Moving to New Zealand: The Complete Guide

This page provides general information about New Zealand immigration for reference only. It is not personalised advice. For your own situation, consult a licensed adviser via the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA) register.

Most people searching for information about moving to New Zealand — or relocating to New Zealand, as some put it — are not looking for a glossy brochure. They are trying to figure out whether they can actually get a visa, what it will cost to ship their belongings across an ocean and what the first few weeks will feel like when they land. This guide tries to answer those questions directly, drawing on official INZ documentation, current visa rules and the administrative sequence you will need to work through. The goal is not to sell you on New Zealand. If you are seriously considering it, you already know what draws people here. The goal is to help you work out whether it is actually achievable for you and what to do if it is.

Which visa applies to you when moving to New Zealand

The visa question is the one that determines whether the move is possible. New Zealand has a reasonably clear set of pathways, but the right one depends on your age, occupation, qualifications and whether you already have a job offer. Getting the pathway wrong wastes time and money. For the full detail on every route, fees and processing times, see our dedicated visa options guide; the overview below covers the essentials.

Accredited Employer Work Visa

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the main route into New Zealand for most skilled workers. It requires a job offer from an employer who has been accredited by Immigration New Zealand (INZ), for at least 30 hours per week. From 10 March 2025, INZ removed the AEWV’s old skill-level pay multipliers (previously the median wage for ANZSCO skill levels 1 to 3 and 1.5 times the median for levels 4 and 5). Employers must now pay the going “market rate” for the role, with the New Zealand minimum wage — NZD $23.95 an hour from 1 April 2026 — as the only fixed floor. According to INZ, 80% of AEWV applications are processed within seven weeks and the application fee starts at NZD $1,540. The “median wage” figure itself (currently NZD $35.00 an hour) hasn’t disappeared — it still governs the Skilled Migrant Category’s income points and the parent/partner sponsorship thresholds covered below, just not the core AEWV pay check any more.

The AEWV is not a permanent route by itself. Skill levels 1 to 3 can stay up to five years; levels 4 and 5 up to three years (reduced from five years in the March 2025 changes). After that, you need a residence pathway. The most common next step is the Skilled Migrant Category.

Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa

The Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) is the main pathway to permanent residence for people with skilled employment. The current system requires a minimum of six skilled resident points. You can claim those points through occupational registration requiring two or more years of training, a Level 7 bachelor’s degree or higher, or an income at or above 1.5 times the median wage (currently NZD $52.50 per hour). You can add up to three more points for skilled work experience. Your job must be with an accredited employer, full-time and permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months (or based on rolling six-month contracts). The application fee starts at NZD $6,450.

One common misconception: the SMC has not worked on 160 points since the old Expression of Interest system’s last draw in August 2023, when it was replaced by the current six-point structure — if you read older guides referring to a 160-point threshold, that system no longer exists (Immigration New Zealand). The eligibility criteria are now the main gating factor rather than a competitive ranking pool. Changes confirmed for 24 August 2026 will further adjust the system: a new Trades and Technician pathway for people with a Level 4 or above qualification plus around four years of relevant experience (specifically 2.5 years’ post-qualification skilled work at levels 1–3, plus a further 1.5 years’ skilled New Zealand work experience), one extra point for New Zealand-completed qualifications versus overseas-completed ones and bachelor’s-degree points rising from three to four.

Green List pathways

The Green List is a set of occupations where INZ has determined demand is high enough to offer faster residence pathways. Tier 1 roles (highest demand) can apply directly for a Straight to Residence Visa, bypassing the work-visa-first sequence. Tier 2 roles lead to a Work to Residence Visa after 24 months of relevant New Zealand work on an acceptable visa, including an AEWV. Both tiers require an accredited employer and the applicable wage rate. Check the Green List early: if your occupation is on it, the timeline to residence shortens considerably.

Working Holiday Visa

The Working Holiday Visa lets you live and work in New Zealand for a year (or longer for some nationalities) while exploring whether it suits you. Most countries have an age cap of 30. The UK and Canada are exceptions: residents of both can apply up to age 35 and UK holders can stay up to 36 months, Canadians up to 23 months. Be aware that some nationalities have capped annual places that open on set dates — the UK cap for 2026 is 15,000 places. If your country has a cap, the opening date matters and the places can go quickly. Check the per-country page on immigration.govt.nz for current caps and opening dates before you plan around this visa.

The Working Holiday Visa does not allow permanent employment. You can, however, typically work for the same employer for the duration of your stay, unlike some countries that impose employer time limits — see the conditions on immigration.govt.nz. It is a reasonable way to test the market before committing to a full skilled-worker application.

Partner and family visas

If your partner holds an eligible New Zealand work visa, you can apply for a Partner of a Worker Work Visa, which allows you to work freely in New Zealand for the same duration as your partner’s visa. The fee starts at NZD $1,630. For those in a long-term relationship with a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, the Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa requires 12 or more months of living together at the time of application and substantial evidence of a genuine and stable relationship. The Parent Resident Visa exists but operates via an Expression of Interest process, is not open intake and now requires the sponsoring child to earn at least 1.5 times the median wage (2 times for joint sponsors). It is a less reliable pathway than the skilled routes. For families moving with children, our guide to moving to New Zealand with a family covers schools, childcare costs and ESOL support in detail.

What it costs to move to New Zealand

There is no single number here and anyone who gives you one is glossing over the variables. The range depends on where you are moving from, how much you are shipping and how many people are travelling. What follows are the main cost categories with realistic figures — the shipping and rental figures come from several international relocation and freight providers’ current quotes rather than one official price list (freight in particular varies widely by provider and season, so treat these as a starting orientation, not a quote), while the biosecurity fee and rental bond cap are official, government-set figures.

Shipping containers at a New Zealand port — one of the key costs when moving to New Zealand from overseas — Shipping costs are one of the major upfront expenses when moving to New Zealand — budget for biosecurity inspection fees on top of freight.

Cost category	Typical range (NZD)	Notes
International flights (per person, economy)	$1,200 – $3,600	No direct routes from Europe (routed via Singapore, Dubai, or similar hubs); Americas travellers do have nonstop options, e.g. Air New Zealand’s LAX–Auckland and Houston–Auckland services
Shared/LCL container (household goods, one large load)	$3,700 – $9,000	From Australia ~$3,700–$4,300; from UK ~$6,000–$9,000; from USA ~$5,100–$8,000 depending on origin city — quotes vary considerably by provider
Full container (FCL, 20ft, UK origin)	$11,000 – $18,000	40ft container from UK roughly $18,000–$25,000; West Coast USA sailings are faster and typically cheaper than East Coast
NZ biosecurity inspection and clearance	$450 – $800+	Based on MPI’s official per-item fee schedule (from ~$39 for one item up to $280+ for larger shipments, plus GST); high-risk items (outdoor gear, untreated wood) may incur fumigation costs on top
AEWV visa application	from $1,540	Per applicant; partner and children have separate fees
SMC Resident Visa application	from $6,450	Per applicant
Initial rental bond and advance rent	$3,000 – $8,000+	Four weeks’ rent is the statutory maximum bond a landlord can charge; most landlords in high-demand markets charge the full four weeks plus two weeks advance

New Zealand’s biosecurity rules are among the strictest in the world. Everything in a shipment must be declared, per MPI (Ministry for Primary Industries). Soil, organic matter, untreated wood, outdoor equipment and food items are high risk. An item that fails inspection can be treated (fumigated or heat-treated at your cost and MPI notes some items cannot be treated at all), returned to origin, or destroyed. The safer approach is to clean all outdoor gear thoroughly before shipping, declare everything and accept that the biosecurity inspection fee is unavoidable. The cost of not declaring something is worse.

According to relocation providers, sea freight typically takes eight to twelve weeks on a shared container, six to eight weeks on a full container, depending on origin port and season. Most people move their most essential belongings in checked luggage and ship the rest. Renting furnished accommodation for the first month or two makes sense, particularly in Auckland or Wellington where the rental market is competitive and you may not have secured a permanent address before you land — see our guide to renting in New Zealand for bond rules, tenant rights and what the housing stock is actually like.

What to sort in the first few weeks after arriving

The administrative tasks when you arrive are not complicated individually, but they interlock in ways that trip people up. Getting the sequence wrong means delays to starting work or accessing healthcare. Here is the order that makes sense.

IRD number

Your IRD number is your New Zealand tax identifier, equivalent to a National Insurance number or Social Security Number. You need it before you start work. Without it, your employer must deduct tax at IRD’s non-declaration rate — a flat 45%, considerably more than you would otherwise pay. There is no grace period as such, but you will overpay tax for every pay period you work without one.

New arrivals use the dedicated new-arrival process through myIR online. Because INZ shares identity information directly with Inland Revenue, most new arrivals do not need to submit identity documents separately or visit an AA Driver Licensing Agent in person — that in-person verification step belongs to a different IRD process, for people already living in New Zealand who did not come through this new-arrival pathway. You will need your passport details and your INZ visa application number; work visa and student visa holders also need their most recent overseas tax number. The IRD number is then issued by text or email within two days, or by post within ten days.

A note on the tax environment: New Zealand has no inheritance tax and no general capital gains tax (a bright-line test can tax gains on residential property sold within two years of purchase, but there is no broad CGT) and no local income tax (you will pay council rates separately as a property expense, not as a tax deducted from income). Income tax is PAYE, deducted by your employer. GST is 15%.

Bank account

The conventional advice says you need a bank account before you can get an IRD number and an IRD number before you can open a bank account. In practice, neither of these dependencies is absolute. IRD’s new-arrival process does not require a bank account. You can apply for your IRD number first. But you will need a New Zealand bank account to receive your salary, so getting one open quickly still matters.

ANZ confirms you can apply to open an account online up to 90 days before you arrive in New Zealand, provided you hold a valid visa (typically with six or more months remaining). ASB and Westpac also offer online account opening ahead of arrival; the exact window each currently allows varies and is best checked on ASB’s and Westpac’s own pages before you rely on a figure. The limitation with pre-arrival accounts across all three banks is that full access to withdraw funds usually requires activating the account in person at a New Zealand branch when you land. Opening one before you leave means you have an account number ready for your employer’s payroll forms on your first day.

Enrolling with a GP

Finding a GP (general practitioner) should happen as soon as you have settled on where you will be living. Enrolling with a practice reduces the cost of every visit substantially. Unenrolled patients pay significantly more per consultation. Most practices are group practices operating as medical centres. They give priority to people who live or work locally and many have closed lists, meaning they are not accepting new patients. You may need to ring several before finding one that can take you.

Healthpoint lists practices and indicates whether they are accepting new patients. Under Health New Zealand’s “Zero fees for tamariki under 14” scheme, children up to their 14th birthday typically receive free GP visits at most practices. You can request a male or female GP at the time of enrolment.

Expect the prices to differ based on the type of Visa you have – some places charge significantly more, so shop around.

Driver licence conversion

You can drive on your overseas licence when you first arrive. There is a time limit before you must hold a New Zealand licence, though the exact period depends on your visa status. The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) page with the full details is at nzta.govt.nz and I would recommend checking it directly rather than relying on any figure cited in a third-party guide, as these have varied over the years.

If you come from an exempt country (Australia, UK, USA, Canada, South Africa and roughly twenty others on the NZTA list), the conversion process is straightforward. If you come from a non-exempt country, you will need to pass both a theory test and a practical driving test. Conversions must be done at a specialist overseas licence conversion agent and non-English licences require a translation from an NZTA-approved translator. NZTA also sets conditions on the licence’s own validity (broadly, it must not be expired beyond a set period, suspended, or revoked) — check the current wording on nzta.govt.nz directly, as the exact conditions are the kind of detail that changes without much notice.

Healthcare, ACC and what the public system actually covers

New Zealand’s public health system is not unlimited and understanding who is covered for what prevents some expensive surprises — our full guide to healthcare in New Zealand for expats covers GP costs, ACC and private insurance in detail. Per Health New Zealand’s eligibility rules, resident visa holders who are living in New Zealand are eligible for publicly funded healthcare: subsidised GP visits, free public hospital services, subsidised prescription medicines and disability support services. Work visa holders whose visa is valid for two years or more are also eligible. Short-term visitors and those on work visas of under two years generally must pay full costs or carry private health insurance.

ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) is a separate matter. It covers personal injury treatment and rehabilitation for everyone in New Zealand, regardless of visa status. If you are injured in an accident, ACC typically covers your medical treatment costs, rehabilitation and a portion of lost income. Your doctor or health provider lodges the ACC claim. ACC is funded through levies on employers and the self-employed and employees contribute automatically through PAYE via the earners’ levy. The practical point is that ACC does not cover illness or elective treatment. For those on short visas who are not eligible for public healthcare, private health insurance remains important for both illness and anything that falls outside ACC’s accident scope.

New Zealand has reciprocal health agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom — no other countries currently have one. Citizens and certain visa holders from those countries may be entitled to some publicly funded health care even on a short visit. The specifics depend on the agreement and your situation; check with Health New Zealand’s reciprocal health agreements page before assuming coverage.

KiwiSaver: the retirement savings scheme

Most employees in New Zealand are automatically enrolled in KiwiSaver when they start work, unless they opt out within a set window. KiwiSaver is a workplace retirement savings scheme administered by private providers, with employer contributions compulsory at a minimum rate set by law. As an employee, you can currently choose a contribution rate of 3%, 3.5%, 4%, 6%, 8%, or 10% of your gross income (3% is available as a temporary opt-down for 3 to 12 months rather than a standard ongoing rate). Your employer must contribute at least 3.5% on top, as of 1 April 2026 (up from 3% and due to rise again to 4% from 1 April 2028). Since 1 July 2025, the government’s own contribution (“member tax credit”) is 25 cents per dollar you contribute, capped at NZD $260.72 a year (halved from the previous $521.43 cap) and is no longer available to members earning over NZD $180,000 a year — a new income cap that didn’t exist before.

Migrants who are not planning to stay permanently may want to think carefully before opting in permanently, as accessing KiwiSaver funds before age 65 is restricted. Those who leave New Zealand permanently (other than to Australia, which has its own transfer arrangement) can apply to withdraw their KiwiSaver balance after 12 months overseas, though the government’s own contributions are clawed back first. The details of eligibility, withdrawal options and employer contribution rules for migrants are covered at ird.govt.nz/kiwisaver. I would not rely on a passing note in an article for a decision of this size; the IRD guidance is clear and up to date.

Note for 2026: it’s worth keeping the legislated changes and the election-year politics separate. The contribution-rate increases and the reduced, means-tested government contribution above are already law, from Budget 2025 — they apply regardless of who wins the next election. Separately, ahead of the general election on 7 November 2026, the governing National party has campaigned on making KiwiSaver membership compulsory for all workers if re-elected, phased in from July 2028 — this is a campaign promise, not an enacted rule and depends on the election result. Check ird.govt.nz/kiwisaver-changes after the election for the current position.

Key institutions you will deal with

A few agencies come up repeatedly in the settlement process. Knowing what each one does saves time.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) — part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Processes all visa applications, employer accreditation and immigration policy. immigration.govt.nz
Inland Revenue (IRD) / Te Tari Taake — issues IRD numbers, administers income tax (PAYE), GST and KiwiSaver. ird.govt.nz
ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) — government accident insurance for everyone in New Zealand. acc.co.nz
Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora — administers public health services and determines healthcare eligibility. tewhatu.govt.nz
Work and Income NZ (WINZ) — welfare and benefit assistance and job placement support. Important caveat: residence visa applicants who received WINZ benefits after holding a work visa are ineligible for certain subsequent residence categories, including the Religious Worker and Entrepreneur Resident Visas. winz.govt.nz
NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) — regulates the New Zealand qualifications framework (Levels 1–10) and assesses overseas qualifications through an International Qualification Assessment (IQA). Some visa and employment pathways require an IQA. nzqa.govt.nz
NZTA (New Zealand Transport Agency) — driver licences, vehicle registration and road rules. nzta.govt.nz

What this guide cannot tell you

A few things are outside what an article can resolve for you.

Your specific visa eligibility requires checking your occupation against the current ANZSCO classification and the Green List, both of which can shift. The August 2026 SMC changes may affect whether you qualify under the current rules or the new ones. Consult a licensed immigration adviser via the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA) register if your situation is not a clear fit for one of the main pathways; a licensed adviser carries professional liability for their advice, which matters when the stakes are a multi-year plan.

The driver licence time limit before you must convert depends on your visa status and is not stated as a single fixed figure on the NZTA site — go directly to nzta.govt.nz for the current rules rather than relying on any third-party figure.

Current rental market conditions in your target city vary month to month and by suburb. The bond and advance figures in the cost table are indicative. Statistics NZ and the MBIE tenancy services website publish more current rental data. Auckland and Wellington in particular have seen significant variation in recent years.

Working Holiday Visa place caps and opening dates for 2026 are confirmed by INZ but change annually. If your plan depends on a capped working holiday, check the current year’s dates and allocations directly on immigration.govt.nz before booking anything.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How long does it take to get a New Zealand work visa?

For the Accredited Employer Work Visa, INZ aims to process 80% of applications within seven weeks of a complete application being lodged. Processing time depends on how quickly your employer obtained accreditation and whether INZ requests additional information. The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa takes considerably longer, typically several months after all documentation is in order. Green List Straight to Residence applications have their own processing queue. None of these timelines are guaranteed and incomplete applications reset the clock. Give yourself a buffer of at least three months between starting the application and your planned start date, particularly for the SMC.

Q: Do I need a job offer before moving to New Zealand?

For most skilled-worker pathways, yes. The AEWV, the SMC and the Green List all require a job offer from an accredited employer. There is no general skilled-worker visa that lets you arrive and then look for work at leisure. The Working Holiday Visa is the main exception: it allows you to enter New Zealand and find work after arrival, which many people use as a route to test the job market before committing to a full skilled-worker application — see our guide to working in New Zealand for how that job market actually looks right now. Some professions with strong New Zealand demand are able to secure job offers from offshore; others find it easier to be in the country on a working holiday first, since New Zealand employers tend to prefer interviewing candidates who are already available locally.

Q: Is New Zealand an expensive country to live in?

It is not cheap and the cost varies significantly by city. Auckland is the most expensive city, with median rents and property prices well above the national average. Wellington is high but somewhat lower than Auckland for housing, though food and transport costs are broadly comparable. Christchurch and Dunedin are more affordable. Statistics NZ publishes cost of living data and the OECD’s Better Life Index provides a comparison context against other countries. As of 1 April 2026, the New Zealand minimum wage is NZD $23.95 per hour. Immigration New Zealand’s separate “median wage” figure — the one used to set skilled-visa income thresholds, not a general economy-wide wage — is currently NZD $35.00 per hour, effective from 9 March 2026 (it was lower through 2025, most recently NZD $33.56 from August 2025). For a full breakdown by industry and region, see our average salary in New Zealand guide and for a full monthly budget by city, our cost of living in New Zealand guide. For migrants coming from the UK, Australia, or Western Europe, the wage levels feel broadly comparable but the housing cost in major cities, particularly Auckland, has historically been high relative to local incomes. Food and utilities are broadly similar to other Western countries, though electricity and petrol prices have risen. You can live well in New Zealand on a skilled worker’s salary, but it rewards having a clear budget before you arrive.