Tell us about yourself - where were you born, where did you study, what did you do before moving?
Now my name is Alex Grace (formerly Alexey Korneev), traditionally, I am a native Krasnoyarsk resident and until my emigration I lived in Krasnoyarsk most of my life with a short “business trip” to study in Moscow.
Alexey Korneev
Photo from personal archive
Until grade 9, I studied at school No. 95 (North-Western), then transferred to school No. 41 in Akademgorodok, now gymnasium No. 13. In 2000, after school, I simultaneously entered KSU for International Economic Relations (International Economic Relations) and to the Higher School of Economics for sociology. The choice was obvious - I left for Moscow. However, sociology did not “hook” me at all, so after a couple of years I returned back to Krasnoyarsk to finish my studies at KSU at the Faculty of International Economic Relations.
After graduation, I worked as a system administrator for a couple of years. Then I was invited to a startup to oversee IT and web development. Everything was going well there until the company was squeezed by competitors and the management suddenly decided to ditch everyone and disappear. A very typical and sad story. This gave a serious impetus (I would even say a kick) to stop working “for my uncle” and start doing my own thing.
Then I had my own web development studio and IT outsourcing company. There were enough clients not to die of hunger, but the pace of development was weak. Plus, at times clients could seriously let us down with payments, which happened before my trip to the USA (which I will talk about later) and which ultimately seriously affected the rest of my life, including emigration.
After the USA, I never returned to Krasnoyarsk; I settled in Moscow for the next 2 years, having received an invitation to the position of IT director at a Digital marketing agency. Having paid off all my debts and earned enough money for a year and a half of study and life, in the spring of 2014 I bought tickets to the other side of the globe, to a new life.
In your case, does moving abroad mean going there? Or leave here?
I have never had such a strong desire to leave Russia. From Krasnoyarsk - yes, every year Krasnoyarsk seemed to me more and more cramped, dirtier, worse... I visited many cities in Russia and clearly realized that the only place where I could live and feel comfortable in Russia was Moscow . That’s why we stayed in Moscow in 2012.
If I wanted to go somewhere, it would be to the USA, but it was at the level of some kind of abstract dream.
Although the fact that almost all of my classmates (from school at the Academy) were scattered around the world was thought-provoking. By the way, many of my friends have already registered on Newslab.ru - Kirill Leontyev, Vanya Kryukov-Bely, Mikha Kudryashov-Bol and others.
A turning point in our lives was a trip to the USA for the wedding of Yulia’s cousin. We prepared for a long time, and then exactly what I wrote about earlier happened - several of our clients suddenly “disappeared from the radar.” We missed a large sum, which we really counted on. After some discussion, we decided to go anyway, using credit money. After the trip, we were faced with a half-million dollar debt (a terrifying figure at the time!), which, fortunately, we were able to quickly pay off.
And this trip greatly changed my perception of the world - I saw HOW you can live differently (and the understanding came that “You can’t live like that” - I’m talking about our life in Russia). That’s when we decided that we needed to get out of here.
Why New Zealand?
Together with Yulia, we began to select the main criteria for a new habitat that were significant to us. We collected a ton of information, read a lot of articles and blogs. After a detailed examination, it turned out that:
- The USA
is great with work, you can choose the climate (the country is large), the culture is suitable, the language is familiar. Plus, we've already been there. Among the factors that do not clearly stand out are ecology and life safety. The downside is that immigration is difficult. - Canada
- everything is good, except the climate (almost Russia, if not colder), not entirely clear job prospects and difficult immigration (at that time one of the most difficult countries for immigration) - Australia
- everything is good, except for the climate (too hot!) and quite dangerous wildlife (snakes, poisonous spiders and other creatures) - New Zealand
- everything is good without obvious disadvantages (the climate then seemed to me clearly better than it actually is, but this is my personal problem)
- The main rating is the standard of living rating
- The Legatum Prosperity Index - New Zealand - 1st place, Canada - 5th place, Australia - 6th place, USA - 17th place. Russia - 95th place. From 149 countries... - Happiness Index
(the happiest countries in the world) - World Happiness Report 2021 - New Zealand - 8th place, Canada - 7th place, Australia - 9th, USA - 14th. Russia - 49th - Rating for quality of life
- Quality of Life Index - Canada - 17th place, New Zealand - 4th place, Australia - 9th, USA - 7th. Russia - 61st
And two more additionally important ratings for me personally:
- Ease of Doing Business Index - Doing business - New Zealand - 1st place, USA - 8th place, Australia - 15th place, Canada - 22nd place. Russia - 40th place.
- Life Safety Index
- Global Peace Index - New Zealand - 4th place, USA - 103rd place, Australia - 15th place, Canada - 8th place. Russia — 151st place out of 163 countries.
If you look at the raw numbers, the choice is obvious - New Zealand. After much thought, the path was chosen and, at first glance, the path is very strange and ambiguous - Yulia is the first to fly away... to the USA. In a couple of months I'm leaving... for New Zealand!
Of course, there were serious reasons for this. We have a cat - an ordinary Siberian yard cat (those who know me well know that I love animals even more than people). And we, of course, could not abandon him in Russia. But animals cannot be imported into New Zealand from countries with unfavorable living conditions.
. There is a small list (no more than 20) of countries from which relatively problem-free import of animals is allowed. To be able to import a cat, he had to be in one of the countries on the “safe” list for at least six months in quarantine before arriving in the country.
In general, it was decided to send Yulia and her cat to one of the countries on the list for these six months. Fortunately, the USA is on this list, and the cat and Yulia (on a student visa) safely flew to Seattle to visit Yulia’s cousin, to whom we were flying for a wedding. In the end, everyone was a relative winner: the cat was with us and in “quarantine” at the same time, Yulia got the opportunity to study English at an American college for six months, I earned extra money and flew to New Zealand. Their business trip to the USA, however, cost us a huge amount of money, which we could use to live in New Zealand for at least a year. Of course, many will call this situation with the cat and America an adventure or extravagance. They might even be right. In your value system. In mine, I simply could not do otherwise.
One way or another, six months later Yulia and the cat flew back from their business trip to me in New Zealand and the family was restored in full force in their new location
Fortunately, my first semester grades (all A+) convinced the director that I did not need any more additional semesters. Thanks to this, I studied for only 1 year and 1 month instead of a year and a half. By the way, I graduated with all grades A+, which no one has managed either before or (so far) after me. For this he received the title “Student of the Year” and a medal - not bad
In general, it’s interesting that Russians study here much better than everyone else. At this link you can read a short article that I wrote for my educational institution on the topic “One day in the life of a Regent International student.”
Immigration to New Zealand from Russia
Immigration to New Zealand is a real dream for many of our compatriots. There are many ways through which you can settle in this state.
Let's look at each and find out what immigration programs exist in New Zealand today.
Studies
If you are a fairly young person and want to gain new knowledge, but not in Russia, but abroad, you can consider this option as moving to New Zealand. It opens the doors for schoolchildren and students who can move to any city where there is a university or school.
You can live in the country only with a specially issued study or student visa. Once you have completed this document, you can expect to receive a residence permit.
However, before making such an important decision, it is important to understand the nuances and details that a schoolchild or student may encounter during the move.
First, let's delve into the structure of the New Zealand educational system.
The educational structure includes absolutely all schools, higher education institutions, vocational education, language courses, and specialized education. Also, the immigration service, which knows how popular studying in New Zealand is, decided to establish basic age criteria that allow only those foreigners whose age does not exceed 35 years, but not younger than 25, to submit applications. This means that you will probably have to finish school or college in Russia, and after several years of work experience, apply for a student visa when you are already 25 or more.
The largest training centers in the form of polytechnics and universities are concentrated in the large cities of New Zealand. The cost of studying in New Zealand is of course high, and the amount varies from $10,000 to $25,000 for just one calendar year.
Foreigners can study not only in those institutions that are under the patronage of the state, but also in private universities. True, education is not valued so highly in them. The cost of education is cheaper, for example, at a private university you can pay from $8,000 to $13,000 per year for studying.
Also, for starters, you can come to New Zealand to study English in special language courses. And only then, after a year, you can apply for admission to any higher educational institution.
A student can be enrolled only if he has completed the exam preparation and scored an overall score above 5 in the English language test. If your English is poor, then, unfortunately, you will not be enrolled in training even if you have already paid for the training.
Also, there is one more nuance in getting an education in New Zealand. The student must submit an application for the chosen profession. And after that, universities will already provide an invitation to study, and will also advise on the need to prepare this or that documentation in order to submit it to the migration service or to the New Zealand embassy.
Also, numerous visa centers also provide assistance with paperwork.
By right, a student visa is the most popular method of migration, and the majority of immigrants from Russia are young people who once studied at higher educational institutions. By the way, after graduation, Russian students are highly valued on the New Zealand market, as they are considered smart, decent professionals.
In addition, Russian specialists compete well with locals if they know the language well.
The Migration Service gives graduates a one-year visa, during which you must find a job, and after that you can apply for permanent residence. However, the work must correspond to the specialty obtained at a higher educational institution.
Employment and business immigration
There is another, no less popular way to immigrate to New Zealand. True, only qualified professionals can use it. There is a “skilled migrants” program, which was launched in New Zealand. People who have achieved some success in their profession can participate in it. In order to use it, you need to collect points for immigration to New Zealand. In order to pass, it is enough to score 160 points from a189. However, the overall assessment of a particular person will directly depend on general qualifications, the demand for this profession in the state, knowledge of the English language, and work experience.
There is a special tab on the official website of the embassy where you can now check whether your profession is needed in New Zealand and whether it is worth trying to immigrate under a similar program.
Today, all the specialties under consideration can be indirectly divided into three large groups.
The first group includes all long-term employees who are highly qualified specialists. They most often work in the fields of engineering, construction, technology, and manufacturing. And migrants must have higher education, as well as relevant work experience.
In addition, such people can be offered a large number of vacancies, ranging from programmers to network specialists. Employers understand that specialists from Russia most often have a good level of knowledge, so they offer salaries from 40,000 dollars per year to 130,000. In this case, the amount is indicated taking into account taxes. Tax payments in New Zealand are approximately 25%.
The next subtype is carrying out regional work in Auckland, as well as a number of other large cities. You can carry out your activities only under a pre-concluded contract.
The list of required professions changes every year. In 2021, the most relevant professions were those related in one way or another to agriculture, service, manufacturing and education.
Also, these citizens are presented with a whole list of requirements that must be met. In order to immigrate under such a program, you must be considered a good specialist. The average salary is approximately $3,000 and above.
The third group is the various vacancies that are presented in the field of construction. The fact is that New Zealand is growing every year, new houses and even areas are being built. Therefore, the implementation of a huge number of new projects requires competent and experienced specialists, who are Russian emigrants with work experience.
In order to understand whether you can participate in the skilled migrants program, you need to go to the New Zealand Embassy website and find the appropriate tab with the name of the program.
There you can read all the necessary information and understand which category you belong to and what you can claim.
Also, investment and various types of business immigration are possible for residents of New Zealand. New Zealand understands that its economy needs additional injections. Therefore, he proposes to invest money in it.
But how can this be done?
In fact, in order to carry out business immigration to New Zealand, it is necessary to invest in the economy.
If you have a significant package of funds and are generally a wealthy person, then you can move and invest in the state’s economy. True, for this you will need solid capital, the size of which will reach $1 million.
Despite the fact that an entrepreneur invests a lot of money in the state’s economy, he must still be fluent in English. Also, a foreigner must first apply for a long-term guest visa, the size of which will be up to 9 months. After the official document has already been finally signed, the migration service will agree to issue him a residence permit and will also assign him the title of investor.
However, if a citizen immediately finds $10,000,000 to invest in the economy, the requirements for him will be significantly reduced.
Another way is business immigration. This means that a citizen must conduct business in New Zealand and also interact with other developed countries. In order to open your own company, you need to draw up a business plan, and financing must reach 25% of the total project cost. In order to confirm the amount, various bank statements must be provided. In addition, you can apply for business immigration if the project itself is profitable. At the same time, the company will be registered online on a special portal, and for this you only need a couple of minutes of free time.
Marriage and family reunion
You are lucky if you have found your love in New Zealand. If you intend to tie the knot with a woman or man who is a New Zealand citizen, then you have a much better chance of completing the procedure faster.
However, in order to carry out marriage immigration to New Zealand, you need to keep a few nuances in mind. A resident visa can only be obtained if you are willing to marry a New Zealand citizen. Also, the cost of a partner visa is 2,250 New Zealand dollars.
A citizen who intends to obtain a visa has his own specific requirements.
- So, he must be over 18 years old, if less, then parental consent will be required.
- In addition, it is important that partners meet in person at home when applying for a visa.
- It is important that the partner is not a close relative of the New Zealand citizen.
- It is important to note the fact that two citizens live together in New Zealand so that the marriage is not recognized as fictitious. How, living in one house or in one apartment is permissible.
- The relationship must be genuine, which means long-term and unique, that is, there should be no other partners. Also, the relationship should be as stable as possible, and have the prospect of further continuation.
In addition, if you have minor children, you can also transfer them to this country.
The list of documents for applying for a marriage visa is approximately the same as for regular emigration, however, documents for children are required if you have them.
Refugee
Refugee is also very common in New Zealand. This means that if you are experiencing any persecution from your state, you can also contact the New Zealand Embassy and obtain a residence permit.
In what cases can refugee be granted?
If you have real evidence that you are under threat and persecution in the territory of your home state. In this case, the country will meet you halfway. True, to begin with, proceedings will be initiated, during which it will be clarified whether the circumstances that you voiced actually occur. And if this is really the case, then in this case you will be recognized as a refugee, given a special status, which means they will allow you to stay on the territory of the state, even receive a residence permit.
Other methods
There are many other ways in which individuals can migrate to New Zealand.
- For example, there is such a common term as humane immigration. To do this, you need to fall under the quota, which implies only 750 visas, and 300 of them are for family members. If you prove that living in your country is uncomfortable, and sometimes even dangerous, you may be granted New Zealand citizenship.
- There is also the possibility of obtaining a family restoration visa in case your immediate family lives in New Zealand.
- There is also the possibility of moving as a specialist who was called to work, in case you are moving within a corporation.
The biggest differences between Russia and New Zealand?
The most important difference between New Zealand and Russia is the people .
Nowhere have I seen such friendly people as here. Even in America people are not like that. They are always ready to help in any situation. What's most interesting is that you also become infected with it. I was very surprised to see how the Russian guys with whom I studied in the same stream strive to help other students who did not succeed in many things. Sami. No requests. Free of charge. Politeness. This is what distinguishes most countries from Russia. All these constant smiles, “Sorry”, “Excuse me”, “Please”, “Thank you” seriously hurt the ear at first, but if you think about it, since childhood we were also taught to say “Thank you”, say hello and be polite. Where does all this disappear over time? But for them it doesn’t disappear.
Tolerance. What I have always disliked in Russia is that many things are either clearly prohibited or condemned in such a way that it would be better if they were prohibited. You have to be like everyone else and you have no right to stand out from the crowd. Here is an interesting example from my personal experience. All my life I wanted to dye my hair some interesting color, but I never could. At school they simply wouldn’t allow me to do this; at work it didn’t fall under “corporate rules.” And walking around Krasnoyarsk in the evening with green hair... is simply simply dangerous. Here I already dyed my hair blond, then bright blue, purple, and silver. Maybe green is next. At the same time, I worked in a serious state company, and now we have such a business that there are many meetings with different directors and other important persons. And... no one cares!
Alexey in a new image
Photo from personal archive
Nobody f-i-k-a-k-o-g-o cares what you look like. And this, in my understanding, is that very feeling of freedom. One of my favorite quotes that I try to follow is: “Inaestimabile bonum est suum fieri” - translated from Latin - “It is an inestimable blessing to be free.” In my understanding, freedom is that you can do whatever you want, as long as it does not interfere with the world around you (and people in particular). Here I feel this freedom. And this is the huge difference between New Zealand and Russia.
Attitude to work. The working day here ends at 17.00 and it is not customary to stay late at work after that. Workaholism is not only not held in high esteem, but it is simply not understood. Work is perceived simply as a means of earning money - nothing more. If you stay late at work after five, it means you have nothing to do at home or you are wasting your time on insignificant things: work is work, but you cannot forget about life.
I have never seen such a simple and convenient banking system You can pay with a card absolutely everywhere. It’s very simple to create your account and get a card (not with regard to a credit card - it’s more complicated, but its use is no different). When you open an account (card), you receive an account number, which can then be used everywhere. The whole system is extremely simple and concise. No million details, invoices, statements and other things. This is probably one of the reasons why New Zealand is the number 1 country for ease of doing business.
Climate and housing. The vast majority here live in houses rather than apartments. There is no central heating whatsoever, and the houses, to put it mildly, are not panel houses. What does this mean? In winter, in such houses, Russian people find it COLD. What are we used to? Winter is coming, we turn on the heating and the house is comfortable. What's going on here? And here - fig. Winter has come and the temperature at home is 15-17 degrees. But no one freezes (except those who arrived, of course).
Purity. Many people walk barefoot here. DOWN THE STREET, shopping - everywhere. Firstly, they don’t freeze - they’ve gotten used to it since childhood. And secondly, because everywhere is CLEAN. And not because they don’t litter or don’t clean up, but because they don’t litter AND
cleaned up.
The exception is the center of Auckland, it is always dirty there. And as for cleanliness, there is absolutely no dust or dirt here.
Traffic on the roads. Firstly, driving on the left. Many people are afraid to drive here, believing that it will be very difficult to change lanes. For me, the switch happened very quickly - I would say it took a maximum of an hour. Secondly, the traffic here is pensioner traffic by Russian standards. If the limit is 50, then everyone drives 50-55, on the highway - 100-105 with a limit of 100. The main thesis is - why rush somewhere? Just chill, bro. As for me... what kind of Russian doesn’t like driving fast ? But one day I was fined 150 NZD (about 6,000 rubles) for speeding (I was racing at 120 km/h) - and the desire to drive disappeared by itself
Pros and cons of living in the country
However, before making such an important decision as immigrating to New Zealand, you need to find out all the pros and cons of living in this country. It should be taken into account that it is very specific and differs from Russian realities. Now it remains to find out what nuances you may encounter.
First, we will look at the undoubted advantages of living in New Zealand.
- Firstly, you will enjoy a high standard of living here. The fact is that this state is a country with an efficient and highly developed economy. As for market relations inside, they are at a high level. Inflation is minimal and unemployment is only 5%. The main industries that almost all New Zealanders are engaged in are agriculture and fishing. In addition, natural production is highly valued here, and there are good salaries and vacancies.
- You will love the state of New Zealand's ecology. The fact is that the cities here are located on large Pacific islands, which have excellent vegetation and fresh air. Also, there are no hazardous industries here, and if there are any factories, they are reliably protected by appropriate filters. There are a lot of forests and green spaces here, which create wonderful air. At the same time, there are more than 16 national parks in New Zealand, as well as marine parks and nature reserves. This is one of the cleanest countries on the entire planet, which have unique flora and fauna.
- At the same time, New Zealand is not a very densely populated country, it has only a few million people who are comfortably located throughout the island and other islands. That is why there is no feeling of congestion or a large number of people here.
- You will also like the climate, because there are very favorable living conditions here. The climate is subtropical, humid, warm. In winter, the temperature rarely drops below 0 degrees, and in summer it is at a comfortable level of 25 to 30 degrees.
- In old age, there are excellent living conditions here, as pensioners are highly valued here. On average, people live to be 85 years old. The annual pension is approximately $12,000, and at the same time, there are other deductions and various measures to support old people. That is why pensioners live here easily and joyfully.
However, there are a number of disadvantages in New Zealand that future migrants also need to become familiar with.
- Thus, it is believed that natural disasters are common in New Zealand. And in fact, this statement is true. The fact is that earthquakes occur very often here, as a result of which the Pacific Ocean can splash out onto the shore and sometimes wash away coastal areas.
- In addition, in New Zealand the sun is often very bright, so you need to constantly protect your skin from the sun in the form of creams and clothing.
- It is believed that this is where the largest number of people suffer from skin cancer.
- Earthquakes acquire an amplitude of up to 7 points, and tremors are felt far away. In addition, there is always the risk of a volcano awakening in the Pacific Ocean, which will lead to serious flooding.
- Another disadvantage is the significant distance from other continents. Therefore, if you are ready to cross the ocean in search of a new life, prepare for the fact that you will not be able to fly to relatives often, since the distances here are impressive and the flight is expensive. Therefore, you will have to spend a huge amount of time in the air, which is why this disadvantage is significant for many of our brothers.
- There is a stratification of society. It is believed that in recent years New Zealanders have been divided into residents who are indigenous, receive an official stable salary and purchase real estate, that is, they are very wealthy. And also, there are those who live on social benefits, in addition, do not want to work and live their lives in vain. Therefore, stratification begins to manifest itself very strongly in large cities. The fact is that New Zealand has a very active social policy that supports people who do not want to work. That is why their number is steadily growing from year to year.
- The downside is the issue of purchasing real estate. The fact is that real estate is really expensive, even in comparison with Moscow. In order to purchase a small house, you need to work for a long time, and also take out a mortgage, despite the fact that the interest rate is low. But even though you will have to pay 4% for each payment, you still initially need to pay 20% of the amount of the house, and this is a lot of money that rarely anyone has available.
- In order to purchase real estate here, you need to work long and hard, and after that, try to consider the option of a mortgage. By the way, not everyone gets a mortgage here; it is believed that local residents have priority, and only then emigrants.
- There is a serious tightening of various programs for overpopulation. There is believed to be a decline in applications for immigration to Zealand. This happens because for 15 years the country has been attracting students and creating loyal conditions for them. However, today New Zealand is not a desirable country to move to, as many people are trying to immigrate to Europe and the United States of America. Firstly, because of the large number of options available, and secondly because Europe is much closer. Therefore, the country decided to tighten the overpopulation program, as well as reduce the number of migrants who cannot obtain European citizenship and then go to New Zealand. Therefore, many people who two years earlier could obtain a residence permit are today forever deprived of this opportunity.
How is life for Russians in New Zealand? How do the local population treat them (and Russia as a whole)?
You need to understand that New Zealand is a country of immigrants, which cannot but affect the mentality and attitude towards foreigners. Almost the entire population of the country are foreigners.
Russians live here no worse and no better than everyone else. Basically, Russians can be divided into two categories here: those “who could” and those “who still.” The first category is quite successfully assimilated Russians who speak English well, have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances from the local population and are not attached to the Russian community.
The second is those who brought Russia with them. They don't want to change and therefore often speak little or no English (even if they have lived here for 10 years or more). The social circle of such people consists mainly of fellow Russians. A sort of Brighton in miniature. I can’t say whether their life is good or bad, but I don’t want to live like that. When you attend meetings of such people, you get the strong feeling that you have come back to Russia - the same problems, the same abuse, the same squabbles. Brrr. No, thank you, that's not why I left.
Who is in need
The most needed occupations (for immigration) in New Zealand have compiled a list of current occupations based on research from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
There are two types of lists - long-term and short-term. The first list indicates a shortage of personnel throughout the country, and the second list specifically within the boundaries of one region.
Based on the data on the demand for professions, as well as in view of the field of activity, the following table can be generated based on the characteristics of the lists for comparison and objective assessment:
| Field of activity | Long Term Skill Shortage List | Immediate Skill Shortage List |
| Healthcare and social sphere | Obstetrician-gynecologist, veterinarian, general practitioner, psychologist, laboratory assistant (junior researcher), psychiatrist, surgeon, specialist in the field of ultrasound diagnostics | Anesthesiologist, pediatrician, cardiologist, ambulance staff, head nurse, ophthalmologist |
| Engineering | The country is experiencing an acute shortage of engineers in various industries | Mechanical technician, electrical engineer, civil engineer |
| Scientific field | Natural scientist, food technologist, junior researcher for natural environment research | |
| Tourism business | Chef | Tourist guide, instructor |
| Construction | Design specialist, surveyor, surveyor, construction project manager | Construction project manager, design specialist |
| Internet technologies and telecommunications | Analyst-programmer, web designer | Cableman, telecommunications specialist, telecommunications specialist |
| Finance | Purchasing department manager | Accountant |
| Other that is not listed above | Mechanics and laborers | Baker, winemaker, mason, auto mechanic, arborist, gardener, farm managers, etc. |
Separately, it is worth highlighting the New Zealand region of Canterbury, which has special needs for specialists. This need arose after the destruction from seismic activity in 2010-2011. To revive the area, a special “Canterbury” list of professions was compiled. You have a suitable specialization, you can get a temporary visa, but you have the right to apply for permanent residence, since you are a qualified and in-demand worker. The list mainly includes specialties in the field of construction and social activities - this is exactly what is needed to establish life on the South Island.
Despite the fact that the country has a significant shortage of specialists in many fields, finding legal employment is not an easy task. The fact is that not all businessmen - potential employers - are willing to take risks by hiring and vouching for a non-local specialist. Another important fact is that there is very high competition among applicants.
Is it difficult to find a job?
Finding a job is one thing that can be a stumbling block for many expats. Firstly, you need to understand that in New Zealand any job is respectable. There is no attitude here that if you are, for example, a cleaner or a cashier at Starbucks, then you are a second-class citizen. Secondly, having a job allows you to provide for your life and not look for another part-time job in order to find money to buy butter for your bread.
The New Zealand labor market is unique. Most likely, there is nothing like this anywhere else in the world (perhaps Australia is similar in this regard). You have to understand that New Zealand is a very small country (only 4.5 million inhabitants, not counting 40 million sheep), an agricultural country, very remote from the rest of the world and in certain areas of life very lagging behind “civilized” countries.
All this has a very serious impact on internal culture. Most local companies are small (less than 10 people). Relations within companies therefore extremely rarely have a clearly defined command vertical (hello, the USSR and Russia at the end of the last century). The employees here are like part of a (second) family. Therefore, when they are looking for a new employee for a company, they choose him first as a member of their work family. At the same time, professionalism and compliance fade into the background.
New Zealand has a strong economy with high incomes and a nominal GDP per capita of NZD 36,254, informally known as the "Kiwi dollar"; in the Cook Islands “Cook Islands dollar” and so on. New Zealand was ranked 13th in the Human Development Index and third in the Economic Freedom Index.
Business in New Zealand is built largely on international trade, especially agricultural products. Exports account for 24% of its production, food products account for 55% of the value of total exports, wood became the second export component (7%). Main export partners: Australia, USA, Japan, China and UK. In 2008, New Zealand and China signed a Free Trade Agreement. The service sector, manufacturing, construction and extraction of raw materials are developed. Tourism plays a significant role in the economy, bringing in $12.9 billion and employing 7.5% of the total workforce.
The New Zealand government actively supports business immigration and entrepreneurs and investors. Several immigration programs operate stably.
Entrepreneur Resident – first you will need to get an Entrepreneur Work Visa, and for this you will need to prepare at least NZ$100,000 as your business capital. Your business should be innovative, but don’t let this worry you too much, of course, if you are in IT or intend to export, you simply do not pay attention to this point, and if this is not the case, our experts will help you arrange everything properly. The most difficult thing here is to create a business plan. This is a very voluminous document with all the calculations, including the cost of cleaning your office and an adequate picture of the growth of your profit, indicating its sources. You must score 120 points on the Entrepreneur Work Visa points scale. The next stage is the Entrepreneur Resident Visa, for which you must be at least 6 months in your new business, 25% of which belongs to you, but please note that if you have been in this business for less than 2 years, you must invest in it from NZ$500,000 and create at least 3 jobs. Take a closer look at the requirements in the list of Entrepreneur Resident Visa requirements.
Global Impact Work Visa – business incubator the Edmund Hillary Fellowship has allocated a quota of 400 people for 4 years for this program. You are selected to participate in a three-year program as an innovative entrepreneur or investor, the selection process is very fast - sometimes only 25 days, and after 30 months of work in that incubator or for that incubator you become eligible to apply for New Zealand resident status.
You must have NZ$36,000 with you for primary support for yourself and your family and children under 19 years of age if she wishes to come with you. You must have strong English. You will have a multiple entry visa. Within this incubator, you can work in any job or even on your own projects, but you must remain in the Edmund Hillary Fellowship for the full 30 months, and in order to be eligible to apply for residency, you must contribute to this incubator. And the main question: if you fail with your business, will you have to return home? Of course not! You have been chosen and will be helped, guided by the principle “talented businesses learn from failures and move on, without repeating these mistakes.”
Investor immigration – there are many investment opportunities in New Zealand:
If you are ready to invest in some attractive innovative start-up, become an angel investor. The size of the investment in this case can be from NZ$150,000 to NZ$1.5 million, investments are recommended in specialized high-value industries: ICT, biotechnology, film industry, unoccupied manufacturing niche, wood processing and call centers. It will also be better if you join existing Angel investor groups, such as the Angel Association or the Icehouse.
You can purchase a well-established business or franchise, avoiding the initial start-up period, during which not all businesses survive. The Chamber of Commerce or the Economic Development Agency will help you choose the option that’s right for you.
you can purchase commercial property, you can participate in New Zealand Stock Exchange transactions by buying and selling shares, and finally you can buy government bonds or other reliable financial institutions.
To become an investor in New Zealand, you need to choose your future visa:
The Investor Visa (Investor 2 Category) – Available to you if you intend to invest from NZ$3 million for 4 years. You must not be over 65 years old, you must pass the IELTS English language exam and score as many immigration points as possible, so the annual quota is 400 people, and those with the most points will be selected first.
The Investor Plus Visa (Investor 1 Category) - will require $NZ10 million from you, but you don’t need English, there are no age restrictions, you don’t need to gain any points, and after three years of the investment period you will receive a New Zealand resident visa.
If you are interested in all this, look at the basic requirements and calculate your Investor Visa immigration points (Investor 2 Category), read about New Zealand through the eyes of eyewitnesses, if you are not sure about something, ask an Expert and that’s it! You can apply: payment for services for all types of immigration of qualified specialists to New Zealand is staged, and the cost can be seen in the section How much does it cost? Just don’t forget: you can bring your family with you, including children under 24 years old, your family members must have an IELTS Academic or General Training English level of at least 4 points in total to be allowed entry. This does not apply to The Investor Plus Visa (Investor 1 Category).
What are you doing now?
After studying, I worked a little in technical support under a contract. At that time, Yulia worked as a cleaner and housekeeper, and then received an annual contract for the position of Marketing Manager at my educational institution. I think my references came in very handy here 
Photo from personal archive
After my short-term contract, I accidentally found a like-minded person from the UK. We started working together and are still working today. In addition, over time, we took my friend from Krasnoyarsk to join us, first for an internship, and then as a staff member. And now Julia has joined us after her contract ended.
Initially, we launched Affiliate Digital agency SLICE Digital (after a recent rebranding), a little later we created a subsidiary project - a service for selecting Internet providers and their tariffs - Broadband Compare NZ (this may sound like some kind of useless thing, but in fact it is very significant for New Zealand portal).
In the end, the subsidiary project even pulled the blanket away from the main one, and we still spend most of our time and energy working on it. This project turned out to be so successful that at our official launch ceremony on June 30, 2021, most industry representatives were present and the New Zealand Minister of Telecommunications Amy Adams herself gave a speech. Success! Now we continue to develop this project, which has grown from a small website into a serious platform for subsequent services, and we plan to launch in Australia and the UK.
Work is in full swing and now, in addition to the office in New Zealand, we also have people working from different parts of Russia and Ukraine. A real international corporation, ha!
Program to attract qualified specialists
It is possible to immigrate to the country under the Skilled Migrant or Residence from Work categories.
Skilled Migrant Category is the most popular way to obtain a residence permit in New Zealand among foreigners. To do this, you need to be a professional among the specialties whose shortage is most sensitive for the country. A list of currently relevant Skill Shortage Lists can be found on the New Zealand Immigration Service website. It is updated periodically.
Applicants fill out an online Expression of Interest (EOI) form, which awards them a certain number of points based on various indicators. Points are awarded for the applicant's work experience, education, level of English, age, and other parameters. To participate in the pool you must score 100 points or higher. Since the highest rated applicants are considered first, and the pool is constantly being updated with new applications, it is important to score as many points as possible. It will be a good help if the candidate has a job offer from the employer; this point will add a lot of points from above. In practice, a definite guarantee of success is to score 140 points on the EOI.
You can check your chances in this category on immigration.govt.nz using the special Skilled Migrant Category Point Indicator tool.
The next step for the selected applicant will be to fill out the Invitation to Apply, which will be provided by the immigration service, and submit the required documents. If there is any doubt that the candidate will find a job, he may be issued a temporary Skilled Migrant Category Job Search visa. If the candidate manages to get a job, he will be able to change his residence permit in New Zealand to residency.
Residence from Work is a simplified procedure for obtaining permanent residence, relevant for Work to Residence visa holders. The candidate will no longer need to confirm language knowledge and fill out the Expression of interest form.
