For many migrants, moving to New Zealand is the ultimate dream. It offers a beautiful, safe environment to work and live in. But first, finding the best place to live in NZ, with the right work opportunities, is essential.
If you're curious about what part of New Zealand you could call home, keep reading for some information about suitable places for different interests and industries.
This guide will help you understand more about the many places in New Zealand and what they offer you as a migrant. Use this information to help you decide where you want to call home.
You can also learn more about things you can do in New Zealand to get the full NZ experience.
The biggest city in New Zealand is Auckland, with 1.5 million people. The population is spread across Auckland, which is the area size of Los Angeles.
Now you may be wondering, what are the benefits of Auckland life?
Auckland has a high cost of living. This is evident with the high renting prices and real estate. However, migrants often find this balance by finding NZ jobs that pay well and quickly. You are also more likely to find a cultural group to support you in the transition to living in New Zealand, as Auckland has a higher percentage of immigrants.
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is situated on the North Island and is the third-largest city in New Zealand by population.
What is life like in Wellington?
While Wellington is known as the windy city, it is perched on the hills around the Wellington Harbour, where the stunning scenic landscape compensates for the windiness. Wellington is not the largest metropolitan area, so it might not offer as many opportunities. However, many migrants consider it to be a 'cool' city (not just because of the wind), and it remains a desired destination for many overseas visitors and workers.
Christchurch is the largest city in NZ's South Island, centred around the scenic Hagley Park and the Avon River.
Why should migrants consider moving to Christchurch?
Christchurch might be known globally due to the 2011 earthquake. But this unfortunate event isn't the reality that the Christchurch population lives in. In fact, as the South Island's largest city, it has rebuilt itself and is stronger than before, with a focus on innovation. Migrants are drawn to Christchurch for its artwork, Port Hills views, and surf beaches.
Hamilton is just an hour south of Auckland, initially desired as a quiet regional centre with workers coming to the city for its many services.
What are the many benefits of living in Hamilton?
Hamilton is situated on the mighty Waikato River and only continues to grow, with new opportunities popping up everywhere. While the city is a good hub for visiting places like Raglan or touring the Hobbiton movie set, this town is only becoming more popular. Many Auckland companies have relocated to Hamilton to lower their overheads, increasing opportunities for migrants to find work.
Dunedin is also one of the larger cities in New Zealand. Historically, it's the most European-style city in NZ, with its growth opportunities.
Why is Dunedin a good option for migrants?
Dunedin is situated south of the South Island and is home to a population that enjoys the region and its lifestyle. While it may not offer as many growth opportunities as Auckland, it is well-loved and admired for the lifestyle, scenery and affordability of the city.
New Zealand's population is centred around its cities, with a high rate of jobs and opportunities. However, looking for employment regionally in the smaller centres could open up more opportunities for migrants.
Applying for roles in New Zealand region centres may mean less competition for the roles. However, this depends on the industry. For example, roles in medicine or teaching may allow a migrant a pathway to residency and help support the regional community.
Agriculture, especially in these regional centres, forms a large, important sector for New Zealand. Skilled migrant worker roles are prioritised by Immigration NZ on the Green list to support this industry.
New Zealand immigration can seem complicated. Reach out to NZ licensed immigration advisers and let them take care of the process for you.
Life in these regional areas is much quieter, focusing on the family and enjoying the outdoors. On the other hand, vast areas of the countryside may be supported by one central hub for food, facilities and community support.
Not every regional centre has access to an airport, so the main form of transport is by car.
As the New Zealand climate differs in the extreme from one end of the country to the other, It is wise to understand the region's climate before applying for the roles.
If you're a migrant moving to NZ, there are various accommodation options available and amazing places to live. From renting your own house to flat-sharing, we discuss the available accommodation types and how to find your new property to call home.
Accommodation in New Zealand can come in many different forms at a wide price range, depending on location. We'll walk you through the different rental options and the average cost for different-sized rental properties.
However, it's important to note that we haven't provided details about purchasing property and other accommodation ownership options in New Zealand, as the eligibility to do varies. Typically only New Zealand Citizens, Resident Visa holders and a small group of other individuals can purchase Residential Property.
The average rental price of an apartment depends on the location of the apartment, the quality of the build, and the size of the property. On average, apartment rent ranges from $460 to $800 per week.
The average rental price of a house depends on the location and the size. On average, house rent ranges from $520 to $1050 per week.
Room renting is common practice in New Zealand, which refers to boarding, flatting and house sharing. It involves moving into a house or apartment you share with other people. If you are moving into a rental with other people, but somebody else holds the rental contract (also known as the tenancy agreement), you are classified as flatmates.
Finding accommodation in New Zealand doesn't have to be stressful. Reach out to our experienced immigration advisers for advice and resources, or keep reading to find out some good places to look for accommodation online.
As New Zealand's largest online auction website, Trade Me Property is the best place to start searching for accommodation. It has a great filtering system, meaning you can specify price range, property type, location and more to find the best accommodation.
Similar to Trade Me Property, Facebook's marketplace has its own category for rental listings. There is no additional cost for people to list their property for rent, so you may find more options here that may not have been listed elsewhere.
Contacting various real estate agencies is also feasible if you would instead search for property more directly. Some well-known and established real estate agents include Crockers, Barfoot & Thompson, and Harcourts. Most real estate agents have their own websites that list available rentals.
Here at Malcolm Pacific Immigration, we understand that moving to a new country can be challenging. We are here to help, whether you need reliable NZ housing information, NZ work visa assistance or advice about your move to the country under your new Accredited Employer Work Visa.
Get in touch with our knowledgeable immigration advisers in NZ today for assistance.
Stay up to date with the latest NZ immigration news on our blog.
Our highly experienced licensed Immigration team will take away the stress and worry of navigating the complicated world of New Zealand Immigration. All you need to do is get in touch. Our team is on standby, ready to help.
Our highly experienced licensed Immigration team will take away the stress and worry of navigating the complicated world of New Zealand Immigration. All you need to do is get in touch. Our employer team is on standby, ready to help.
We stay on top of the most important updates to immigration law. Browse below or subscribe and get updates straight to your inbox.
We stay on top of the most important updates to employment and immigration law. Browse below or subscribe and get updates straight to your inbox.
Our team keep ahead of all the latest immigration developments and post updates regularly. Stay up to date by signing up to our newsletter and get these updates directly to your inbox.
Today the government announced a pathway to residence for migrant workers who are living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave who are eligible to apply. The second wave can apply from 1 March 2022. The deadline to lodge an application is 31 July 2022 or else they will miss out on this one off opportunity.
Today the government announced a pathway to residence for people living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave eligible to apply. The second wave can apply from 1 March 2022. The deadline to lodge an application is 31 July 2022 or else you miss the boat.
The government has moved the introduction of the new employer accreditation process across to mid-2022. At the same time, the Minister of Immigration announced new work visa rules for migrant workers who are already in New Zealand and working full time.
The government has increased the median wage to $27 per hour from 19 July. Any Skilled Migrant residence application lodged after this date will need to include a skilled job offer that pays at least $27 per hour. For some lower-skilled occupations, the minimum pay rate increases to $40.50 per hour.
From 19 July 2021
From 30 June 2021
Employers of migrant workers must become accredited from 1 November 2021 before work visa applications can be processed. Most employers are not accredited. Those that are accredited will have to roll into the new system when it goes live in late September.
From mid-2020 (delayed)
Skilled occupation "Dairy Cattle Farmer" spilt into three occupations. New occupations are: "Dairy Farm Manager", "Assistant Dairy Farm Manager" and "Dairy Herd Manager". Each sit at different skill levels, therefore, the award of points will depend on pay rates, job tasks and other requirements.
From 15 February 2021
The government has deferred the fortnightly selection of Expressions of Interest from the Skilled Migrant pool for six months (to be reviewed in April 2021). Invitations to Apply for Residence remain suspended. The last selection from the Skilled Migrant pool took place on 18/03/2020.
From 7 October 2020
The government added four new occupations that are now regarded as skilled employment and may qualify for job offer points under the Skilled Migrant Category. These are:
Aged or disabled carer, Bicycle mechanic, Driller and Nursing Support worker.
From 27 July 2020
Anyone invited by Immigration NZ to apply for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category where their invitation is dated between 1 November 2019 and 15 April 2020 (inclusive) has now been granted an additional six months to lodge their residence application.
From 27 May 2020
The government has deferred the fortnightly selection of Expressions of Interest from the Skilled Migrant pool. This means Invitations to Apply for Residence are also suspended. Malcolm Pacific Immigration does not anticipate selections to resume until after the general election held on 17 October 2020.
Immigration NZ is now prioritising Skilled Migrant Residence applications where the main (principal) applicant meets the criteria:
From 24 February 2020
From 7 October 2019
The government recently added more occupations that are now to be regarded as skilled employment and may qualify for job offer points under the Skilled Migrant Category. In order to qualify for points, the job must be paying at least the current median wage (or higher for certain occupations) at the time the residence application is lodged.
From 1 November 2021
From 1 November 2021 anyone who is not a NZ citizen must be fully vaccinated (unless exempt) before travelling to New Zealand. Fully vaccinated means your last dose of vaccine was given at least 14 days before travelling and it was an approved vaccine.
Applications for employer accreditation closed at the end of June 2021. Applications lodged before the closure date are still being processed. New applications for accreditation open on 9 May 2022. The process will be quite different to what employers have experienced in the past. Businesses will need to meet minimum standards.
Wednesday, 1 December is fast approaching and it is estimated that around 16,000 individuals and families can apply in the first wave for the 2021 Resident Visa opening next month. It is exciting for the thousands of people who have been waiting patiently to become residents that finally the finish line is in sight.
The first wave of applicants can apply from 1 December 2021. Around 16,000 applications are expected in this first wave. The second wave opens on 1 March 2022. In total, the government expects approximately 110,000 applications that will include about 165,000 people.
The second group of workers who can apply online for the 2021 Resident Visa that opens on 1 March 2022 are those who hold an eligible work visa and either meet "Settled", "Skilled" or "Scarce" as set out above. In total Immigration NZ estimate around 110,000 people will qualify to apply for this visa.
The first group of workers who can apply online for the 2021 Resident Visa that opens on 1 December 2021 are those that on 29/09/2021:
Is this the only requirement to qualify for residence? No. In addition to the eligible work visa criteria workers also need to be regarded as one of the following:
People who were lawfully in NZ (or in Australia when the travel bubble closed between April and July 2021) on 29/09/2021 need to meet the visa eligibility criteria:
The government has introduced a limited pathway to residence for people who are already living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave of people eligible to apply. The second wave opens on 1 March 2022. The deadline to apply for the 2021 Resident Visa is 31 July 2022.
A small number of critical health workers (taking up jobs for six months or longer) or specialist workers (taking up jobs that are for longer than six months) who were granted border exemptions may also have eligibility for the 2021 Resident Visa. They will need to have arrived in NZ and lodge a 2021 Resident Visa application.
*Excludes high-risk countries.
*Excludes high-risk countries.
The work visa categories set to close are:
In order to address labour shortages in New Zealand's crucial industries the NZ government has implemented a "Green List" of sought-after high-skill occupations. This list offers a prioritised pathway to residency.
There are qualification and/or occupational registration requirements to meet. Occupations are broken down into two tiers:
The recent additions in May 2023 across many sectors on the Green List NZ can be found here