Would like to hear from NZers repatriating after many years....

Hi there,

I have long been considering a return to settle in NZ after leaving in 1988, and of course since Covid - things have been changing apace re house prices, economies, employment, etc.

I will be returning with my twins, the plan being to do so in time for intermediate school. They are 7 turning 8 this year, in Grade 2 in Australia. I think this gives us about two years or less to get stuff done! Also, as this will put me in my late 50s, there may be issues around super, pensions, etc. Plan is to move to Dunedin, anywhere north of NE Valley up to say Warrington, hopefully with a bit of space around us.

Anyway - I am keen to get a sense from those who have made the return to NZ after being away for a long time, and while this is an emigration focussed site, I have seen a number of you throughout the threads so hope to draw you out. I myself embarked on the classic two year OE, worked in London and studied in Paris, so was away three years. Then, never quite got back to NZ, landing in Melbourne Australia instead. Now living in Central Victoria, with a house and two little people.

So - feelings, experiences, dos and don'ts, whys and wherefores, "If I knew then what I know now" sort of things. General stories of hope and regret, happiness, contentment - give it to me!

I will ask more specific stuff re finances and house selling / buying on the other threads, but as far as super goes - my super fund in Australia does not pay into Kiwisaver, so if I effectively "retire" here, I can cash it out and put it into the mortgage which will leave us owing not much more than $50k, then sell our house. I am curious how that would affect any pension/super rights in NZ.

Thanks all - such a great resource this is. I'm excited, but have a lot to do in what now seems a dauntingly short time!

K :)

I notice you haven't had any replies so far - sorry about that. I think it's because you're an unusual forum member: most people are foreigners to NZ, focusing on trying to fit INZ's criteria so as to get a visa, not Kiwis wanting to come home. I'll have a look around later, and see if I can find any relevant NZ government regulations.

Thanks J&M, I was aware of that but as I had seen a few long term repatriands (sp?) on some posts, I hoped to "flush" them out. Given I have been away for so long, aside from the Visa/Citizenship issues, I think many queries will be similar to all who are on the forum, in that it feels as though we are moving to a "new country" given how long ago I was there.

I wonder if any Australians visit as well - given the reciprocal nature of some of our systems, though not always equitable from the Australian end...

Anyway, thanks again and I will see what shakes out.

K :)

Super is not related to income in NZ.

Hiya.
Im also 'coming home' to NZ after 30 years in the UK. Weve just sent the application off for the husbands residency visa ( hes a Brit).
I will also be mid 50s when we get there and he will be retired.
I would say if you still have any NZ friends, pick their brains as much as you can. After such a long time away, it feels like Im going somewhere new as the country has changed so much, and Im a lot older than I was when I left. Im sure it will for you too.
Good luck
:)

Hi and thanks Nether 111 - my issue will be whether if I cash it in here in Oz, I will have to "wait" until I am eligible to get any benefits in New Zealand.

Hello Kiwijo - I figured I was not alone on here! Yes indeedy it does feel like moving to a new country - I left in 1988, and am excited and not a little trepidatious about the move! A lot of change has happened and I am for the most part happy and quite excited to re-enter NZ as a wide-eyed repatriant!

I just had a lovely chat with someone at Kiwibank and it does seem that there is no discrimination as to age when applying for a mortgage. I will hopefully rock up with $650k-ish for house deposit, but may need to borrow a wee bit more than that. Looking at Dunedin, where prices are also escalating but I am not priced out like in Auckland and Wellington.

I have been trying to pick brains of friends over there - but it is so out of their orbit... hoping to speak to an Accountant here in Oz, and one in NZ and see whether I can put together a true picture of pension / superannuation / benefits and how that all works. If I cash out my super here and "retire", whether I can work over there, whether there is a preclusion period before I am entitled to a pension over there, etc. etc. My dream is buy nice/nice-ish house north about 15-30 mins out of Dunners on or near the coast (with proceeds from house sale), minivan AND a motorhome (plus time off using super I've cashed out here) - and take a year off to travel with my boys before / during intermediate school. Yikes!

I think the key is to find a well built house with good aspect, or land/build, but building seems a bit more complex though it would be my dream.

Would love to hear more about your journey and plans - keep in touch!

Cheersy, K

Late response -

NZ has KiwiSaver which is voluntary and you won’t have it if you haven’t lived here in the last 10 years.

Then there’s the government pension called NZ Super which you will get from 65 provided that you are living in NZ and that you have lived here for at least 10 years between 20-65 and at least 5 since turning 50.

If you receive an Australian government pension you won’t receive double; for example if the NZ pension would be 700 and AU gives you 500 you’d only receive 200 from NZ.

Voluntary retirement savings (which I believe might be called super in AU making it confusing, but what it means is money taken from your salary or paid by your employer to invest for retirement) won’t impact NZ Super.

https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/seniors/superannuation/index.html#null