In 2019, I immigrated alone from the UK to New Zealand. I was in my early 20s with no plan, no contacts, and no idea what I was doing. It was one of the best decisions of my life, and here’s how I did it.

Why Move to New Zealand

From Screen to Page: How I Rewrote My Story

I’ve put into words in the linked post above exactly why I left the UK in early 2019 but in brief, I needed something to change; I wanted a new challenge and lifestyle away from what I knew in London.

Speaking personally, New Zealand had always been a place I was curious about having grown up loving The Lord of the Rings. I had dreamt of living in a country filled with mountains and stunning outdoor landscapes for my whole life, and the few people I knew who had visited the country had nothing but incredible things to say about it.

Before moving, I had seen that New Zealand was consistently rated in the Top Ten Countries for Quality of Life. These studies typically consider elements such as affordability, education, and safety, and I can say from experience that New Zealand is listed highly for a reason. Living in New Zealand was the first time I felt truly safe in a city and whilst it can be expensive, there was nowhere near the cost of living crises continuing in other Western countries like the UK and America. There was no shortage of jobs, and even hospitality roles paid a fair enough wage to get by and save a little on the side.

In 2019, New Zealand felt politically strong and secure with so much less controversy and uncertainty in comparison to home. I aligned with the country’s values of fairness, equality, and environmental stewardship and liked the concept of living in a place committed to social justice and inclusivity. Additionally, New Zealand places a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability, recognizing the importance of preserving its natural landscapes and resources for future generations.

The final, and perhaps most important, reason for choosing New Zealand is that they offer the Working Holiday Visa to citizens of certain countries, including the United Kingdom.

What is a Working Holiday Visa?

The Working Holiday Visa is an immigration option that allows certain individuals to travel to a foreign country for an extended period, typically up to a year, during which they can work part-time or full-time to fund their stay and explore the destination. It offers an opportunity to experience the culture, lifestyle, and workforce of the host country without a 2 week limit on your stay.

Many countries offer a Working Holiday Visa program with differing conditions. New Zealand offers the Working Holiday Visa to citizens of over 40 countries aged between 18 and 30 (35 in some cases). For most countries, including the UK, the visa allows you to work for up to 12 months as well as extend your stay for a total of 2 years.

You can find more information on the government’s immigration website.

You can work anywhere in the country part-time, full-time, or as a fully remote worker so long as you abide by New Zealand labour and tax law which gives you all the freedom you need to explore, live, and experience Aotearoa. This is the perfect option for digital nomads or remote workers looking for a new home to work with total flexibility.

How to Apply for the Working Holiday Visa

Applying for the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa could not be easier! The entire process is completed online, and you can apply from ANY COUNTRY including from inside of New Zealand!

This gives applicants amazing flexibility as you do not have to be in your home country to apply and move to NZ, or, if you’re already there on vacation and loving it, you can simply apply to stay.

I found the application process to be so smooth. I applied from Taiwan using an online questionnaire and received my visa approval within only a few days. Then, on arriving in New Zealand, I was able to walk straight through the immigration barriers…I didn’t need to speak to an actual person throughout the entire process!

It is worth noting that there is a fee to apply for the visa which varies per country. For UK citizens it is NZD 420 and you’ll also need to get some medical checks completed to apply to stay for longer than 23 months.

Where to Live in New Zealand?

Or really, where to start?

The Working Holiday Visa is intended for flexibility to allow you to work and travel across the country, so many visitors will move around throughout their visa duration. This was my plan, but after gaining my dream job after a few months, I ended up staying in Auckland the entire time.

Auckland

The place I know the best. The ‘big city’ or as close as New Zealand gets with a population of just 1.65 million. Kiwis outside of Auckland tend to frown and judge the ‘JAFAs’ who live in Auckland as it is in many ways against the Kiwi way of life: nature and laid-back living. Ironically, when I first arrived I found Auckland to be way too slow. Coming from London and Los Angeles, I was used to bustling and busy cities which never seemed to sleep. Auckland, on the other hand, barely seemed awake! This, of course, is what I grew to love about it.

To me, Auckland is the perfect example of work-life balance. As the biggest city in NZ, it holds a lot of diverse and interesting job opportunities that you might struggle to find elsewhere. I worked in the Film Industry and loved my job and the ability to work hard, network, and be surrounded by other seasoned professionals.

The other side of the coin, the LIFE part of the balance, is that Auckland can act as a portal to so much. In Summer, you can hop straight out of work and to any one of the countless beaches! I’d often go for an after-work swim or lounge on the sand reading. The city is surrounded by stunning hikes, natural landscapes, and even waterfalls less than 90 minutes away. Click the link to read my list of the 8 Auckland Day Trips You Can’t Miss.

The city has amazing food and drink options with new restaurants popping up all the time and exciting, young bars on so many roads. There’s great shopping and Op (thrift) shopping and delicious coffee all across the city. For culture, there are museums and art galleries, as well as a multitude of festivals and cultural events throughout the year.

Wellington

Or Welly, ‘the coolest little capital in the world’ as you might hear it called. This is a quirky and eclectic city that’s bursting with character. The city of just 200,000 people feels more like a close-knit community than NZ’s metropolitan and political home. It’s a hive of creativity and innovation that’s also filled with so many immigrants in their 20s from all over the world.

From the colourful streets filled with independent cafes and art galleries to the picturesque waterfront that offers stunning views of the harbour, there’s always something exciting happening in Wellington. Plus, with its compact size and excellent public transportation system, getting around the city is a breeze. Whether you’re a foodie looking to indulge in delicious cuisine or an outdoor enthusiast eager to explore the rugged landscapes, Wellington has something for everyone. It’s a city that embraces diversity, celebrates individuality, and encourages you to live life to the fullest.

If you can handle the wind.

Queenstown

Queenstown is THE hub for backpackers, Working Holidayers, and seasonal workers just looking to have some fun. It is utterly beautiful, surrounded by mountains and a huge lake in the heart of the South Island. Queenstown is an amazing place to start in New Zealand for a mix of fun and adventure, as well as being one of the best places to meet other like-minded travellers.

For the off-season, Queenstown has a population of only around 15,000, but during the Winter that number sky-rockets to almost 100,000. Tourists are always stopping by for extreme sports and nightlife fun, making Queenstown an ideal spot for finding a seasonal job to save money for your South Island road trip.

What to do when you arrive?

There are a few logistical steps necessary when you first immigrate to New Zealand:

1. Find somewhere to live. I stayed in a hostel in Auckland that allowed for ‘long term guests’ who shared a small house together. Instead of rooms, we shared one large space with individual beds separated by screens. It wasn’t perfect, but as a place to spend my first few months in New Zealand, it really did the job! Once I was ready to move on, I joined Facebook groups for people looking for rooms in Auckland and messaged anyone whose accommodation looked like it would be a good fit.
2. Open a bank account. Luckily this was a really simple process. I made an appointment online with ANZ and made sure to bring along my passport, proof of address, and a small amount of money (usually $10 is fine) for an initial deposit. As I was staying in a hostel, I just asked the hostel owner/manager to sign a piece of paper declaring I was staying there.
3. Apply for your IRD tax number. This is like your National Insurance number in the UK or Social Security number in the US. Without it, you can’t get paid! You can apply online through the Inland Revenue Department website using your passport details, visa application number, overseas tax number, and proof of your brand-new NZ bank account.
4. Apply for jobs! As I was at the end of a long trip and needed some cash ASAP, I used the local library to make and print off a series of CVs (resumés) then walked along my local high street to drop them into every cafe and restaurant I could. I got a call pretty quickly and started working in a small coffee shop. For other job listing websites, I used seek.co.nz and Backpacker Board, as well as telling everyone I could that I was looking for work in a specific industry. Kiwis are some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet, if they can help you find the perfect job, they will!

Why I Left New Zealand

There’s no doubt that life in New Zealand was some of the best years of my life. I adored my job, made lifelong friends, and had a new adventure every week. I spent my time off at the beach, hiking, or taking road trips all across the country. Aotearoa is a place that will always be incredibly special to me. It contains some of the most beautiful views I will ever experience, and in many ways, I could easily picture myself staying for the rest of my life.

So why did I leave?

I was also in New Zealand throughout 2020. We know what that entailed. Whilst I feel unbelievably privileged to have been living in such a safe and united place during that time, and even getting out of lockdown to do a month-long road trip of the South Island by June 2020, it also served as a harsh reminder of just how far away from home I was.

New Zealand is over 18,000 km from the UK. That’s the furthest possible country. It takes realistically 2 days to get from one to another, and with all my family and so many of my closest friends still living in Europe, I realised that if the worst were to happen, I was simply too far away.

I would never regret the time I spent living in New Zealand, and I did seriously consider applying to stay longer, however, with my visa coming to an end, I did feel myself at a crossroads. I knew if I stayed another few years in Auckland, it might become impossible to say goodbye in the future.

So, I embraced the reality that New Zealand was never meant to be my permanent home, just an incredible chapter in the book of my life.

Have questions? Leave them in the comments below and I’ll answer as soon as I can!