Introduction
New Zealand is a remote country comprising two main islands in the heart of the southern Pacific Ocean. It is comparable in size to the UK ((268,000 sq. km compared to the UK’s 243,000) but has a population of 4,500,000 compared to the UK’s 64,000,000. It is a very rural country and is home to over 30,000,000 sheep.
New Zealand is a beautiful country with a varied climate. There are subtropical beaches along the northern shore of North Island whereas South Island is much cooler. It is surrounded by fjords and divided by a range of mountains called the Southern Alps. The country is home to unique wildlife including flightless birds such as the kiwi and kakapo.
Despite the natural beauty, many young New Zealanders leave to find excitement elsewhere and many do not return. The New Zealand government has been actively courting immigrants for some time. These efforts have increased since the earthquake that destroyed much of Christchurch, the largest city on South Island, in 2011.
There are therefore many openings for migrants who want to live and work there, New Zealand is seeking thousands of skilled workers in many fields, particularly in construction and medicine. The country has an excellent standard of living and low levels of crime.
Visa regime
Australian citizens do not need a visa to visit New Zealand, Visitors from certain ‘visa-waiver countries’ do not need a visa if they are visiting for under three months (six months if from the UK.
New Zealand has a range of work visas which range from short term working holiday visas, through longer-lasting temporary work visas to permanent resident visas.
There are also visas available for entrepreneurs and investors. We can also help you with student visas, with Family Stream visas, for those joining a family member already working in New Zealand and even with visitors’ visas.
