Canada to NZ 2018 - 6 Months In. What we learned.

I met my English husband in Sydney in 2003: from the outset I told him it would be a "two-for" as I was not interested in staying in Australia long term. We moved back to Vancouver in 2005. While he had no difficulties finding a great job and we managed to wedge ourselves onto the property ladder, he never really settled socially. The climate, by the way, wasn't a major issue: we were all season active. But I wasn't inclined to move unless we could agree on a place and one of us could secure a job in advance.
When I applied for my job (which I have been in for almost 7 years), I didn't expect to get the offer. But did. So here we are. I love Auckland and New Zealand but I still love Vancouver and Canada more. Call me polyamorous. :)

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Originally Posted by Famed

What are the main reasons people are moving in from countries such as USA and CA to NZ? Just curious.

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Originally Posted by Juniper

A mixture of political and lifestyle reasons. We love California, but it’s horribly expensive even on an executive salary. We couldn’t buy a house. And it’s lack of water/firestorms are becoming the norm. NZ feels a lot like California 30 years ago, in several ways. And we didn’t want our kids to finish growing up in the Trump climate (which won’t magically go away even if he loses in 2020). So some “pull” reasons and some “push.” It just seems smarter for the next generations. The environment and low population combined with a government that mostly takes care of people - that’s all a big deal. Even the isolation is looking like an overall benefit.

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That's some intereting reasons, do you think housing in NZ is far more affordable than in CA? after living in NZ for 4 years I find the cost of living in NZ is very horrendous especially to buy a new house and lower average wage than in CA. I find the median wage in NZ is compareable to entry level salary in the US!!

Recently, I will have a chance to get a US green card and move there to live with my US citizen sister but also expecting my NZ SMC to be approved in the next couple of months. Having living in NZ for 4 years I know the good and the bad of NZ but not that much on the US side. So I'm still thinking whether to give up my NZ residence and move to US or try to secured both which will be a trickier process.

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Originally Posted by cakes88

That's some intereting reasons, do you think housing in NZ is far more affordable than in CA? after living in NZ for 4 years I find the cost of living in NZ is very horrendous especially to buy a new house and lower average wage than in CA. I find the median wage in NZ is compareable to entry level salary in the US!!

Recently, I will have a chance to get a US green card and move there to live with my US citizen sister but also expecting my NZ SMC to be approved in the next couple of months. Having living in NZ for 4 years I know the good and the bad of NZ but not that much on the US side. So I'm still thinking whether to give up my NZ residence and move to US or try to secured both which will be a trickier process.

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Housing and health care are both far more expensive in the US. Yes, it depends on where in the US of course, but if you’re talking within 3 hours of an area with job opportunities, I would say California may be THE most expensive. The comparable areas in other states are getting much much more expensive too, because no one can afford SF/LA and they move away. Portland and Seattle areas are already quite difficult for most people to buy, so now the expense will spread away from the coast.

We are paying less for our 4 bedroom house rental than we used to spend JUST on health insurance for a family of 4 in the US. And that’s when we’re not even sick. Looking at mortgages, nothing looks too bad after living in the Bay Area. Even Auckland can’t really compare.

It costs more in NZ for food and shopping though, for sure, especially as a proportion of local income. I need to work on those costs lol...

Boy that’s a tough call, thinking about giving up your SMC in favor of a green card! I think the US is probably good short term for job experience and just to try out the different lifestyle, but I wouldn’t say higher salary is a top reason. Your sister probably has good advice as to expenses in her area. Childcare is another big one if that’s relevant to you, lots of people can’t earn more than daycare would cost, so they quit work for at least awhile (which can make it hard to get back in the job market). NZ looks better for the long haul, I think.

I guess, I'll have to experience living there to know more about it and make decision lol. At least will have another 2 years before the travel condition on RV run out.

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Originally Posted by cakes88

I guess, I'll have to experience living there to know more about it and make decision lol. At least will have another 2 years before the travel condition on RV run out.

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Yup, nothing like lived experience, you might love it! How does retaining your RV work - just return before 2 years? I’ve only really thought about what it takes to progress toward citizenship.

Juniper, see the Criteria tab on this factsheet. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...-resident-visa

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Originally Posted by JandM

Juniper, see the Criteria tab on this factsheet. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...-resident-visa

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But you wouldn’t get PR immediately after approval of an SMC application, just regular RV, so if the scenario is leaving NZ soon afterwards, you would just need to return before the travel conditions expire, I suppose. But you would have earned no time towards getting Permanent Residency and eventually citizenship, since you have to spend at least half of each year in NZ for that. An interesting way to explore options, for those lucky enough to have both!

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Originally Posted by Juniper

But you wouldn’t get PR immediately after approval of an SMC application, just regular RV, so if the scenario is leaving NZ soon afterwards, you would just need to return before the travel conditions expire, I suppose. But you would have earned no time towards getting Permanent Residency and eventually citizenship, since you have to spend at least half of each year in NZ for that. An interesting way to explore options, for those lucky enough to have both!

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That's correct. However one can apply for an extension of travel condition on RV if it's expired and he/she still not eligible to apply for a PR.

Btw there are many ways to fulfill the requirements of commitment to NZ to upgrade from RV to PRV so it doesn't just depend on 184 days of stay on each year.