From Zimbabwe to a new life in NZ

I relocated with my wife from Zimbabwe to New Zealand in 2023. I arrived in New Zealand mid-April 2023.

Why NZ?

The reasons for my relocation to New Zealand include the following:

• Work-Life balance – The New Zealand lifestyle promotes a healthy work-life balance. After our research we opted for New Zealand because it matched what my wife and I wanted. New Zealand promotes family engagement. As we are building our family, we felt New Zealand is a perfect fit for us.
• Pathway to Residency – The skilled migrant category was appealing for us, and we managed to gain New Zealand Residency within one year from our date of arrival.
• Environmental Sustainability – The main planning framework upholds environmental consciousness. We prioritise eco-friendly living and we found New Zealand to be a perfect fit for us.
• Peace of Mind – Generally New Zealand is a safe country to live in and gives a secure living environment and peacefulness. This contributed to us choosing New Zealand.
• Cultural Diversity – The availability of multiple cultures in New Zealand led us to choose this country as we felt it would be easier for us to integrate.

Most challenging part

On my journey to New Zealand, the most challenging part was to obtain a job offer. Peak Recruitment played a pivotal role in securing a job offer in this country. There was a five-month gap between my first interview with Peak Recruitment and the second interview with my employer. I believe it was also due to the government requirements for employing someone from overseas.

Easiest part

I consider settling in New Zealand to be the easiest part. The people of New Zealand are welcoming. It made us integrate well and feel at home. People at work are welcoming and they promote teamwork. Setting up basic utilities was an easy and straightforward process.

First impressions

When we first arrived in New Zealand, we were stunned by the natural beauty of the country. The beautiful landscapes, the green hills, and the beautiful beaches. We felt welcomed by the airport crew and individuals we met when we reached our destination. We were also surprised by a rainy winter. We never experienced rain in winter before. We are enjoying the options we were offered to work remotely.

The part Peak played

Peak Recruitment played a big role in my journey. The organisation assisted in getting me document ready. I remember during my interview with Peak, Fiona went through all the documents that I needed to have that would help in my visa application. Due to December Holidays and backlogs, my visa approval was delayed. Vivienne played an important role in following up with Immigration New Zealand until the visa was issued. Vivienne also gave me insights on what to expect in New Zealand. Vivienne also assisted in asking my organisation’s HR department if there were opportunities there and within our town for my wife. My wife later found a job at my workplace six months after we arrived. She also found work within a month from the day we arrived.

Advice to others considering NZ

To those considering moving to New Zealand, I advise you to continue looking for opportunities. New Zealand is a fun place to live and work in. The work life balance is amazing. The people are loving and caring. I advise everyone to be document ready and have appealing LinkedIn profiles (as I was advised by Fiona).