How to move to New Zealand

Don’t panic.

America may be falling into chaos, but there are ways out. Here’s a guide to help you plan to leave America. I did it, and so can you.

Here is the short list: Find a job, getting through immigration, bring your family and pets, bring your stuff. If you’re in a hurry, use that American passport for a tourist visa, giving you up to six months in-country to make those crucial connections. If you don’t know where to start, set up a consultation. We’re here to help.

A little background

New York: Election night. I tucked my ten year old kid into bed saying, “Don’t worry. The Democrats will win.” “What if they don’t?” he asked. I laughed. “That would be the end of the world.” The next morning we found out Trump won, and I had to eat crow. I spent the rest of the morning breaking immigration websites for Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

That was November 2016, the first time Trump got elected. I was ahead of the curve.

It took me nine months to find work here. I had never been to New Zealand, didn’t know the first thing about the country. I’m not making this up: I thought they still lived in mud huts.

The first step I took was to talk to recruiters. They shopped my CV around (it’s not called a resume here). After a few months they told me, “No one will employ you without meeting you first. You have to be in the country.” So in August 2017, I lined up a few interviews, hopped on a plane, and hoped for the best. Luckily, of the five interviews I landed that week, one of them made me an offer.

I got in. On October 2nd, 2017, I lay in my sleeping bag in an empty apartment in Auckland, my belongings on a ship somewhere in the Pacific, my family still back in New York sorting the last of our affairs.

Fast forward to 2024. We are New Zealand citizens. I have a New Zealand passport. We came through the pandemic in one piece. I have a good job in a cute house in one of the safest countries in the world. And until now, America’s political problems seemed a world away.

Until now. Now I’m worried for you.

I want to put what I learned to use in getting you out. Even if you decide to move to a country other than New Zealand, the things I learned about leaving can be helpful. Here’s how to move to New Zealand.

Finding a Job

It’s difficult to move anywhere without finding a job first. New Zealand requires an employer to endorse you for a visa. The best way to do that, and what worked for me, was to be in a career listed in the skills shortage list and the Green list.

Don’t worry. It’s a long list. New Zealand is a tiny country, only 5 million people, so we’re short of almost everything. If you have anything to do with construction, health care, or IT, you’re on the list. There’s even some surprising career paths. We’re terribly short on chefs, and they get absurd salaries in Queenstown. We need schoolteachers (but be prepared to spend a year in a school here to get the certificate). Engine mechanics, dairy farmers, midwives — mine your CV (ne resume) and you’ll find a way to fit in. Make sure your employer pays for the visa fees when they sponsor you. It’s over $6,000!

I hope you’re healthy and under 55

We have free health care, so we’re very picky about who comes in. Immigration wants to keep out anyone with a pre-existing health condition so they don’t drain the system. As an American you know what that’s like. Your health care provider has been doing this for years.

This is probably the most difficult hurdle. My wife had an easily solvable medical issue, but it delayed her visa by three months. Good health is the number one factor, I would say, in getting accepted.

Your criminal record matters, too. Be honest about this, but know that most countries can afford to be picky. You’ll spend time at your local police station getting fingerprinted with a background check, and they’ll send proof of your record (nation-wide) to the country you choose.

Youth helps, too. After 55 it’s hard to get into any country. There are still options if you’re older, though. Chances are by now you have a bit of savings, maybe decent equity in your house after the bull market (ending now). Use it invest in a business, or invest in your own business while relocating here. Both are pathways on their own.

If you’ve been successful in the US, you’re fastest bet is an investor visa (around $5.7 million). We can pair you with New Zealand companies investing in renewable energy and Next Industrial Revolution pathways, keeping your money working for you while you settle in.

Get an immigration lawyer

If you can afford it, I highly recommend using a New Zealand based immigration lawyer. It isn’t cheap, but they earn every penny by making a few phone calls when the process needs a push. It will. I cannot recommend it enough, and you’ll thank me later. I’ve had friends try to go it alone, and they spent years in paperwork purgatory. You might think you can’t afford a good lawyer, but when it comes to Immigration you can’t afford not to.

Finding a house

We’re in the midst of a housing shortage, so finding a place to live won’t be easy. Finding an affordable place to live will be damn near impossible. The last round of inflation boosted house prices so that the average home costs a cool $1.2 million NZD ($680,000 USD). You can still find plenty of great homes in the range of $400k USD, though, with at least 20% down. Banks are real friendly right now, though, and interest rates are steadily declining.

The best option is to keep your money in the bank and just stay in a rental the first year. That’s what I did. It gives you a chance to get to know the market, and once you’re a resident it will be easier to get that financing. Renting usually costs more than buying, but it’s worth it to find the right area, or even the right part of the country.

We can help you with this. Once you’re serious about relocating here, we can introduce you to real estate agents, banks, and even go check out the house you want to buy. Think of us as “Your man in Auckland”.

It’s not cheap to relocate

You probably already know this. If you’ve moved from one state to another, you know what it’s like. Aside from the visa and working in advance, it’s not that different.

Moving here cost us about $15,000, but 1/3 of that was for our cat. Pets cost more than humans! New Zealand is rabies-free, so they require a lot of medical checkups. That’s the price of true safety. If you don’t have pets, you’re probably looking at sub-$10,000, depending on how many people are coming. If it’s just you, and you can fit your belongings in a suitcase, it will be a lot cheaper.

Your future is worth it

What you get for your money is an investment in your future. Here is what makes it worthwhile:

Free health care. A lifetime of safety and security. A centrist, functioning government. Friendly neighbours. The type of childhood that has been missing in America for fifty years. One of the cleanest and most beautiful natural environments in the world (no, really, you won’t believe this place). Distance from the Northern Hemisphere’s troubles. A trusting society that takes care of each other.

America has the kind of real freedom Americans always dreamt of.

What you’re buy for you and your loved ones is peace.

Ready for your future? Set up a consultation and let’s get started.