Did the All Blacks catch your eye during the Guinness series and inspire you to learn more about the land of the haka? If you liked the film versions of The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, maybe you noticed the stunning scenery and started dreaming about living somewhere that gorgeous. Could you really do it? Could you move to New Zealand and live with a view right out of LOTR or the Hobbit? Possibly. It isn’t easy to get a visa to immigrate to New Zealand, but is isn’t impossible either. If you have job skills that are in demand and can get a job offer, you could get a work visit that allows you to live in New Zealand for the duration of your work contract.
Healthcare and health technology are both hot fields. According to New Zealand’s immigration authority, more than 200 businesses employ more than 6,000 people in health technology designing and manufacturing medical devices and equipment. The demand for construction workers may be peaking, but those with the right skills can still find work, particularly in Auckland. Surveyors, inspectors and planners have been in demand recently. New Zealand has a thriving financial sector, and accountants have good odds of finding a position. Those are not the only options. Apparently the growing tourism sector has created a shortage of chefs!
Life as a Kiwi
But what is life like in New Zealand outside of work? By Irish standards, it’s hot, which sounds pretty appealing right now. Their seasons are the opposite of ours here. Winter is from June through August… although their winter temperatures are run an average of between 12 and 16 degrees – on par with Ireland’s temperatures from June through August – so it would be hard to tell for us. Summer weather hits in December with temperatures in the 20s. Parents, just pause a moment and consider spending the months of December and January not once shouting at children to close the door they’re letting the heat out! You’d save a fortune on heat, but you might wind up spending a fair bit of the savings on sun block.
Understanding and respecting Maori culture is important for living in New Zealand. It’s more than the All Blacks performing a haka before matches. Te Rao, the Maori language, is an official language much as Irish is here. Like in Ireland, many places have both indigenous and English names and Te Rao greetings and sayings are sprinkled in everyday conversation even by those who are not fluent in the language.
On second thought, New Zealand is a pretty natural place for Irish people. It’s a smaller island often overshadowed by its larger neighbour with a vibrant culture and language that colonization couldn’t wipe out. The jaw-dropping, magical scenery draws tourists and filmmakers. But the weather is brilliant.
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