The advice you need to set yourself up for success when immigrating to New Zealand.
The Pearson PTE Academic English test is changing
Pearson PTE has announced three changes to their PTE Academic English test. The English language test provider says its making the changes to ensure that the PTE Academic the most convenient, stress-free English test available.
In our opinion, the planned changes coming into effect on the 16th of November are certainly positive.
You can read more about the changes below:
1. A shorter test
The PTE Academic is reducing in length from three hours to a more convenient two hours.
The format of the test is not changing!
You’ll still get tested on the same English skills, and you’ll still get asked the same types of questions. Pearson PTE will also continue to use the same scoring scale. You’ll just have fewer questions to answer.
Why is Pearson PTE changing the test length?
Pearson PTE wants to make their PTE Academic the most convenient choice for test-takers. Through extensive testing, Pearson PTE found that reducing the number of questions could improve the efficiency of PTE Academic with no impact on test scores or quality.
2. Enhanced score report feedback
You’ll get a new personalized “skills profile” alongside your PTE Academic score report with additional feedback on your performance. This feedback will also include suggestions for how to improve.
3. At-home English tests
PTE Academic will offer an Online test option that you can do at home. However, PTE Academic Online is unfortunately not recognised for visa and immigration purposes.
When would you take an English test?
English tests assess your English language skills for some New Zealand visas. Where the test applies, Immigration New Zealand requires you to attain a satisfactory score to prove that your English skills meet their requirements.
How do I prepare for an English test?
There are four ways in which you can ensure you do your best in an English test:
- Understand the test format
- You’ll get tested on your listening, reading, writing and speaking skills.
- Practice with sample tests
- You’ll be able to familiarise yourself with the test format, experience the types of tasks you’ll have to do, test yourself under timed conditions, and review your answers and compare them with model answers.
- Work with an English language teacher
- English language teachers will introduce you to the test format, take you through sample tests, give feedback, and focus on your developmental areas.
- Know what to expect on test day
- Find out how long your test will be and what you’ll need to take with you to the testing centre.
You can read more about these strategies on our blog.
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- Published in Latest posts, New Zealand Immigration Advice, News
Don’t hold off on your emigration because of COVID-19!
New Zealand closed their borders to just about anyone when COVID-19 first struck in 2020, but the country has since created several border exceptions for people in critical occupations and visa categories.
There is thus no reason to put off your emigration if you qualify for one of the border exceptions listed below.
Even if none of these border exceptions apply to you, there are still good reasons to start your emigration (you can skip to numbers 6 and 7 on our list to see why).
1. New Zealand IS ACCEPTING visa applications under some categories
Immigration New Zealand announced in September that it’s now again accepting visa applications under four categories:
- Parent Retirement
- Migrant Investor (Investor 1 and 2), including Expressions of Interest for Investor 2
- Entrepreneur
- Refugee Family Support (Tiers 1 and 2)
The rationale behind accepting Investor and Entrepreneur visas is that these visas brings investment into New Zealand and add jobs to the economy. This is much-needed in a post-COVID-19 world.
2. You might qualify for an ‘other critical worker’ border exception
In September 2020, INZ relaxed the criteria for some overseas workers to allow migrants with critical skills through the border.
The New Zealand employer will apply for the exception. The overseas worker must fall into one of two categories and then meet the criteria associated with the category under which the employer wants to apply for the border exception.
3. New Zealand announced a border exception for 300 teachers in July!
Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced on 3 July that 300 overseas qualified teachers will be able to enter New Zealand under a new class border exception.
“This will give principals and services additional support, especially for 2022 recruitment, and complement existing teacher supply initiatives”, said Minister Hipkins.
The exception may also be open to teachers who worked in New Zealand but who had to leave the country and were unable to return to their job due to border closures.
Furthermore, Immigration New Zealand is creating a family reunification border exception for the partners and dependent children of teachers who are already in New Zealand on temporary visas. These teachers will be able to request for their family to join them for the duration of their visa.
4. INZ is creating a border exception for dairy farm workers
Immigration New Zealand is introducing a border exception for up to 150 dairy herd managers, up to 50 dairy farm workers and up to 50 veterinarians.
“It is clear from conversations with the dairy and veterinarian sectors that they are facing workforce pressures. These border exceptions will go a long way towards relieving those pressures,” Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said.
To apply for the exception, you must have between three to five 5 years’ experience and meet the remuneration threshold of NZD85,000 per year.
5. The border exception for critical healthcare workers is indefinite!
Up to March 2021, the border exception for critical healthcare workers had a start date of 31 March 2021. This start date meant that new, approved employees had to start working for their New Zealand employer on or before 31 March 2021.
Much to the delight of visa holders and New Zealand employers, INZ decided to remove the start date. This move meant that the border exception for critical healthcare workers became indefinite!
Eligible healthcare workers can thus enter New Zealand at any stage to take up employment in the country.
6. You can complete critical parts of your skilled migrant visa application despite the border closures
Let’s first explain why you’d want to do that. It’s simple. If you complete the critical parts now, you’ll be ready to submit your visa application as soon as the restrictions are lifted. You’ll be streets ahead of migrants who chose to wait and see what happens first.
Our advisors always tell our clients that their focus should be on the long term not the short term!
Let’s now look at some examples of those critical parts that you can tick off your to-do list.
It is, for instance, your personal documents such as birth certificates and police clearances. Keep in mind also that if you’re applying as a skilled worker you may need occupational registration and a qualification assessment. These are known to take long and may take even longer now. It’s therefore much better to start your emigration process sooner rather than later!
7. INZ could change immigration regulations which could mean that you don’t qualify to apply for a visa at all
We do not say this to scare you. This has happened all too often in the past.
Take for example the big changes that were made to Essential Skills visas earlier this year, including that your median wage would determine the family members you can support and in what manner.
Let’s not forget about when INZ closed the Parent Resident visa in October 2019 until February of this year. At the same time, INZ made a number of changes to the visa. One of these changes was capping the number of visas at 1,000 annually.
These changes scuppered many people’s plans!
Remember that generally you’re safe from any changes if your visa application is already in the system when it happens. This is another good reason to start your emigration sooner rather than later.
Ready to get going with your visa application?
Contact us if you want to find out if you qualify for any of New Zealand’s border exceptions, or if you simply want to start putting together your visa application.
Our advisors can assess your immigration eligibility and work out a personalized immigration plan. Our administrative team can then help you get all the parts together.
We want to see you realise your dream of living in New Zealand as much as you do, so we’re looking forward to working with you!
- Published in Latest posts, New Zealand Immigration Advice, News
Should I move to New Zealand or Australia?
Should I move to New Zealand or Australia? We bet that’s a question you’ve asked yourself at least once before.
Here’s our tip to help you choose – let the reason for your emigration guide you.
For instance, do you want to grow your career, or is it so that your family can live in safer country? Australia offers more job opportunities but New Zealand is the second-safest country in the world.
Do you see how the motivation for your move could help you decide where to go?
Let’s work through a couple of pull factors together to help you decide between New Zealand and Australia.
(You can also skip to the end of the article where you’ll find a handy recap of all the information.)
Is an affordable cost of living important?
Salary Explorer lists the average annual salary for New Zealand as NZD97,600, while the average yearly income for Australia is AUD91,200.
When drilling deeper into these averages, the highest and lowest annual salaries for New Zealand are listed as NZD434,000 and NZD24,600 respectively. Australia’s highest and lowest annual income come in at AUD405,000 and AUD23,000.
However, looking at salaries alone doesn’t give us the complete picture. One also has to consider the cost of living. It’s the only way to determine how much life you can squeeze out of your salary.
Numbeo tells us that the average prices of consumer goods and services, rent, and groceries are lower in New Zealand than in Australia. However, New Zealand’s purchasing power is 17.49% lower than Australia’s.
Averages can be extremely abstract, though. Let’s instead look at actual prices for everyday items, as shared on Numbeo. To compare apples with apples, we’re going to show all prices in New Zealand dollars.
Please note: At the time of writing, the exchange rate was 0.92(NZ) to 1(Aus).
Housing
On average, rent in New Zealand is 7.58% lower than in Australia. You can expect to pay $2,640.79 for a 3-bedroom apartment in the city centre in New Zealand, while the same apartment in Australia will cost you $3,012.19. Choose to live outside of the city centre and your rent for the same size apartment will decrease to $2,131.72 and $2,082.47 respectively.
Utilities
To keep the lights on and the water running, you’ll have to fork out $184.35 a month in New Zealand, while it will cost you $238.99 in Australia. This is for an apartment of 85sqm and the cost also includes other basic utilities such as refuse.
Another utility we all surely consider as basic these days is the internet. The price for uncapped data over ADSL or a cable at 60mbps or more, will cost just about the same in both countries.
Staying connected costs $81.78 a month in New Zealand and $81.97 a month in Australia.
Groceries
On average, you’ll spend 6.29% less on your groceries in New Zealand than in Australia. With that being said, it’s not all groceries that are cheaper in New Zealand.
Let’s take a closer look at grocery prices, shall we? We’re going to break it down in four categories:
1. Staples
| New Zealand | Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 1L of Milk | $2.62 | $1.80 |
| White bread | $2.53 | $3.07 |
| 12 Eggs | $5.46 | $5.13 |
| 1kg Rice | $2.97 | $2.96 |
2. Meat and diary
| New Zealand | Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 1kg Chicken fillets | $13.07 | $11.85 |
| 1kg Beef round | $19.73 | $19.44 |
| 1kg Local cheese | $10.74 | $11.68 |
3. Vegetables
| New Zealand | Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 1kg Potatoes | $2.98 | $3.53 |
| Lettuce | $2.89 | $2.94 |
| 1kg Tomatoes | $3.38 | $5.49 |
4. Fruit
| New Zealand | Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 1kg Apples | $3.77 | $4.95 |
| 1kg Oranges | $3.90 | $4.10 |
| 1kg Bananas | $3.03 | $3.65 |
Do you live for work or work to live?
In other words, which one do you value more – your career or your free time?
If it’s the former, Australia is a good first choice. Australia will offer you more opportunities, both in the number of jobs available and in chances to progress your career. That’s simply because Australia has a many big cities with booming industries. New Zealand’s big corporations are concentrated mostly in and around Auckland.
However, if work is more of a means to an end, you’ll find settling in New Zealand will suit you well.
New Zealanders are known for their ‘life is for living’ ethos. They believe a good day’s work should be balanced with time for family and friends as well as the many leisure opportunities presented by the great outdoors. In fact, when it came to work-life balance, New Zealand ranked first in the world in the 2020 Expat Explorer Survey.
Do you prefer life fast or slowed down?
Life in New Zealand moves at a more relaxed pace than in Australia. This can be attributed to New Zealanders’ love for downtime, as mentioned above, and also to the fact that New Zealand’s cities and towns are smaller than those of Australia. As we all know, fewer people equals less frenzy, less traffic, and less crowded spaces.
This is not to say that you won’t be able to enjoy a more relaxed life in Australia. It just means that you might have to skip the cities when choosing where to settle Down Under.
Do you have children?
You can rest assured that whatever your choice, New Zealand or Australia, your children will enjoy a world-class education.
New Zealand
The New Zealand education system puts the student at the center of everything it does, while keeping an open mind about learning and teaching techniques. The mission is to teach children to:
- Problem solve
- Process information
- Work with others
- Create and innovate
You’ll find New Zealand’s best schools in Wellington and Auckland. These schools are a mix of private and public schools, and offer both co-ed and single gender schooling options.
Australia
Over in Australia, the world-renowned Qualification Framework guarantees that schools as well as tertiary education institutions are government authorised and accredited.
Further to this, Australian schools have:
- small classes,
- university-trained and qualified teachers,
- specialist teachers in subject areas, and
- additional learning support for children who need it.
To send your children to the best schools in Australia, your main considerations would have to be Melbourne and Sydney. These cities are home to Australia’s five top primary schools as well as the five high schools. The schools are a mix of co-education and single gender facilities.
To have a look at the best schools in each state or territory, click here for primary schools and here for high schools.
Is good, affordable healthcare high on your priority list?
Again, both New Zealand and Australia are good choices. Both countries have public and private healthcare systems, and the healthcare you’ll receive is world-class.
In New Zealand, eligible residents get free or subsidised health and disability services under the public healthcare system. These services include:
- Primary healthcare visits such as doctor’s visits
- Prescribed medicines
- Public hospital services
- Support services if you have disabilities
Your children will qualify for a range of free healthcare services, all of which are related to their age.
For instance, children up to the age of 5 qualifies for Well Child/Tamariki Ora. This service gives children access to a range of health checks and provides support and advice to new parents.
Australia’s public healthcare system is called Medicare. Just like in New Zealand, public healthcare offers access to free or subsidised medical services and care. Australian citizens, permanent residents, and some temporary residents qualify for Medicare.
If you do qualify for Medicare, Medicare will cover part or all of the following health services when you need it:
- Seeing a GP or specialist
- Tests and scans, like x-rays
- Most surgery and procedures performed by doctors
- Eye tests by optometrists
Medicare also assist with the cost of medicine, mental health care, and screens, tests and scans.
If you do not qualify for Medicare, you’ll have to ensure that you have private medical aid for the duration of your stay in Australia.
Is your family’s safety your main concern?
Perhaps you’re emigrating because your home country is not the safest place. In that case, there is only one choice – New Zealand. In 2020, New Zealand was – yet again – the second safest country in the world, as per the Global Peace Index.
For the index, the state of peace in countries are measured using three domains:
- The level of societal safety and security.
- The extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict.
- The degree of militarization.
A number of indicators are captured within each of these domains, including violent crime, violent demonstrations, the homicide rate, and political instability.
The only country that did better than New Zealand was Iceland. Considering that Iceland is an island nation with a population of only 364 134, we reckon New Zealand might as well have been at number 1.
Australia reclaimed its number 13 spot on the Index in 2020. This puts Australia above countries like the Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden.
To recap the answer to the question “Should I move to New Zealand Australia?”
There really isn’t a standard answer to the question of whether you should move to New Zealand or Australia. As you can see now, it depends on what you want for yourself or your family.
- Is an affordable cost of living important? You’ll spend less in New Zealand on average on everyday goods and services, but your purchasing is 17.49% lower than in Australia.
- Is it grow your career? Then Australia with it’s many big cities and career opportunities should be your first choice.
- Do you want a better work-life balance? Choose New Zealand, where the motto is “life is for living”.
- Is it so that your children can have a good education? They’ll get that no matter which country you move to.
- Do you value good, affordable healthcare? Again, either country is a great choice.
- Do you want to move to a safe country? New Zealand is the second-safest country in the world!
Chances are, the reason for your emigration is a mix of one of more of these factors. In this case, our suggestion is to draw up a pro and con list to help you decide.
Let us not forget however…
Whether you go to New Zealand or Australia is also dependent on your family’s eligibility to emigrate to either country. That’s why it’s important to consider your reason for moving but to also do an immigration assessment so that you can ensure that you are making an informed decision.
If you qualify for both countries, as some people do, lucky you! Then you’ll be able to pick and choose the country that’s the best fit for your family.
- Published in Family Immigration, New Zealand Immigration Advice
#COVID19: Eligible international students can return to New Zealand
The border restrictions in response to COVID-19 have turned many people’s lives upside-down.
One of the affected groups have been international students who were in their home countries when the borders closed. Unfortunately, these students have been unable to resume their studies thus far.
Thankfully, INZ has now announced that up to 1,000 priority returning degree and post-graduate international students will be able to return to New Zealand from April 2021.
The requirements of this border exception
- You must have already completed some of your study in New Zealand.
- If you enter New Zealand under this exception, you have to apply for and be granted a new study visa in line with immigration requirements. You can include your partner and dependent children, in line with visa requirements.
- If your application is successful, you’ll have to complete standard managed isolation and quarantine:
- You must book your space through the allocation system
- You’re liable for the standard charges of the isolation and quarantine
- Due to the employment pressures as a result of COVID-19 and increased living costs, you’ll have to be able to prove that you have NZ$20,000 per annum to support yourself for the duration of your visa.
Get expert assistance with your study visa application
Get in touch with our licensed advisor if you’re one of the 1,000 returning students and you’d like assistance with your visa application.
Our licensed advisors can ensure that you still meet the requirements to apply for a study visa. We’ll also guide you through the preparation of your visa application and submit your application too.
- Published in Latest posts, New Zealand Immigration Advice, News
4 Uncomfortable truths about emigrating (Plus the good news)
Immigrating is a huge undertaking. Especially if you’re doing it as a family! However, most people entering the emigration process do not fully realise what lies ahead.
Is it worth it? Of course! You’re opening doors to new opportunities and a better life for yourself and your family.
But how do you prepare yourself for the journey? A good way to start is by reading the uncomfortable truths (and the good news) below.
1. There’s going to be a lot of admin
Many applicants are surprised by the amount of admin that’s involved in their application.
You have to gather the required documents, complete the necessary paperwork, do the applicable tests, and apply for professional registrations if your occupation asks for it.
Everything has to happen at the right time too and it also has to happen in a way or format that meets Immigration New Zealand’s requirements.
The good news
Our immigration advisers guide you every step of the way. You’ll know exactly what is required of you and when it is required. Our team even go as far as booking English tests for you, leaving you with more time to focus on the other parts of your emigration.
2. You might not be able to emigrate as quickly as you’d like
You can’t wait to pack your bags and get on that aeroplane! And who can blame you? New Zealand is a dream destination.
Unfortunately, your emigration might not always happen as quickly as you want it to.
For instance, Immigration New Zealand might get an influx of applications for a new visa category which means everyone has to wait a bit longer on their outcome of their visas. Or, as we all now know, a pandemic could strike!
The good news
You can rest assured that we always compile your application as quickly as possible. And while we cannot influence Immigration New Zealand’s process or decision in any way, we do undertake to ensure that you’re never left in the dark about what’s happening with your application.
3. Emigration is not cheap
There are a lot of costs to consider when emigrating, from paying the movers to putting down a deposit on a home or importing your pet. You’ll also have to pay government fees and you might need to pay for English tests and registrations too.
The good news
When you deal with us, you’ll know exactly how much your visa application will cost. Simply book a consultation call!
Firstly, and most importantly, you’ll discover during the consultation call if you are eligible to move to New Zealand. You don’t want to spend money on a visa application if you don’t!
If you are eligible to immigrate to New Zealand, our licensed advisor will also discuss your visa options with you. However, if you aren’t immediately eligible, our advisor will discuss the best way forward.
After the call, if you are eligible to apply for a visa, you’ll get a complete quote outlining the costs of your application. Our team can also refer you to reputable pet importers and English language teachers so that you have an even better idea of the costs involved.
4. Emigration is not for the faint-hearted
It is almost guaranteed that your stress and anxiety levels will rise during the application process. Mostly because it’s an unfamiliar process and because it’s such an important step in your life.
The good news
Our advisers will see to it that don’t have to go through it alone. Our team will always ensure that your stress and anxiety is kept to a minimum by seeing to it that all requirements are met and by giving you realistic timelines and expectations.
Here’s what some of our recent clients had to say:
I highly recommend Intergate Emigration.
The team is amazing, they have always answered my question very quickly and understanable.
The whole application process went very well even during the pandemic.
I would suggest every future applicant to Maike’s team.
Thank you for making my dream come true.
~ Marcel Pangerl
We as the Sweeney family are proud to offer our recommendation of Maike Versfeld to whom we have got to known better over the last 3 years as our immigration agent.
During our relationship we have experienced an individual who works hard and carries herself in a polite, respectable manner.
Maike is a highly qualified person, she takes all your concerns in consideration. She listens to your needs and advise accordingly. She plans ahead and prepare you for the next step. She is understanding and took our family’s move very seriously.
We are extremely satisfied with Maike’s service, it is worth every cent. We did not have to re-submit any paperwork , all was done once.
We thank you Maike for your kind words when we were worried. We can not think how difficult it could have been if this was not handled by you.
THANK YOU!
~ Anel Sweeney
We highly recommend Katrin and her team at Intergate Emigration!
It was a long process to organise everything as my husband and I have been married for over 6 years and we had no idea how much information was needed. From the first initial contact Katrin made us feel relieved and confident that they would be available for any information if needed.
A very special thank you to Natanya, she was amazing and if we had any questions she was happy to answer them. Many emails went back and forth. We really felt that we were in capable hands.
What I like best was the personal touch, especially the phone call to inform us that both visas were granted.
We are so grateful and appreciate everything that was done for us and we have no hesitation in recommending Intergate Emigration.
~ Karen Eichinger
Ready to make your emigration easier?
Book that consultation call! Our advisors will assess your eligibility, and guide and support you through your visa application.
- Published in New Zealand Immigration Advice
Why should I do a visa assessment for New Zealand?
Our advice when people ask us where to start is always – “By doing a visa assessment for New Zealand.” We say this because a visa assessment reveals if you’re eligible to apply to for a visa to live in New Zealand.
You can choose to jump straight into a visa application – but that could have disastrous consequences. Imagine, for instance, how gutted you’ll be if you find out that you’ve spent months on an application for a visa for which you don’t qualify.
But ensuring that apply for the correct visa is only one way in which a visa assessment benefits you. Here are five more reasons why you should do an assessment:
1. You do not waste money
Let’s say you want to apply for a work visa or residency through the skilled migrant visa.
In most cases you’ll need to secure a job offer in order to secure the visa or residency. As the job search and visa process go hand-in-hand, there are sections of your visa application that should go ahead – and you should only be paying for these parts.
Yet there are many horror stories of applicants paying immigration companies in full for visa applications, only to see no progress with their planned migration.
Why? Because they didn’t go through an assessment phase where the application process is explained to them.
If you do an assessment, you’ll understand how the pieces of this puzzle fit together – and when it’s a good or bad idea to part with your money.
2. You do not build up false hopes of moving to New Zealand
So you’ve spotted your occupation on a skills shortage list and you’re over the moon. You’re moving to New Zealand!Not so fast. Just because your occupation appears on a New Zealand skills shortage list, doesn’t mean emigration is a given for you.
You’ll still need to meet a long list of other requirements to make it into New Zealand!
That’s where a visa assessment comes in. It measures your skills, occupations and qualifications, plus various other criteria, against what Immigration New Zealand asks of immigrants.
In other words, once you’ve completed your assessment, you’ll know for a fact whether or not New Zealand is a realistic dream for you.
3. You find out if you meet the basic criteria for a New Zealand visa or residency
Doing a visa assessment for New Zealand will ensure that you meet the basic emigration criteria before you make a visa application.
This means you avoid unfortunate mistakes like:
- An application that fail because it didn’t cover the required details.
- Claiming experience that is not valid.
- Getting an incorrect points score.
- Missing opportunities for visa types.
- Forgetting that all family members must meet certain criteria.
- And the list goes on….
Instead, you submit an application that’s prepared correctly, in the full knowledge that you meet all requirements.
4. You discover the best route forward
A comprehensive visa assessment for New Zealand will reveal how you should proceed with your immigration.
In other words, you’ll know what visa you can apply for and with what parts of the visa process you can proceed. You’ll also know where there are still gaps, for instance documents that you might have to apply for in order to complete certain parts of the application process.
5. You also get to ask any question you may have
It is to be expected that you have a long list of questions about immigration to New Zealand. If you’re dealing with a reputable advisor, he or she will give you an opportunity to ask all those questions.
Don’t be afraid to ask any questions! Immigrating is a huge undertaking and you owe it to yourself to have all the information you feel that you need.
Ready to take a visa assessment for New Zealand?
At Intergate Emigration, our advisors are licensed and registered with New Zealand’s IAA. That means our advisors are authorised to give immigration advice for New Zealand.
You can get advice by booking a consultation call. One of our licensed advisors will assess your eligibility and then discuss your visa options with you. You’ll know exactly what you chances of immigrating is and how to proceed!
- Published in New Zealand Immigration Advice
How do I know which New Zealand immigration advisers I can trust?
There are many stories of people being swindled by unscrupulous New Zealand immigration advisers.
Often people are left without savings in their bank accounts. Even worse – deported, because the visa turned out be fake!
The best way to make sure that the person you are dealing with is the real deal, is to check that they are licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA), or exempted to give advice. If you cannot find the ‘agent’ on here, walk away and do not deal with them.
There are other ways to tell too. Usually the signs come in the form of false promises or, plain and simple, outright lies.
Here is a list of things that unscrupulous operators might say to you:
I can guarantee that you will get a visa to New Zealand.
This is false. No-one can guarantee you will get a visa. Only authorised officers can give you a visa and only when you have met all the visa requirements.
Pay now to register for the migration program.
This is not how things work. You pay your visa application charge when you lodge your application.
Please note: Advisers are allowed to charge for their services, but the charges must be fair and reasonable in the circumstances. You may wish to speak to several advisers before signing on the dotted line with one, as no two advisers will offer the same experience and level service, which also influences fees.
This is a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ or your ‘only’ chance to travel or migrate to New Zealand.
It might be hard to believe, but some fraudulent agents actually call people to offer them visas. It’s then framed as an opportunity not to be missed. All to get money out of you!
IAA licensed agents will never call you first to offer you migration ‘opportunities’. This is a client relationship that always start with the client, i.e. you, contacting the agent.
Only I can pay the charges, give me your money and I will pay the charges for you.
False again. You can pay your own visa application charge. However, you might still choose to let your migration adviser do it for you – but only if you are sure you are dealing with a licensed adviser!
I have a special relationship with INZ.
No-one has a ‘special relationship’ with Immigration New Zealand (INZ). INZ treats all visa applications in a fair and impartial way.
I am a skilled migration service provider/New Zealand government registered/department registered.
The only New Zealand immigration advisers you should deal with, are IAA licensed immigration advisers. Do not take any adviser on their word only! Ask to see an IAA license number.
Don’t worry, INZ is still processing your visa.
Do not just accept this. Ask for a copy of the confirmation letter to ensure that your application was submitted.
Keep in mind though that some applications do take longer than others, so there will be times that your immigration agent won’t have any feedback for you.
Want to know if you can trust our New Zealand immigration advisers?
We have two licensed immigration advisors for New Zealand – Maike Versfeld and Katrin Maja O’Flynn. You can get to know them better on our website or go straight their profiles on the IAA website:
Please feel free to contact us to discuss your immigration journey!
- Published in New Zealand Immigration Advice
Let’s compare the English language tests
Today we’re going to compare the four English language test most migrants take – the IELTS General and Academic, the PTE Academic, and the TOEFL iBT – by doing a side-by-side comparison of these three sections of the tests:
- Test overview
- The parts of the test
- How long it takes to get your test results
This comparison will not only help you understand the differences between the tests, it will also familiarise you with each of these four tests.
Let’s get started:
Test overview
In the test overview, we give you a short description of what each test assess and how it’s done.
IELTS General and IELTS Academic:
The IELTS tests assess your abilities in listening, reading, writing and speaking – in less than three hours. The Listening, Reading and Writing sections of all IELTS tests are completed on the same day, with no breaks in between them. The Speaking section, however, can be completed up to a week before or after the other tests. Your test centre will advise.
PTE Academic:
PTE Academic assesses listening, reading, speaking and writing all via computer in a single three hour test session. To complete a PTE Academic test, you will need to attend a secure Pearson test center. You will use a computer and headset to listen to, read and respond to questions.
TOEFL iBT:
The TOEFL iBT test measures your ability to use and understand English at the university level. It also evaluates how well you combine your reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills to perform academic tasks. The TOEFL iBT test is given in English and administered via the internet. It takes about 3 hours total for the 4 sections of the test (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing).
Test format
All four English language tests assess your speaking, writing, reading and listening skills. However, the PTE Academic test assess your speaking and writing skills in one session while the other English tests assess each skill in an individual session.
Part 1
IELTS General and IELTS Academic: Listening (30 min):
You’ll listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to a series of questions. Assessors will be looking for evidence of your ability to understand the main ideas and detailed factual information, the opinions and attitudes of speakers, the purpose of an utterance and evidence of your ability to follow the development of ideas.
PTE Academic: Speaking & Writing (77 – 93 min):
- Personal introduction
- Read aloud
- Repeat sentence
- Describe image
- Re-tell lecture
- Answer short question
- Summarize written text
- Essay (20 mins)
TOEFL iBT: Reading: (54 – 72 min):
You’ll read three or four passages from academic texts and answer 30 to 40 questions.
Part 2
IELTS General and IELTS Academic: Reading (60 min):
The Reading section consists of 40 questions, designed to test a wide range of reading skills. These include reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical argument and recognising writers’ opinions, attitudes and purpose.
- General: Reading material includes extracts from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, company handbooks and guidelines. These are materials you’re likely to encounter on a daily basis in an English-speaking environment.
- Academic: Reading material includes three long texts which range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. These are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers.
PTE Academic: Reading (32 – 40 min):
- Reading & writing: Fill in the blanks
- Multiple choice, choose multiple answers
- Re-order paragraphs
- Reading: Fill in the blanks
- Multiple choice, choose single answer
TOEFL iBT: Listening (41 – 57 min):
You’ll listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer 28 – 39 questions.
Part 3
IELTS General: Writing (60 min):
Topics are of general interest. There are two tasks:
- Task 1: You’ll be presented with a situation and asked to write a letter requesting information, or explaining the situation. The letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style.
- Task 2: You’ll be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. The essay can be fairly personal in style.
IELTS Academic: Writing (60 min):
Topics are of general interest to, and suitable for, test takers entering undergraduate and postgraduate studies or seeking professional registration. There are two tasks:
- Task 1: You’ll be presented with a graph, table, chart or diagram and asked to describe, summarise or explain the information in your own words. You may be asked to describe and explain data, describe the stages of a process, how something works or describe an object or event.
- Task 2: You’ll be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. Responses to both tasks must be in a formal style.
PTE Academic: Listening (45 – 75 min):
- Summarise spoken text
- Multiple choice, choose multiple answer
- Fill in the blanks
- Highlight correct summary
- Multiple choice, choose single answer
- Select missing word
- Highlight incorrect words
- Write from dictation
TOEFL iBT: Speaking (41 – 57 min):
Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks. You’ll complete four tasks in total.
Part 4 – Only applies to IELTS and TOEFL iBT
IETLS General and IELTS Academic: Speaking (11 – 14 min):
The speaking section assess your use of spoken English. Every test is recorded.
- Task 1: The examiner will ask you general questions about yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as home, family, work, studies and interests. This part lasts between four and five minutes.
- Task 2: You will be given a card which asks you to talk about a particular topic. You will have one minute to prepare before speaking for up to two minutes. The examiner will then ask one or two questions on the same topic.
- Task 3: You will be asked further questions about the topic in Task 2. These will give you the opportunity to discuss more abstract ideas and issues. This part of the test lasts between four and five minutes.
TOEFL iBT: Writing (50 min):
You’ll have to write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks, and support an opinion in writing.
When do you get your results?
Waiting for the results on such an important test is nerve-racking! It helps to know for how long you’ll have to wait. Here we break down the time frames:
IELTS General and IELTS Academic:
If you’ve taken a paper-based test, your Test Report Form will be available 13 days after you complete the test, but if you’ve taken a computer-delivered test, your results will be available between 5 and 7 days after your test.
PTE Academic
PTE Academic results are typically available within five business days.
TOEFL iBT
Score reports are available and can be viewed online in your TOEFL iBT account approximately six days after your test date. If you requested a paper copy, it will be mailed to you roundabout 11 days after your test date.
For even more information on each test, go to the individual websites:
Want to know which test you should take?
Our immigration consultants advise on English language tests during the assessment process. You’ll find out if you have to take an English test and which English test is best for your situation.
The first step is a consultation call to see if you are eligible for immigration to New Zealand. Should our advisor find that you are eligible, you can proceed with your visa application.
- Published in New Zealand Immigration Advice, Your Visa Application
Want to know your New Zealand immigration options? Read this!
It’s the question on the lips of many hopeful future New Zealanders – “What are my New Zealand immigration options?” Wonder no more! Today we’re going to tell you exactly what your options are by discussing these key immigration matters:
- Residence options
- Visa options
- Application options
Let’s start at the beginning – your residence options.
Your residence options
New Zealand offers immigrants two residence options – temporary residence and permanent residence.
Some visas grant permanent residence straightaway, others serve as a pathway to residence, and there are visas that only offer temporary residence.
Your individual situation will determine for which visa and type of residence you qualify, as all of New Zealand visas each has a unique set of requirements to meet.
Your visa options
New Zealand has 6 categories of immigration visas:
1. Work
There are five visas that enable you to immigrate to New Zealand to live and work there:
- Skilled Migrant visa: The skilled migrant visa is for individuals who meet certain requirements in terms of their profession, experience, skills and qualifications. If you’re granted this visa, you receive permanent residence.
- Accredited Employer Work visa: The Accredited Employer Work Visa is for migrants with job offers from accredited New Zealand employers. It is a visa for temporary residency, but eligible candidates can qualify for straight-to-residence or work-to-residence pathways.
- Partner visa – if your partner is a New Zealander: This visa enables you to apply for residence if your partner or spouse is a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. If granted, you’ll be entitled to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely. In addition you can include dependent children, aged 24 and younger, in your visa application.
- Partner visa – if your partner is a New Zealand work visa holder: If your spouse or partner has secured a job offer in New Zealand, you’re eligible to apply for a partner visa on the basis of your spouse or partner being your sponsor. If granted this visa, you’ll be able live in New Zealand. As a resident of New Zealand, you’ll also have the option to work.
- Entrepreneur visa: The entrepreneur visa is for persons who want to work in their own business in New Zealand. In terms of what the visas allow, this could mean either buying into a company or setting up a new business. In both instances, you’ll be eligible for permanent residence.
2. Partner
New Zealand has three visas that enable you to join your spouse or partner in the country:
- Partner visa – if your partner is a New Zealander: This visa enables you to apply for residence if your partner or spouse is a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. If granted, you’ll be entitled to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely. In addition you can include dependent children, aged 24 and younger, in your visa application.
- Partner visa – if your partner is a New Zealand work visa holder: If your spouse or partner has secured a job offer in New Zealand, you’re eligible to apply for a partner visa on the basis of your spouse or partner being your sponsor. If granted this visa, you’ll be able live in New Zealand. As a resident of New Zealand, you’ll also have the option to work.
- Partner of a Student Visitor Visa: This visitor visa enables you to join your partner in New Zealand during their studies. You’ll be able to explore the country as a tourist and also study but only for up to three months.
3. Relative
New Zealand appreciates that families don’t want to split up and thus offers five relative visas:
- Parent Retirement Visa: The parent retirement visa enables you to join your adult child in New Zealand. As this visa grants permanent residency, you’ll be able to immigrate permanently. To be eligible to apply for the visa, you must be able to meet Immigration New Zealand’s financial requirements.
- Parent Residency Visa: The parent residency visa enables you to join your adult child or grandchild in New Zealand provided he or she is a citizen or resident. Legal guardians are also eligible to apply. Unfortunately, you can’t apply if you have dependent children but you can include a partner in your application. Please note that the parent residency visa is closed to new applications until further notice.
- Child of a Worker Visitor Visa: This visa is open to temporary work visa holders and allows you to bring your children with you while you work in New Zealand.
- Dependent Child Student Visa: This visa is meant for the children of temporary work visa holders and it allows the child to attend school.
- Child of a Student Visitor Visa: This visa allows foreign students to come to New Zealand and bring their dependent children with them.
4. Investor
You can invest in New Zealand through one of two visas:
- Investor visa: The New Zealand investor visa requires an investment of at least NZ$1,5million for four years in New Zealand. You must be 65 years old or younger to apply for this visa.
- Investor Plus visa: To apply for the investor plus visa, you must invest at least NZ$10million for a period of three years in New Zealand. There are no age restrictions on this visa.
5. Study
The study visa is for persons who want to study in New Zealand for longer than 12 weeks. Your partner and dependents can also accompany you to New Zealand by applying for a partner of a student visitor visa and child of a student visitor visa.
Your application options
When talking about your application options, we’re referring to how you choose to handle your application. Your options here are doing it on yourself or with the help of a licensed immigration advisor.
Doing your application on yourself
There is nothing that prevents you from completing your visa application on your own. Many people initially take this DYI route because they think applying for a visa to New Zealand is as easy as filling in a form.
This is not true, unfortunately.
For starters, most people can’t make heads or tails of the New Zealand points system. This leads people to rely on online points calculators only to realise much later that these tools aren’t accurate.
In general, the problem with online applications is that the programme you’re dealing with can’t ask you all of the questions that need to be asked. This means you’ll miss information or perhaps provide the wrong information. The reality is that the smallest of mistakes can be the difference between getting a visa and your application being rejected.
At the end of the day, taking this route will depend on two factors: how much patience you have, and whether or not you’re okay with risking a possible rejection of your application.
Applying with the help of an licensed immigration advisor
Your second option is to make use of a licensed immigration advisor. One of the benefits of this is that a proper licensed immigration advisor for New Zealand is knowledgeable, experienced and has studied. They do this for a living, which means that they have tons of experience in helping people just like you with visa applications.
Here are four specific examples of how working with a licensed immigration advisor can benefit you:
- A licensed advisor can explore all your New Zealand immigration options with you. This person will leave no stone unturned to uncover any visas for which you are eligible.
- Your advisor will know of regulation changes long before these changes become news. He or she will thus be able to course-correct immediately if necessary or offer alternatives should it no longer be possible to continue with your visa application.
- A licensed advisor will be able to provide you with support, advice, encouragement and of course their expertise and knowledge which can prove invaluable.
- Licensed advisors for New Zealand are registered with the IAA (Immigration Advisors Authority), which means advisors are held accountable by a professional body for the advice and service they give. This affords you peace of mind and comfort during a time that can be extremely difficult and stressful.
Recapping your New Zealand immigration options
When immigrating to New Zealand, there is the option of obtaining permanent or temporary residence. Although, which type of residence you can obtain does depend on your visa eligibility.
Further to this, there are six categories of visas. These visas give you the option to work, join a partner, join a relative, start a business, invest, or study in New Zealand.
Lastly, you have two options when it comes to how you do your application. Your first option is doing it yourself, which is only recommended if you have a lot of patience and don’t mind costly mistakes. The second option is working with a licensed immigration advisor. Doing this can benefit your application in numerous ways which could increase your chances of success. In other words, your chances of getting your visa.
Do you want to further discuss your options with a licensed immigration advisor?
Please do not hesitate to book a consultation to discuss your chances of immigrating to Australia with a licensed advisor. Our advisors assess your eligibility, and discuss your visa options and the way forward with you. If you choose to work with us on your application, our team will be at your side every step of the way!
- Published in New Zealand Immigration Advice
FAQs: Immigration to New Zealand
Do you have questions about immigration to New Zealand? We bet you do! That’s why we’ve decided to compile a list of the questions we get most often and answer them for you.
Go ahead – bookmark this page immediately! Then start reading…
1. What do I need to immigrate to New Zealand?
The most important ‘need’ is meeting the criteria for immigration to New Zealand. The basics criteria relates to age, health, and character. Other requirements range from being in the right occupation to getting enough points in your skills assessment.
The specific visa you qualify for will reveal whatever else you’ll need to immigrate. For example, the documentation to submit.
2. Do I have to use a New Zealand immigration advisor?
No, you’re under no obligation to make use of a New Zealand immigration adviser. You can do your visa application on your own if that’s what you’d like to do.
3. Which visa option should I choose?
The visa option which is going to be best for you and your family is dependent on your individual circumstances. Our suggestion is to complete an immigration assessment to see what visas are available to you. A licensed immigration advisor will go through all the different visa options with you to find your best route to New Zealand.
4. What is the first step if I want to immigrate to New Zealand?
The first step is always an eligibility assessment to see if you qualify to live in New Zealand. Not only will the assessment show if you qualify for a visa, it will also detail the next steps to take.
While there are free online assessments available, it’s wise to get a licensed advisor to do your assessment. A licensed advisor is up to date on all regulations and knows which questions to ask.
You can read more here about why we recommend starting with an assessment.
5. How do I apply for an X visa for New Zealand?
People often want to know how to apply for a specific visa. The truth is that there’s no standard answer. Some people may have to do an English test as part of their application, while others don’t have to. Working with a licensed advisor is the best way to find what you requirements you have to meet.
6. Can I apply for a New Zealand work visa without a job?
The majority of people who want to live and work in New Zealand applies for either a skilled migrant visa or an accredited employer work visa. You must have a job offer to apply for either of these visas.
Often the next question people ask is “But how do I get a job without a visa?” Our advice is to start by finding out if you qualify for a work visa, then afterwards you can job hunt with confidence. It’s almost guaranteed that you’re more likely to get a job offer if an employer knows you do qualify for a visa.
We’ve written extensively about this process here.
7. Where do I find jobs in New Zealand?
New Zealand has many job sites. Some are general while other industry specific. These are some of the most popular job sites:
Workhere and Working in New Zealand specifically caters for migrants, so you might want to start your search there.
8. Is it possible to find work without visiting New Zealand?
It is possible but it might not be easy. Our suggestion is to work with professional New Zealand recruiters to market you to employers. This approach will improve your chances of signing a job contract.
With that being said, you should be open to travelling to New Zealand to attend job interviews. If you do work with a recruiter, they might be able to schedule a couple of interviews over the same time period. You’ll have to have the right visa though! This is the Look See Decide visa and you can read more about it on our website.
9. Can I immigrate to New Zealand as a tiler/nurse/architect/etc?
You should do an immigration assessment to see if you can move to Australia in your occupation.
With that said, there are certain occupations in New Zealand that are in need of overseas talent. These occupations are listed on New Zealand’s Green List.
Please remember that your occupation appearing on the Green list is not a guarantee of getting a visa. You’ll still have to meet all the work visa criteria.
You can read more about working in New Zealand on our site.
10. What are the costs to consider when moving to New Zealand?
There are various costs to consider if you want to immigrate to New Zealand. These include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Immigration New Zealand fees.
- Immigration advisor fees, if you work with one.
- Flights to get to New Zealand.
- Relocation costs, including your household goods and pets.
- Living costs. Check that your salary will be enough to cover all your needs and wants.
If you like to plan ahead, also consider these costs:
- Housing – compare renting vs buying a home.
- School fees, if you have children.
- Banking costs.
- Healthcare.
- Buying a car, if you’re not shipping yours.
11. Where is the best area in New Zealand to live?
The answer will be the same no matter where in the world you live – this is entirely dependent on your family’s individual preferences. The type of lifestyle which you may enjoy may be very different to that of other families.
The best way to find the perfect area for you is to learn as much as you can about each area. Find out where you will be working and plan your ideal lifestyle around the area that you will need to commute to each day.
12. Can my parents join us in New Zealand?
Yes, your parents are allowed to join you in New Zealand. This is provided your parents meet the requirements to do so. The parent visa options are:
- Parent Retirement Resident visa
- Parent and Grandparent Visitor visa
- Parent Resident visa
13. Can I bring my pets with me to New Zealand?
Yes, it is possible to take pets with you to New Zealand. It is important to note though that some breeds are not allowed into New Zealand. Furthermore, your pets might have to undergo a quarantine period. Your pets must also have certain vaccinations to enter the country.
14. Can I immigrate to New Zealand with a criminal record?
All visa applicants to New Zealand must be of good character, not pose a security risk, and not threaten New Zealand’s international reputation.
To this end, New Zealand requires you to meet certain character requirements in order to get a visa.
You can’t get a visa if you:
- Have ever been convicted of an offence for which you were sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 5 years or more.
- Have been convicted in the last 10 years of an offence for which you were sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 12 months or longer.
- Are prohibited from entering New Zealand.
- Have ever been removed, excluded or deported from any country.
Please consult with a licensed immigration advisor for further information and clarification about the character requirements.
15. Is it difficult to immigrate to New Zealand?
This is an extremely subjective question. What we can tell is that immigration to New Zealand does involve a lot of work and planning. Just like with immigration to any other country in the world!
But when you work with a licensed immigration advisor, you’ll make the process much easier on yourself. The advisor will guide you throughout the process and provide support every step of the way.
Didn’t see your burning question about immigration to New Zealand here?
Then head on over to our blog where we cover a multitude of topics across several categories. You can also book a consultation call online or give us a call on +27 (0) 21 202 8200.
- Published in FAQs - New Zealand Immigration, New Zealand Immigration Advice