It’s no secret that New Zealand is an attractive immigration destination for South African families. Just ask the 5,000 South Africans that left for New Zealand in the 2017/18 financial year, and you’ll understand what drives them: the need to seek safety, security and new opportunities for themselves and their families, in a land that’s different, but not too different from what they’re used to. New Zealand is an attractive immigration destination, because it’s one of the safest, most peaceful countries in the world. So how do you get in? Is it easy to immigrate to New Zealand? Like everything in life, things can get complicated. But, if you do your research thoroughly, and make use of all the information at your disposal, you shouldn’t find it too difficult to answer the questions you have on visa requirements for migrating to New Zealand.
What do you need to know about New Zealand?
First off, New Zealanders hate being confused with Australians. They’re not the same; and as every South African will already know – they’re fierce rugby rivals. They’re also tired of talking about Lord of the Rings and hobbits, and would much rather “chuck on their gumboots and go for a tramp in the bush”. (That’s New Zealand-speak for “put on their wellingtons and take a hike in the forest.”) Big fans of the outdoors, New Zealanders are affectionately known as ‘Kiwis’, because of their feathered official, the kiwi bird. Home to unpredictable weather and a hotbed of tectonic activity, which hardly matters when you consider that New Zealand’s unemployment rate sat at 4.3% at the end of 2018, in stark contrast to South Africa’s rate of 27.1%. South Africans are hard workers and it’s plain to see that New Zealand is the promised land of job opportunities.
How do South Africans immigrate to New Zealand?
It’s clear that South Africans want in, but does New Zealand want South Africans? If those South Africans have skills that are in shortage in New Zealand, that is. You can use this Search Tool to find out if your particular skill set or job description is in demand, and get guidance as to the type of visa and the number of points you’ll need to qualify in order to satisfy entrance requirements to the country.
Generally speaking, New Zealand Visa Application Requirements:
- You must be below 56 years old;
- You (or you and your family) must meet all health, character and English ability requirements; and
- You must be able to achieve a pass mark of 100 points in the Points System to register an Expression of Interest. (more on this below.)
What kind of visa do I need for New Zealand?
Qualifying applicants have a range of visa options from the New Zealand government. Ancestral or family visas are the most common means of gaining access to New Zealand. If you don’t have any ancestors born on New Zealand soil, you could potentially get in as an investor, and those looking to invest can choose between two options – the Investor 1 and Investor 2 visas. The first requires you to shell out NZ $10 million over a 10 year investment period, while the second requires NZ $3 million. It stands to reason that to get in as an investor, you’re going to need to be an experienced businessperson to boot.
If you are a South African living in New Zealand and would like to know more about how you can maximise your finances through financial emigration, accessing your South African retirement annuity and our tailor-made tax solutions for South Africans around the world, contact FinGlobal today for your free and no obligation quote and consultation.