Guides
Every guide, in the order you'll need them.
All 11 guides, covering the move itself, your first 90 days, and the year after that. Each one names its sources and the date they were checked. Information, not advice.
Stage 1 · 4 guides
Before you come
Everything that is easier to do while you still have your home-country paperwork, address and phone number.
NZ qualification levels and who teaches them
What a Level 7 actually means, the eight universities, and how to check a provider before you pay.
Pre-departure checklist
Three months out, one month out, one week out. What to sort before you get on the plane.
Opening an NZ bank account from overseas
How the major banks handle overseas applications, and the in-branch step you still have to do here.
Comparing student and visitor insurance
Five providers commonly accepted for student, work and visitor visas, compared on price and cover.
Stage 2 · 5 guides
Landing
The first 90 days. Numbers, accounts and enrolments that most other things depend on.
Cost of living in Auckland
A week in Auckland for one person three ways, and for a family. Rent from bond data, every figure dated.
Money on arrival
What a transfer really costs, the NZ$10,000 cash report, the four-year tax exemption, and the credit history that stays behind.
The arrival checklist
Your first 90 days, one tick at a time. Save your progress in your browser or print it.
Getting your IRD number
The myIR application, the documents needed, tax codes, and how KiwiSaver enrolment works.
Registering with a GP
How to enrol with a general practice: eligibility for subsidised care, documents, timing, and finding a practice taking patients.
Stage 3 · 3 guides
Year one
Work, people and the everyday things nobody explains to you.
The NZ-style CV
Why New Zealand CVs are two pages, what to leave out, and the mistakes international applicants make.
Finding your people
Professional networking, newcomer meetups and community groups. Real organisations, not a directory we run.
Culture, and what people get wrong
Common misconceptions about New Zealand, workplace culture, and a respectful starting point on te ao Māori.