Moving to New Zealand

New Zealanders sometimes refer to it as the Land of the Long White Cloud. Such an impression was made by these lands on the first settlers who arrived here almost a thousand years ago. Today this country is famous all over the world as a picturesque corner of nature in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where people go not only to relax, but also to live.

Emigration to New Zealand

To travel from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries to New Zealand, you need to have patience and be ready to go through a number of procedures associated with obtaining the right to travel.

It is worth starting with planning the time that will have to be spent on making the documents required by immigration legislation for departure. The fact is that some of them, for example, certificates issued by doctors, are valid for a limited period of time, so you need to be ready to receive them as close as possible to departure.

The main documents that need to be collected to leave the country include:

• International passport;
• Medical certificate;
• Certificate of no criminal record;
• Visa.

Attention! The documents that accompany the visa application must have equivalents in English. The translation must be done exclusively in an official translation agency and confirmed with a seal.

Visa restrictions apply to:

• Applicants with poor health conditions;
• Those who have had serious problems with the law;
• Those who have debts on loans, alimony may not be released abroad;
• Persons with access to classified documents.

Immigration to New Zealand

There are several ways to immigrate:

• Through employment;
• Through investment and business;
• Through the purchase of real estate;
• Through education;
• Through family reunification and marriage;
• For refugees.

The most optimal option, which does not require a lot of time and money, is immigration through employment. The most unlikely is immigration as a refugee.

Immigration through employment

Highly qualified specialists can move to New Zealand with the expectation of further residence in the country. You can find out if the profession is in demand in the country from the list that is regularly published on the official state websites.

Also, the resources for immigrants indicate whether the qualification of a specialist is recognized in this country if he was awarded it elsewhere. To get into the Skilled Migrant program, you need to accumulate in the assessment system Expression of Interest 140 points, which are also awarded for language proficiency at the level IELTS.

If work experience in the country for 2 years is successful, there is an opportunity to become the owner Resident Visa.

Investment and business as a way of immigration

New Zealand is one of the most affordable countries for starting your own business, although there is a lot of competition here. When investing in the economy in the amount of 100 thousand New Zealand dollars, an entrepreneur receives an Entrepreneur Work Visa or Entrepreneur Resident Visa.

Business people whose businesses are related to science and innovation may be exempt from contributions. An entrepreneur needs to create jobs and accumulate in Expression of Interest 120 points.

In the case of investments, you can count on one of the types of Investor Resident Visa. An entry permit with more options can be obtained with an investment of NZ $ 10 million in the economy over 3 years.

If you have experience in the business area, then:

• Investment amount decreases up to $ 1.5 million over 4 years;
• Enough 20 Expression of Interest points;
• Age thresholdup to 65 years old;
• Having at least 1 million for a living.

If all goes well, after 2-3 years business people and investors can apply for another visa and then receive an opportunity for permanent residence.

Immigration through the acquisition of real estate

Recently, a way to move to the country for permanent residence by buying real estate is unlikely. Recently passed laws do not allow non-residents of New Zealand to buy real estate, as the ability of the local population to obtain housing has been limited due to rising property prices.

The direct consequence “there is real estate - there is citizenship” is not spelled out in state laws. Today, such norms can be found mainly in the Baltic countries. Other paths, such as education or family ties, are better suited for obtaining a permanent residence permit.

Immigration through education

Obtaining an education at a New Zealand higher education institution opens the way for employment in the country in the specialty received for the next 2 years, and then allows you to obtain citizenship. The downside of New Zealand education is that it is expensive: it is required 20 thousand New Zealand dollars, to which you need to add another 15 thousand for life.

The plus is that while studying, you can replenish your budget thanks to the 20 hours a week that are allocated to work for holders of a student visa. To get it, you must provide confirmation of admission to one of the country's universities.

Before leaving Russia, you need to bring your English to the level IELTS and TOEFL.

Immigration through family reunification

If one of the direct relatives has a residence permit in New Zealand, you can move to him under the family reunification program.

Citizens and holders of a residence permit who have lived in the country for 36 months can bring to their place:

• Parents;
• Spouses;
• Children.

Important! Other relatives - brothers, sisters, grandfathers and grandmothers - are not covered by the program. Registration of the move for them is considered on a general basis.

If a citizen of New Zealand has a long-term relationship with a Russian, a citizen of Ukraine, Belarus or Kazakhstan and has lived in the same territory with him (or her) for at least 1 year, this may also become a reason for the possibility of moving to permanent residence.

In the event of a marriage and then a divorce, the time of stay in the country for a stateless person is limited.

The advantage of immigration through family reunification is the simplicity of the method: you just need to confirm the relationship. This is also the disadvantage: you have to depend on someone else, and if relations deteriorate, there is a risk of expulsion from the country.

Immigration for refugees

Refugees are a category of people who are forced to leave their country because of persecution for racial, national, religious, social, political reasons, or because of hostilities on its territory.

You can use the right to ask for asylum at the country's representative office on the territory of the state of residence and on the territory of the country itself. In the latter case, the chances of getting a positive answer are greater, since the application is considered directly at the immigration service on the territory of the state.

The applicant must have documents certifying:

• Personality;
• Facts supporting the reason for requesting refugee status.

If the decision is positive, the refugee is put on allowance and in the long term has the opportunity to get a job and obtain a temporary residence permit. But moving to New Zealand from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan in this way is now difficult, since the quota for refugees is only 750 people, and there are a lot of applicants from Syria and Afghanistan, from where migration has only intensified lately.

Life in New Zealand after immigration

New Zealand has a fairly high standard of living.Another thing is that at the initial stage of residence, the opportunities that local residents enjoy will not be available to everyone.

For example, a disadvantage can be considered the fact that free assistance to pregnant women in the country is provided either if they have citizenship, or if they live in the territory more than 2 years. On the other hand, these are temporary inconveniences.

As a plus for specialists, immigrants note the absence of corruption, which greatly facilitates professional activities. Judging by their story, emigrants living in New Zealand find both positive and negative sides in their new life.

Svetlana, Auckland:They take great care of human health here. And not only about the physical, but also about the psychological. There are ramps almost everywhere, so people in wheelchairs can easily move wherever they want. If there is a conflict or trouble at work or in the family, a person can go to a social center. There they not only help with advice, but you can also stay alive until you psychologically recover. Even in case of a problem with the landlord, you can call a special phone and get advice on what to do.

Tamara, Auckland:New Zealanders are very tolerant of foreigners - and this is a new experience for me. They don't pay attention to the accent here, so immigrants from different countries feel very comfortable. There are no such conditions for cultural life as in Moscow, and everything is much quieter. But I can always fly to New York or Paris and go to museums and concerts. The fun life we ​​had in Russia here is compensated by a well-paid job, a sense of security and wonderful nature.

Woofer, Auckland:When I was planning to move for permanent residence, I did not know that renting an apartment is the most expensive item of expenses in New Zealand. A one-room apartment will cost an average of NZ $ 200 per month. Almost the same amount will be spent on food for a small family per week. And here, for the most part, it is customary to eat in cafes. In McDonald's, lunch will cost $ 11, and in other restaurants - up to $ 20. As for the appearance, it costs 15-20 dollars to get yourself a haircut. If you need household appliances, they are in abundance here, although there are many Chinese goods. But of high quality.

New Zealand is a country with picturesque natural landscapes, a developed economy and friendly people. To emigrate to a country, you can use different methods, each of which suits the individual's abilities.