# A better life for our family or not !



## clairelouise

Is Immigrating to New Zealand going to change our life for the better?
I love reading the 'topics' on this forum and it has helped us greatly,
I am 30 and my husband 31, we have 2 daughters aged 9 and 2yrs, 
I work in childcare and my husband in accident repair (Paint technician), Our income in the uk is comfortable and we have a mortgage here too.
Moving over will mean selling our home (we cant afford to rent out, and what we get from the sale witll help us start out hopefully).
We will have to rent out and property seems alot more more than what we pay now atleast £200+ a month more, 
I dont drive and ive been told as i dont at the moment, Dont learn in the uk and do it over in NZ as its quicker and easier?

We ideally would like to move over before our oldest daughter starts at senior school next sept (2012) and we know education is different over in NZ.
Our youngest would know no difference really apart from missing her Grandad and Nanny, We think its the right time to move before they get any older and it could be a perfect life for them over there,

Our main concerns are obv the same for everyone who moves i guess, 
Finding a home suitable and affordable which would be around Auckland for us, School for our oldest daughter and kindy for our younger daughter, 
Employment for myself and my husband and with good salary we wont struggle to pay the bills each month,

Our friends live in warkworth (Which is beautiful) just outside Auckland and we can stay with them untill we find somewhere to live, 
We have re-searched and ive contacted companies about emloyment and checking whether my qualification is what they are accepting and if our jobs are required over there or not,

Our friends made the move 6yrs ago now and have built a wonderful life over there, They have assisted a fair bit thankfully and have contacted Immigration in NZ about our 9yr old as she has scoliosis and wears a brace and attends hospital appointments around every 3-4 months for new brace and 1 x-ray a yr, so far they say it shouldnt be a problem as shes not using up alot of medical care etc...
our 2yr old has sufferc with Asthma since she was 7months old though since Nov 2010 shes not had any problem at all so fingers crossed it has cleared (They dont officially diagnose in uk until about age 5 now anyway)
I have IBS but this is controlled with Diet and i have water infections few times a year, require antibiotics though thats it,


Anyone been or know anyone in similar circumstances? How did you cope and what problems did you come across?
Whats the general cost of living each month for a family, over in the uk we average about £1500 sometimes more thats without shopping/clothes though, which is around $3000 NZ i think ?
Is it easy enough finding work and homes etc...

I see the scenary and read peoples messages, friends emails and see it on Tv, it looks beautiful, And ive picked places id love to visit over there. But before i give up my life over here i need to know i am making the right move and wil be able to have a provide a better life for my children,


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## kiwigser

clairelouise said:


> Is Immigrating to New Zealand going to change our life for the better?
> I love reading the 'topics' on this forum and it has helped us greatly,
> I am 30 and my husband 31, we have 2 daughters aged 9 and 2yrs,
> I work in childcare and my husband in accident repair (Paint technician), Our income in the uk is comfortable and we have a mortgage here too.
> Moving over will mean selling our home (we cant afford to rent out, and what we get from the sale witll help us start out hopefully).
> We will have to rent out and property seems alot more more than what we pay now atleast £200+ a month more,
> I dont drive and ive been told as i dont at the moment, Dont learn in the uk and do it over in NZ as its quicker and easier?
> 
> We ideally would like to move over before our oldest daughter starts at senior school next sept (2012) and we know education is different over in NZ.
> Our youngest would know no difference really apart from missing her Grandad and Nanny, We think its the right time to move before they get any older and it could be a perfect life for them over there,
> 
> Our main concerns are obv the same for everyone who moves i guess,
> Finding a home suitable and affordable which would be around Auckland for us, School for our oldest daughter and kindy for our younger daughter,
> Employment for myself and my husband and with good salary we wont struggle to pay the bills each month,
> 
> Our friends live in warkworth (Which is beautiful) just outside Auckland and we can stay with them untill we find somewhere to live,
> We have re-searched and ive contacted companies about emloyment and checking whether my qualification is what they are accepting and if our jobs are required over there or not,
> 
> Our friends made the move 6yrs ago now and have built a wonderful life over there, They have assisted a fair bit thankfully and have contacted Immigration in NZ about our 9yr old as she has scoliosis and wears a brace and attends hospital appointments around every 3-4 months for new brace and 1 x-ray a yr, so far they say it shouldnt be a problem as shes not using up alot of medical care etc...
> our 2yr old has sufferc with Asthma since she was 7months old though since Nov 2010 shes not had any problem at all so fingers crossed it has cleared (They dont officially diagnose in uk until about age 5 now anyway)
> I have IBS but this is controlled with Diet and i have water infections few times a year, require antibiotics though thats it,
> 
> 
> Anyone been or know anyone in similar circumstances? How did you cope and what problems did you come across?
> Whats the general cost of living each month for a family, over in the uk we average about £1500 sometimes more thats without shopping/clothes though, which is around $3000 NZ i think ?
> Is it easy enough finding work and homes etc...
> 
> I see the scenary and read peoples messages, friends emails and see it on Tv, it looks beautiful, And ive picked places id love to visit over there. But before i give up my life over here i need to know i am making the right move and wil be able to have a provide a better life for my children,


I think the experience of your friends, probably gives you the bigger picture. Surveys have stated that well over 90% from Britain are happy with the move, but you do not get a 10 year warranty. I think regards living costs, if you can get enough points to emigrate, then your occupations are sufficiently sort after to give a reasonable living standard. 

Have you been on the NZ website to access your points total ?


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## clairelouise

kiwigser said:


> I think the experience of your friends, probably gives you the bigger picture. Surveys have stated that well over 90% from Britain are happy with the move, but you do not get a 10 year warranty. I think regards living costs, if you can get enough points to emigrate, then your occupations are sufficiently sort after to give a reasonable living standard.
> 
> Have you been on the NZ website to access your points total ?




Hi No not been onto the website actually, My husband has been searching his job online and has said his job seems pretty sought after, Childcare does too in some areas but mostly teachers and the qualification seems different to what i have but ive been given a site to check that too,

Yes i agree our friends have done well but there careers are very different she is very high up in medicine and he now has his own buissiness !
They have done very very well, and It would be great to do aswell as they have done and they are very happy over there,


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## ammclaugh

It depends. I think the short answer (really a question) is, what are your priorities? Your salary will almost certainly be lower in NZ. Your taxes will probably be higher. If you live in Auckland, you will be paying a lot more money for a poorer quality house (with a better view). You will be paying more for a limited selection of food (fruit and veg out of season is crazy expensive bordering on unaffordable- but you just learn to shop for what's seasonal) 

But... the pace of life is slower, people are friendlier and more relaxed, the country is breathtakingly beautiful, there's a decent social support network, no nuclear power, a real effort to be fair, open and accepting of difference, high prioritization of environmental issues...

You'll probably be losing money, missing out on extended family connections, losing chances for international holidays, but gaining a more relaxed lifestyle. A lot of young kiwis leave when they graduate (because they want to travel and because there are limited job opportunities in NZ), but then a lot come back when they start families. 

Basically, I would recommend, if it's at all affordable, that you come to NZ for a few months on holiday. This will give you a better sense of the kind of housing you can expect, the cost of living and the general culture as well as what city you might like to live in (Auckland is completely different to the rest of the country).


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## clairelouise

ammclaugh said:


> It depends. I think the short answer (really a question) is, what are your priorities? Your salary will almost certainly be lower in NZ. Your taxes will probably be higher. If you live in Auckland, you will be paying a lot more money for a poorer quality house (with a better view). You will be paying more for a limited selection of food (fruit and veg out of season is crazy expensive bordering on unaffordable- but you just learn to shop for what's seasonal)
> 
> But... the pace of life is slower, people are friendlier and more relaxed, the country is breathtakingly beautiful, there's a decent social support network, no nuclear power, a real effort to be fair, open and accepting of difference, high prioritization of environmental issues...
> 
> You'll probably be losing money, missing out on extended family connections, losing chances for international holidays, but gaining a more relaxed lifestyle. A lot of young kiwis leave when they graduate (because they want to travel and because there are limited job opportunities in NZ), but then a lot come back when they start families.
> 
> Basically, I would recommend, if it's at all affordable, that you come to NZ for a few months on holiday. This will give you a better sense of the kind of housing you can expect, the cost of living and the general culture as well as what city you might like to live in (Auckland is completely different to the rest of the country).




Thank you for advice,

We cant afford to holiday over there really, its far to expenisve for flights etc... then to come home arrange it all again if we do like it and think it will work, were looking at around £2500 just for flights !

Our main priority is ur children and giving them a wonderful healthy life, We know in the UK its not the best with drugs and drink and violence aswell as other stuff..
But it our home and weve made it work so far for us, 
We would have to sell the house and we wouldnt recieve alot from the sale really but what we did would be a start over there for us, 

Ive found out my qualification is now not accepted over there so this is another issue for us, If i stayed in my career i have now id have to go to university for 3 years, then would have to work for 2 years before i could become practically what i am now !!! Its good they like their qualifications and work hard but i cant do all that now, My husband should have no problem getting work and our friends have given us their average monthly cost of living so we know what to expect really,
And they are ringing us over the next few days to talk about things, so well see what turns up,


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## sdh080

ammclaugh said:


> It depends. I think the short answer (really a question) is, what are your priorities? *Your salary will almost certainly be lower in NZ. Your taxes will probably be higher*. If you live in Auckland, you will be paying a lot more money for a poorer quality house (with a better view). You will be paying more for a limited selection of food (fruit and veg out of season is crazy expensive bordering on unaffordable- but you just learn to shop for what's seasonal)


If the original poster is coming from the UK then the chances are that taxes will be lower in New Zealand than back in the UK once you factor in National Insurance which is just another tax on income.

For example in the UK I would take home on average 71% of my monthly salary after tax and NI.

In New Zealand I take home 75% of my monthly salary.

And salaries also depend on the type of work someone is in and the part of the UK they come from and the part of New Zealand they move to.


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## B & H

*Your childcare qualifiaction*



clairelouise said:


> Thank you for advice,
> 
> We cant afford to holiday over there really, its far to expenisve for flights etc... then to come home arrange it all again if we do like it and think it will work, were looking at around £2500 just for flights !
> 
> Our main priority is ur children and giving them a wonderful healthy life, We know in the UK its not the best with drugs and drink and violence aswell as other stuff..
> But it our home and weve made it work so far for us,
> We would have to sell the house and we wouldnt recieve alot from the sale really but what we did would be a start over there for us,
> 
> Ive found out my qualification is now not accepted over there so this is another issue for us, If i stayed in my career i have now id have to go to university for 3 years, then would have to work for 2 years before i could become practically what i am now !!! Its good they like their qualifications and work hard but i cant do all that now, My husband should have no problem getting work and our friends have given us their average monthly cost of living so we know what to expect really,
> And they are ringing us over the next few days to talk about things, so well see what turns up,




Hi 

Can I ask how you found out that your qualification is not accepted? I am in a similar position to you.

Many Thanks


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## clairelouise

B & H said:


> Hi
> 
> Can I ask how you found out that your qualification is not accepted? I am in a similar position to you.
> 
> Many Thanks



I contacted a company about jobs available over in new zealand and they replied very quickly and were very very helpfull, 
I told them i was having trouble finding anything under my job description and they said i was right and that there wasnt so called Nursery nurses out in NZ, They are early childhood teachers,
after a few messages back and forth it turns out i can work unqualified as thats all id be with my leve 3 !!!
Seems alot of hard work for nothing and i was really dissapointed, I cant be going back to college/uni for another 3 years, I certainly dont want to move over there to go bk to school 

Though my friend who lives over there has said 'I can work same as i do here' !!! ive emailed other companies though its been over a week and ive still not heard anything from them so doubt i will,
The only other option is childminding which i do now though its diff over there too and i cant do anything till i have my own home, 

are you nvq 3 too then? Are you immigrating soon?


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## B & H

clairelouise said:


> I contacted a company about jobs available over in new zealand and they replied very quickly and were very very helpfull,
> I told them i was having trouble finding anything under my job description and they said i was right and that there wasnt so called Nursery nurses out in NZ, They are early childhood teachers,
> after a few messages back and forth it turns out i can work unqualified as thats all id be with my leve 3 !!!
> Seems alot of hard work for nothing and i was really dissapointed, I cant be going back to college/uni for another 3 years, I certainly dont want to move over there to go bk to school
> 
> Though my friend who lives over there has said 'I can work same as i do here' !!! ive emailed other companies though its been over a week and ive still not heard anything from them so doubt i will,
> The only other option is childminding which i do now though its diff over there too and i cant do anything till i have my own home,
> 
> are you nvq 3 too then? Are you immigrating soon?


Thanks for the reply

I was level 3 but just finished the foundation degree, dont know where this leaves me though and like you I have been struggling to understand where I fit in over there. We are hopefully going to be leaving in May. What about you guys?


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## clairelouise

B & H said:


> Thanks for the reply
> 
> I was level 3 but just finished the foundation degree, dont know where this leaves me though and like you I have been struggling to understand where I fit in over there. We are hopefully going to be leaving in May. What about you guys?



You may have a better chance as you have the degree, What they said to me was to get the early years teaching degree aged 0-5yrs !!! going to uni is like starting over again, Im 30 with 2 young girls i really cant do it and its 3yrs course too,

Were still at the same stage of is it the right move, were taking it slowly really as were also looking at australia, Luckily we have friends in Auckland who are helping loads,
Keep in touch anyway and hope it works out for you, What area you moving to? how long has it taken you to get the visa through?


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## B & H

clairelouise said:


> You may have a better chance as you have the degree, What they said to me was to get the early years teaching degree aged 0-5yrs !!! going to uni is like starting over again, Im 30 with 2 young girls i really cant do it and its 3yrs course too,
> 
> Were still at the same stage of is it the right move, were taking it slowly really as were also looking at australia, Luckily we have friends in Auckland who are helping loads,
> Keep in touch anyway and hope it works out for you, What area you moving to? how long has it taken you to get the visa through?



Hi

Hopefully just outside of Wellington, we have been working towards this for over 2 years but the actual visa process has taken since October 2010 and that includes a job search. Have you made any decisions yet?

H x


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