General Information
Introduction: Making the Right Choice
To make New Zealand your new home may be one of the most important decisions of your life. We want you to make a well informed choice and this document details important things you will need to know if you plan to live or work in New Zealand.
Immigration to New Zealand
New Zealand is a popular place for people looking for a new life. Its beautiful countryside, healthy lifestyle and multicultural community make it an attractive choice for migrants from all over the world.
New Zealand welcomes people who will contribute to New Zealand. This may be through bringing valuable skills or qualifications to the country, setting up a business or making financial investments.
If you migrate to New Zealand, you should:
- Intend to live here for a long time.
- Be able to adapt easily New Zealand’s life style.
- Obey New Zealand’s law and have no previous criminal convictions.
Making the right choice, migrating to New Zealand is a big step, so you should make sure You have all the information you need to help you make your Decision.
Demographics
New Zealand is a small country in the southwest Pacific Ocean. It is similar in size to Japan and Great Britain (220,000 square kilometres). It has two main islands: the North and South Islands, which are separated by the Cook Strait. Other small Islands make up the rest of New Zealand.
The countryside offers many recreational opportunities. Farmland, Forests, Rivers, Mountains, Hills and Lakes cover the land, and the coastline has many beautiful beaches.
New Zealanders are proud of their environment and know they need to protect the land, water, air and all that lives on, in and around New Zealand. Everybody in New Zealand must recognise this need and follow the laws that protect their native species and natural resources.
New Zealand’s democratic society is based on freedom of speech and equality of all its people. Human rights are protected by the law. The government is elected every three years.
There are five main cities (population in Brackets): Auckland (1,000,000), Wellington (400,000), Hamilton (120,000), Christchurch (320,000) and Dunedin (110,000). Each city offers different opportunities.
- Auckland is the largest city with over one million people.
- Wellington is New Zealand’s capital city, the centre of New Zealand’s government activity, and is the country’s banking and financial centre.
It is good idea to learn as much as you can about New Zealand’s cities, towns and rural areas before you decide where you would like to live.
New Zealand’s climate is temperate, with average temperature ranging about 8 degrees celcius in July to 23 degrees celcius in January. The Summer is around the new year, and Winter is around the middle of the year.
- The further north you go the warmer it gets, as the equator gets closer. However, some parts of the South Island have very high summer temperatures.
- Summer starts in November/December and most of New Zealand has good weather until February/March. Autumn starts in March/April, winter is from June and spring begins early September.
- January and February are usually the warmest months and July the coldest.
New Zealand sun is very strong — during the warmer months, sunscreen should always be worn on skin exposed to the sun, especially for people with a fair complexion.
Culture and Religion
New Zealand does not have a State Religion. Most major religions are represented throughout the country. It has an English, and therefore Christian history.
It has a well-educated population. Schooling is compulsory till the age of 16, but most students remain at school to gain higher qualifications.
New Zealand has a population of 3.8 million people (Census 2001). Most live in the North Island. New Zealanders come from many cultures and have a reputation for being warm and friendly. They are sometimes called “Kiwisâ€, after New Zealand’s national symbol, a native, flightless bird.
New Zealand’s two main cultures are Maori and European. The New Zealand European Group makes up 71.1% of the population and the New Zealand Maori [14.5%]. Pacific Islanders [4.7%] and Asians[4.4%] and a mixture of other ethnic groups make up the rest of New Zealand’s population.
- The Maori people were the first to settle in New Zealand more than 1000 years ago. They are known as “Tangata Whenuaâ€, the “people of the landâ€. European settlers arrived around 1769.
- In 1840, the Maori and the Crown (The British) signed the “Treaty of Waitangi†at the town of Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. The treaty established a partnership between the Maori people of New Zealand and the new settlers, providing a frame work for Maori and non Maori to live in this country together.
- Through the Treaty of Waitangi, people who live in New Zealand are responsible for protecting the social, political, and spiritual rights of the Maori people.
Maoritanga (Maori culture) is very important in New Zealand society. Part of living in New Zealand is about experiencing and respecting Maoritanga.
Costs of Living
New Zealand has a decimal currency (dollars and cents) of notes and coins. Notes: $100, $50, $20, $10, $5, Coins: $2, $1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c.
The cost of living in New Zealand may be different from your country. Your living cost in New Zealand will depend on where you decide to live and how you want to spend your money.
This table details the cost of each item of daily living in NZ—average weekly living costs per average household, in NZD.
| *Item* | *Cost* |
| Food (Groceries, Takeaways) | 125 |
| Transport (Public Transport) and Road Vehicles | 121 |
| Housing (Rent, Mortgage Rates) | 181 |
| Other Goods (Personal goods, Newspapers, Alcohol) | 85 |
| Household Operations (Power, Appliances, Furniture) | 97 |
| Apparel (Clothing and Footwear) | 24 |
| Other Services (Health, Savings and Leisure Services) | 125 |
| _Total_ | _758_ |
|---|
Source: Household Economics Survey, Statistics New Zealand, for the year ended March 1996. Please note these figures are approximate and may change.
Language
New Zealand’s two official languages are English and Maori. English is the common language. To get the most out of your new life in New Zealand, you need to speak English too. Learning to speak English will help you to get a job, meet people and get used to living in New Zealand. Te Reo Maori (Maori language) is not spoken as much as English, but many New Zealanders are learning the language and using it in their daily lives.
What is a good level of English?
A good level of English means you can:
- Have a conversation in English.
- Read and complete a job application form printed in English and write your Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English.
Why do you need a good level of English?
Being able to speak and read English will help you:
- Find work. Most New Zealand employers expect their staff to have a good level of English. The more highly skilled your job is, the better your English will need to be.
- Meet new people. It will be hard to make new friends if you cannot speak to them.
- Join clubs, community and religious groups.
- Learn about where you are living. You may need to catch a bus, train or ferry—if you can speak and read English you will be able to ask for help and directions, and read signs.
- Buy a house or find somewhere to rent.
- Go shopping, buy food and clothes.
English language requirements:
If you are from a non-English speaking background, have you arranged English language tuition for when arrive in New Zealand? (If you are confident about your standard of English additional classes will help you understand New Zealand’s culture)
If you required to pass IELTS Exam
Please click here to check the IELTS in detail
We cannot emphasise this enough: to be able to enjoy life in New Zealand, every one in your family needs to be able to speak, read and write english. You will have far less difficulty settling in, and in continuing everyday life in New Zealand, if you can communicate with people well.
Working in New Zealand
Employment
New Zealand needs people who will contribute to the country. New Zealand welcomes migrants who will have the skills and qualifications New Zealand needs. New Zealand has a very developed, high tech and modern economy with strong emphasis on tourism, financial services and other service-based sectors.
Overall, well-educated, experienced people should not find difficulty in getting a job within a short time. The government encourages businessmen and entrepreneurs to establish and/or relocate their businesses. Businesses in tourism, hospitality, international trade, relating sector enjoy good profitability.
However, it is not always easy to find a job in New Zealand, even if you have the right skills or qualifications. If you do not already have a New Zealand job offer and will be looking for work, you need to know some important information first.
Employment information you must know
If you are looking for work in New Zealand, you need to know about five important things before you apply for residence:
- Recognised skills and/or qualifications: Your skills and qualifications must compare with New Zealand’s standards and be accepted by New Zealand employers.
- Registration for some jobs (for example, doctors and dentist): You will need to be registered in New Zealand before you work here. If you need registration, contact the appropriate organisation. You may need to do extra training or examinations, and sometimes there is a waiting list for this. You will usually have to pay fees. Registration is compulsory for some occupations if you are applying for residence under the General Skills category.
- A good level of spoken and written English: New Zealand employers expect their staff to have a good level of English. The standard of English demanded by most employers is much higher than the qualifying score required for residence. The more skilled your job, the better your English will need to be.
- Occupational Flexibility: New Zealand may have a different attitude towards your skills and/or other qualifications from other countries. You may have to accept a position at a lower level than you have now. You may also have to think about working in different job until you can find a job in your usual profession, or you may need to undertake further study.
- Curriculum Vitae/Resume: A clear, concise curriculum vitae (CV) or resume is very important when you are looking for job. A CV is a summary of your work experience, skills and qualifications and includes some personal details and interests. You will need to include a CV (written in English) with most job applications. If you do not already have a CV or want to improve your existing one, contact an employment agency or Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ)—they will be able to help.
New Zealand’s job market and wages rates
New Zealand’s labour market offers a wide variety of job opportunities. The market has been steady for past few years, with areas of recent growth including business and financial services, wholesale, retail, forestry and fishing.
Your weekly income will vary depending on your occupation and the skills and experience you have. Average weekly earnings before tax were $ 613 as at November 1996 and average hourly earnings were $16. These figures do not include any overtime worked. As at February 1997, the average weekly paid hours of employment were 40 hours per week.
Current minimum wage rates were set by the Minimum Wages Order 1997. The adult minimum wage is $7 per hour if you are 20 years or older. The minimum youth wage for 16-19 year olds is $4.20 per hour. People who earn less than $38,000 (gross) are taxed 19.5 cents for every dollar. If you earn more than $38,000 but less than $60,000, the tax rates is 33 cents for every dollar you earn over $38,000. Successful residence applicants will be given more information about the New Zealand tax system.
Average Hourly Earnings by Industry for those Earning Income from Wages/Salary Jobs
This table shows average hourly earnings for people in main job groups in NZ, with each table row being a group, and the two columns for the group name, and the hourly rate for that group.
| *Occupation* | *NZD before tax* |
| Legislators, administrators & managers | 21.82 |
| Professionals | 20.80 |
| Technicians & associate professionals | 18.63 |
| Clerks | 15.26 |
| Service & Sales workers | 12.03 |
| Agriculture & fisheries workers | 12.61 |
| Trades workers | 15.72 |
| Plant & machine operators/assemblers | 14.22 |
| Elementary occupations | 11.76 |
Source: Statistics New Zealand, as at November 2001. The current unemployment rate is about 7%.
Finding jobs in New Zealand
New Zealand employers advertise job vacancies:
- In the newspapers, usually on a Wednesday & Saturday. New Zealand’s main newspapers are: The Dominion Post—Wellington, The New Zealand Herald—Auckland, The Otago Daily Times—Dunedin, The Press—Christchurch.
- With employment agencies. Work and Income New Zealand is the government organisation responsible for helping the unemployed in New Zealand. They will not find you a job, but will help you look for one.
- Through professional organisations.
Personal contacts are another good way of finding out about jobs. Note: You can take up any job and reside anywhere in the country.
Acceptability of Qualification
- You must check the status of your professional training and qualifications.
- You must know that some employers require you to have professional registration even if this is not a legal requirement.
- You have to know that being professionally qualified in your home country and having practised for a number of years does not mean your experience and qualifications will be recognised automatically.
NZQA assessment
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) assesses foreign qualifications and compares these with current New Zealand standards.
- The NZQA List of Recognised Qualifications is on the NZIS website and NZQA website also available from NZIS leaflet. (NZIS 1080)
- Applicants with qualifications not on the List of Recognised Qualifications, have to provide an NZQA assessment report with their residence application.
Education
New Zealand’s education system is seen as one of the best in the world. This offers quality education through schools, universities, polytechnics and other educational institutions.
Important information you need to know before you apply for residence:
- To get most out of education in New Zealand, students of all ages must be able to communicate in English.
- Some schools offer English language tuition, fees depends on the school.
- There may be a waiting list for English language courses.
New Zealand’s Education System
As in most countries, people start their education in New Zealand at an early age and can continue studying throughout their lives. In New Zealand, the government funds early childhood education, compulsory education and post-compulsory education and training.
Compulsory Education System
- School is Compulsory for children aged from 6 to 16 years, at primary, intermediate, and secondary school. Most children in New Zealand start school when they are five years old.
- State schools do not charge fees but may suggest you donate a set amount.
- Although there are no fees in state schools, you may have to pay additional costs for example, sports clothes, school trips, text books or stationery. School uniforms are not usually worn at State Primary Schools, but worn at most intermediate and secondary schools. Parents are expected to pay for school uniforms and provide lunches for their children.
- Private schools are available for primary, intermediate and secondary education. They receive some funding from the Government, and charge fees as well as additional costs.
Early childhood education and post-compulsory education and training
- Early childhood education is the non-compulsory education and care of young children and infants before they start school. Early childhood education centres include kindergartens, play centres, crèches, child care centres and community play groups.
- Students who finish secondary school can go on to post-compulsory education and training. This may be at a university, polytechnic, private training the cost of their tertiary study.
- People of all ages are encouraged to learn. If you are an adult and want to go back to school, there are opportunities at secondary and tertiary levels. You can also do training courses and “on the job training”.
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