Living in New Zealand New Zealand is a small island nation in the south-west Pacific. At
270,500sq km it is comparable to Great Britain, Japan or Colorado in
the United States. With a population of just over four million people
it is one of the world's least crowded countries.
New Zealand is an independent nation and a member of the British
Commonwealth. The majority of New Zealanders are of British descent.
New Zealand's indigenous Maori make up 15% of the population.
English is the everyday language of New Zealand, though English, Maori
and New Zealand Sign Language are the official languages. New Zealand's
largest religious denominations are Anglican, Roman Catholic and
Presbyterian.
New Zealand's economy is heavily dependent on overseas trade. In the
past 20 years New Zealand has developed its agriculture and
manufacturing industries to suit the needs of niche markets.
Dairy and meat exports continue to make a significant contribution to
the New Zealand economy. Tourism, forestry and manufacturing exports
have become increasingly important, while wool has declined. New
Zealand's largest export markets are Australia, USA, Japan, UK and
South Korea.
Sport is a major part of New Zealand life and most children participate in organised sport from primary school age onwards. | Just some of the reasons why people love living in New Zealand's central North island...
Winter wonderland ski resorts close by:
Whakapapa & TuroaManganui
New Zealand has no snakes or dangerous wild animals
You won't sit for hours in traffic jams on your way to work...and you may be able to walk or cycle to work if you wish
You can enjoy your days off sunning yourself on the beach, hiking through native bush or skiing (snow or water) all within easy reach
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Climate
 New Zealand's seasons see summer coming from December to February, and winter from June to August.
The
climate varies from sub-tropical in the far north to almost continental
in the mountainous areas of the South Island. The middle North Island
is a mix, with coastal areas moderated by sea breezes, whereas the
inland areas enjoy greater variance through the seasons but not to
extremes. Temperature ranges from a maximum summer high of 30oC to potential winter lows of -3oC.
As a narrow country, the weather can change dramatically in a very short time - sometimes four seasons in one day.
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It
is worth noting that the sunlight in New Zealand is very intense, and
may be stronger than you are used to. This particularly surprises
people from traditionally 'hot' countries, who find they sunburn
quicker than expected. Housing Owning your own home is part of the great kiwi dream, and about two thirds of the adult population own their own home.
There is also a thriving rental and lease market for those that
choose not to purchase a home. Rental agencies or the local newspaper
will provide information on available houses. Most rentals are
unfurnished but furnished homes can occasionally be found. Inner city
living and apartment style accommodation is becoming increasingly
popular as an alternative to having a back yard! |
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Education New Zealand has an excellent range of education options of world-class standard.
Early childhood services include kindrgartern, chilcare centres, playcentres and home-based care.
While
primary and secondary education is Government-finded, private chools
are also available. Some schools offer live-in (boarding) facilities.
It is compulsory for children to attend school from ages 6 to 16 years,
although most start at age 5.
The school year starts in early February and goes through to mid-December. It is broken into four ten-week terms.
| New Zealand education
Get information and advice on the New Zealand school system, including qualifications:
Ministry of Education |
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Tertiary education is provided by universities, institutes of technology and polytechs, colleges of education etc. Health care Central government funds New Zealand's health and disability
system. New migrants who are permanent residents can receive the same
benefits as New Zealand citizens.
Publicly funded services
include free care in public hospitals, and subsidised treatment in the
public or private health sectors for accident victims. | Accident Compensation Corporation
ACC administers New Zealand’s accident compensation scheme, which
provides personal injury cover for all New Zealand citizens, residents
and temporary visitors to New Zealand. |
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Driving in New Zealand If you have a current and valid overseas driver licence or
international driving permit, you can drive in New Zealand for up to 12
months from your arrival date.
After this time, you will need
to gain a New Zealand driver licence. Depending on the country you have
come from, you may have to pass theory and/or a practical driving tests.
If you don't have a current overseas driver licence or international driving permit, you cannot drive.
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Some other key points about driving here: - You
must have your driver licence or international driving permit with you at
all times when you're driving. If your licence or permit is not in
English, you must carry an accurate English translation.
- Remember, we drive on the left side of the road.
- When turning left, give way to traffic crossing or approaching from your right.
- The speed limit on the open road is 100km/hr. In urban areas the speed limit is 50km/hr.
- Comprehensive car insurance is more affordable in New Zealand than in many other parts of the world.
Cost of livingHere’s what some of our recent recruits from the UK said about the cost of living in New Zealand...
"On the whole my ingoings and outgoings are similar to how they are at
home. Some things are less and other things are more. I get paid less
here, but food is less and house and rent prices are less."
Annabelle
Bartrop
Arrived in NZ November 2005 |
"Most things seem to be either the same cost or less, but you do need to
watch out for the odd more expensive item. What is more obvious is the
lower cost of taking part in recreational activities, particularly with
the discounts available if you live in the area."
Gary Lees
Arrived in NZ April 2006
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"Pay is less than I got in the UK but so too is the cost of living,
therefore your money goes further. However, you have to stop
converting NZ$ to GB£ very quickly otherwise your money
wouldn’t last because of all the bargains you would buy!"
Cate Shepherd
Arrived in NZ April 2006 |
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Power supplyThe mains power supply in New Zealand is the same as the UK, being
220-240v AC, 50Hz. This effectively means that you can use all your UK
appliances in New Zealand.
However, be wary of different build
standards, such as washing machines unable to fit into New
Zealand-designed kitchens due to different standard sizes. Some items
will require a change of plug or use of an adapter to fit the New
Zealand-style sockets. |
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Bringing your pets to New Zealand
It is possible to bring your cat or dog to New Zealand, provided requirements of any relevant import health standards are met.
Dogs and cats coming from rabies free countries such as Australia, United Kingdom/Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Hawaii, and Singapore do not require quarantine but may be subject to tests on arrival.
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 If you would like to know more about the many wonderful things New Zealand has to offer, visit www.newzealand.com or www.workingin-newzealand.com
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