Hi forumites
I have been reading this forum for a number of years, going back to 2006 and well I'm finally going to be in a position to submit my EOI in 2014. I have been to NZ every year for the last 7 years so it's not like I don't know the country either so this isn't a blind move but visiting isn't the equivalent of living and working and this is where I'm having concerns.
First off, my biggest concern is money or more aptly put, what is going to happen to my career. I work in IT and I'm currently a development manager for a very large insurance company in Philadelphia. My annual salary is >$120k with a 36% bonus and 32 PTO days per year. Prior to this role I was an aVP for Barclays so I'm marching right up through the middle management chain. In fact, in my 19 year career I've never worked for a company that wasn't Fortune 200 or higher. My concern is that will I be able to sustain my career and what I've grown accustomed to salary-wise? I look at the salary calculators and while it would appear the opportunities are there, are they really? Also, because of my career experience, it would appear that I maybe limited to only Auckland and while that is fine, I would really like to move to Tauranga as that is favorite place in NZ.
Second is home prices and how do these lower salaries pay for massively overpriced homes? How does a country with an average salary of $60,000 sustain a housing market where the average price is $400,000? I wouldn't be able to afford a $400,000 home here in Philly on my current salary. Are mortgages done differently, ie is interest balanced over the course of the loan and not front-loaded like here in the US which allows for faster principal payoff which means homeowners are able to effectively flip houses faster? That's the only thing I can think of.
I love visiting NZ, it's the best two weeks of my year every year and I think I would love to call this beautiful island home. But the work-life balance is big for me and while the life balance part is definitely greater in NZ than where I currently live, the work part is just as important because if you can't afford your hobbies or passions, then what is the point? Or in my case, if I am constantly saving to go and visit my parents and siblings in the US once or twice a year, why bother?
I have read Expat Exposed and I really think that site is filled with a bunch of whiners and tossers but some sob-stories do have merit. I also read the Leaving NZ thread here and some of the most active forumites 5 years ago are going home with some not kind words to say about NZ. I also read the news about the massive brain-drain from NZ to Australia. I will say that I don't know the type of immigrant from NZ to OZ though... are these educated workers or are these the poor-folk to begin with and are moving to OZ for the perception of greater opportunity for either work or welfare? I've seen the trailer-parks in Australia that are filled with expat Kiwis that are living off of welfare or just lower paying labor jobs with nicer weather. I would think that the brain-drain would foster opportunities for highly-skilled, highly-trained professional like myself but I don't know.
I would really like feedback on my concerns as making the move will pretty much financially drain me as I would be making the move with an all-in mentality. I will be visiting again in March or April of 2014 with the idea that I will be posting my CV on all the employment sites and then pounding the pavement so to speak once I get there. I have a NZ number through Vonage which I'm hoping will help. If there are any forumites that can help with work, please message me privately and I will send you my LinkedIn profile. I really want to make the move but I also have my concerns and I'm hoping to lay these concerns to bed but I'm hoping to get real feedback and not what people would like to read.