid off. It would just mean we'd need a mortgage in Auckland rather than buying outright - though we'd rent first anyway. We still have a deposit though and London property is still just about the best place you can put money. I've known too many people sell up and then be unable to afford to come back because property in the UK keeps rising. Will have to see if hubby agrees with me. If we stayed in NZ for good, then we'd want to sell and it is more hassle to sell from overseas but I think we're a couple of years from knowing that and at least we'd be able to let it in the meantime.

I just can't wait to get this all sorted out - I hate being back in London. My first journey on the Tube in years yesterday and YUK!

ragdolls2

We said we would give it 5 years, so far we love nz however we do have a house in France as a bolt hole should we need it ( currently rent it out to French friend)
So we will wait and see

hazeandsteve

We went all out when we came here and don't regeret it.
If you can rent the London gaff out, it will more than pay for your bills here, so seems like a no brainer to me.

britkiwi

We're currently applying for my husband's visa. We're not selling up as I'm really not sure whether I'll be happier there or here and I'm a kiwi. I'd hold on to what you have here until you've been there a while, just in case

sparkie down under

I'm with you on this one Bev

Bo-Jangles

If I had the option I would be inclined not to burn too my bridges and not try to plan too far ahead. We came here lock stock and barrel thinking it was a forever move but now with the benefit of hindsight we should have planned an exit strategy. I think it would be ideal if you are able to treat it as a posting with a get out clause at some deadline of your choosing.

I don't think anyone is ever sure and it is just steps along the continuum of immigration processing, the first two years of settling in could swing either way and many are just hanging in there until they've notched up enough time to get to the next level and the full PR stickers.

Between three and five years does seem to be the bigger turning point for a lot of people and even then there are a heck of a lot that are still unsure but doing there darndest to stretch to five years so that they can get their citizenship before moving on.

Clappy

I agree 100% with this, leave yourself with options.

We came over as a forever move (wife is a Kiwi) but we are both finding the working practices so frustrating compared to what we were used to in London I would be back there in an instant given the chance.

My wife is an only child and her parents live here so I think that I am going to have to stick it out for a while. The only glimmer of hope is that from time to time in the past they have raised the prospect of retiring to the Gold Coast and if they do that then there will be no need for us to stay here.

scrubbedexpat094

Absolutely not but we brought everything over anyway. There are times that I wished that we had kept our house in the UK but we didn't, that's just life.

We have been here for 5+ years now & have citizenship. Do I want to stay here forever? I don't think so. My heart belongs in England.

I would think of it as just another posting & see how you feel after the first couple of years. You can re-evaluate the situation at that time.

Caz8NZ

I think if you have the financial option to keep the UK home you should. It never hurts to have a back up plan as yes - you should give it your all if you are here, but why not have a house in your home country?

If you have the option of going for residency - do it - you may as well, as you have said, no reason not to - and it doesn't have to mean its forever, its just for now.

I'm going through that process at the moment - do I want to stay in New Zealand forever and ever - I don't think so - but I don't know what the future holds and I know I don't want to live in England at the moment. This gives me just another option!

Mrs Pointer

We sold up lock stock and barrel and used our equity over here as we would have done if we'd moved cities in the UK

No idea how long we'll be here. We're just taking it as it comes and making the most of it.

It's kinda like swimming in the sea - if you dip your toe in and inch in it's hard, if you just jump in, you adapt to it quicker

I always thought that the first reaction to getting your visa tells you a lot. I was delighted and have no desire to go back. That may change. I'll deal with it then.

Philzbub

Hi Clappy! Just a quick one... whats wrong with the working practices in NZ?? I'm about to start work in Auckland on 13th August... what should i be prepared for??
Phil.