Top 10 tips for moving to New Zealand

06 July 2016

We help people get in touch with companies that can help them move their life and family to New Zealand. You can start to arrange your move to New Zealand in 60 seconds. That’s all well and good, but if you haven’t already:

  1. Check in with a reputable visa agent. They should be licensed with the New Zealand Immigration Advisers Authority. They’ll steer you through the complex legalities, and be being licensed means they’ll act in your best interests, and they’ll save you tons of time. If you want to talk to one of our visa team please contact us here.
  2. Chances are, you’re going to need a job. Fortunately, New Zealand currently has strong demand for imported labour in a wide range of sectors. Start your search here on our job boards.
  3. Get a New Zealand bank account before you leave home. It’s actually easier to do before you leave – because if you’re in temporary accommodation upon your arrival, it can be complicated to give the bank proof of address.
  4. Plan your currency exchange sooner rather than later, and consider getting a currency broker. Either way, if you follow the market for your currency against the NZD, you’ll have a better idea of the best time to make the swap. Have a look at the currency service we have launched with trusted partners TorFX. We like them because they are passionate about getting great currency rates, they have excellent service and they were started years ago by the sea in Cornwall.
  5. Shop around for a shipping quote. All quoting shipping companies should pay you a visit. If they offer a quote without first seeing your stuff, you should probably move on to the next one.
  6. Sort out some short-term accommodation for when you get off the flight. Hotels are fine. But there are also some great deals in holiday homes in all areas, including the cities. That way you’ll get a lovely dose of the best of the kiwi lifestyle.
  7. Get a pet removal specialist to help with your mutt or your mogg, or whatever your critter of choice may be. New Zealand is fairly stringent on biosecurity, so the animals that come here have to jump through a few bureaucratic hoops, so to speak.
  8. Plugs! Depending on where you are, you might need to either change your electric appliances over to NZ plugs. It’s much better to do that than to use adaptors. You can use them with local adaptors where you are until it’s time to pack them up.
  9. Packing: don’t do it. Get someone else to. Yes, it will cost a little more. But we think it’s worth it because a) it saves time and reduces stress, and b) it lets you focus on more important stuff. And when you’re shifting, that’s more-or-less everything.
  10. One of the hardest parts of sorting out your move is engaging the right suppliers, for everything from removalists to currency. We have a team dedicated to doing this who have great relationships with some of the best relocation brands NZ has to offer.

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