Frequently Asked Questions about New Zealand
People leave to pursue better employment opportunities elsewhere, mostly in Australia and the USA. Generally, salaries are higher and prospects for advancement greater in these larger economies. Another reason young people leave is that New Zealand is isolated from the rest of the world and expensive to travel to.
‘Not far enough’ goes the Kiwi joke. Seriously, though, Australia is a little over 1200km over the sea to the west. Flight time from Auckland to Sydney is two and a half hours, with departures at regular intervals throughout the day.
New Zealand is a very safe place in general, with one of the lowest rates of robbery and violent crime in the developed world. There are incidents though and, overall, the murder rate is double that of England and Wales. In 2003 over 134,000 cases of theft were reported, a high figure given that the population is around 4 million.
Around 10 percent of the people are Maori, 80 percent European and the remainder Pacific Islanders and Asian immigrants.
Yes you can. Once you have been in New Zealand for two years you can apply for an indefinite returning resident visa; this will allow you to return and work in your home country should you wish.
