The Land of One Tree Hill, Milford Sound

& Lake Rotorua

Information on Relocating to New Zealand

·        The capital city of New Zealand is Wellington with about 431 thousand people. New Zealand is a Constitutional Monarchy.

·        Languages: English is the common and everyday language, but other languages are also spoken, including Maori, which is New Zealand’s second official language (spoken by the indigenous Maori people who constitute approximately 15% of the population). Some TV programs are in their original language. Cable and Satellite TV are available.

·        Population: The population is over 4.1 million people - 71% are New Zealand European, 14.7% Maori, 6.6% Asian, 6.5% Pacific Islander, 1.2% Indian and others.

·        Expat areas: Popular areas for the Expat community are Auckland: (Remuera, The Bays, Parnell, North Shore, Howick, Birkenhead (north), Bucklands Beach (east), Epsom, Mairangi Bay (North Shore) and St Heliers (north-east). Wellington: Kelburn, Karori and Khandallah.

·        Housing: The availability of apartments and houses in the country and particularly in these popular areas is usually scarce; however there is more availability in the winter months. Most Expats rent their apartment or house; very few buy their homes because it takes so much longer for the whole family to settle into daily life and the zoned schools.  Both options are available but mainly depend on your company policy, income, and the length of your stay.

·        Cost of housing: Varies from area to area and the size of the house or apartment. Auckland houses more than one third of the NZ population and family homes for rent are scarce. Auckland median rental prices are higher than Sydney and Melbourne Australia. The local currency is New Zealand Dollar (NZ$).

·        Schools: 85% of NZ children attend the State or Public schools which in main cities are very strictly zoned. Private schools are very difficult to gain entry at short notice. There are no International schools and a couple of the private schools have the International Baccalaureate. We can assist with identifying available suitable schools for your housing needs.

·        Transportation: Good local bus services are provided in the main towns; there are also trolley buses in Wellington. Both Auckland and Wellington have zonal fares with pre-purchase tickets and day passes. There are commuter trains for Auckland West, South and East plus commuter ferries around Waitemata Harbour.

·         Bank: The banks are open Monday-Friday 9.30 am - 4.30 pm.

·        Shopping: All shops and businesses are open Monday-Saturday 9.00 am - 5.00 pm, as a minimum; there are local variations but major stores and most malls are also open Sunday 10.00 am - 1.00 pm.

·        Climate: Subtropical in the North and temperate in the South. The North has no extremes of heat or cold but winter can be quite cool in the South, with snow in the mountains. The eastern areas often experience drought conditions in summer; the West, particularly in the South Island, has more rain.

·        Culture: New Zealand has an active and varied entertainment industry. Theatres offer good entertainment ranging from drama, comedy and musicals, orchestras to pop concerts and shows. In large cities, there are often professional performers or guest artists from overseas. There are also cinemas and a small selection of nightclubs in larger cities.

·        Public holidays: January 1st-New Year's Day; February 6th-Waitangi Day; March/April-Good Friday and Easter Monday; April 25th-Anzac Day; First Monday of June-Queen's Birthday; Last Monday of October-Labour Day; December 25th-Christmas Day; December 26th-Boxing Day.