Hi There,

Should I send all my furniture and effects to New Zealand?
Most migrants and returning Kiwis will tell you to bring as much as you can. When relocating from the UK to New Zealand, there are a number of reasons why this is, in most cases, the best option:-

1. When importing household and personal effects into New Zealand a first time Migrant and a returning New Zealander who has been out of the country for a minimum of 21months are afforded duty and tax free entry of their effects.
2. The only criteria you need to meet is that you have owned and used the effects before you ship them, there is no restriction on how long.
3. The majority of furniture and personal effects in New Zealand are a great deal more expensive than the UK, never more so than now when as the hub of Europe the UK stores are able to offer huge choices and extremely good rates which are at an all time low making shopping in the UK advantageous. The choices in New Zealand are far more limited, as an example a new leather suite would be in the region of NZ$5-8000 compared with say £1000 in the UK.
4. If you were to sell your goods either on e-bay or locally we all know that the amount you would be likely to receive would be way below the true value and just a fraction of replacement cost.

On average a modestly furnished home in New Zealand would amount to approx 25,000 NZ$ and the average cost to ship a 2/3 bedroom home equates to approx £3,500 - In most cases the savings you can achieve would pay for both your shipping and your flights with cash in your pocket toward the resettlement costs when you arrive.

Should I take my car?
Most European cars comply (there are restrictions with some cars) with NZ regulations. If yours does meet these then you are entitled to take one or several vehicles as a first time migrant or returning New Zealander (who has been out of the country for a minimum of 21 months) into NZ duty and tax free.

Vehicles are generally far more expensive in New Zealand and it is therefore very worthwhile looking into this option.

In New Zealand, as with the UK, you drive on the left but the roads and areas will for the most part be new to you or your family, having at least one familiar family vehicle can be a real advantage. Please ask PSS for the Vehicle information sheet and the compliance procedure.

PSS are the UK's largest shipper of both household and personal effects to New Zealand shipping hundreds of families every year. We are proud of our position and would be happy to offer further advice and or a FREE home survey to assess your volume and discuss your requirements in more detail.

For more information, please go to our partner page on the Global Footprints Website or call us on 0208 686 7733 - sales@p-s-s.co.uk

If you would like to speak to us in person, come along to one of the Global Footprints seminars in London, Birmingham and Manchester on the 4th, 6th and 7th of October. Click here for more information on the Global Footprints Seminars.

One of the most significant factors to consider is whether you will you be able to find interesting and fulfilling work in your new home. In recent years, New Zealand had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the OECD (3.5% in Dec 2007) and many employers needed to look beyond the local candidate market to global / migrant talent pools to meet ongoing talent shortages. However the nature of the NZ job market changed dramatically during the global downturn with the unemployment rate rising to 7.3% in mid 2009, the highest level since September 2000.

New Zealand did not escape the recent global economic crisis. The market slowed and many businesses were forced to down-size their operations and lay off staff. 2009 was a very challenging year for the NZ economy and limited job opportunities which have made it difficult for anyone considering migrating.

Although New Zealand's unemployment rate has risen from pre recession levels, at 6% it still remains the 9th lowest of 30 OECD nations and well below the OECD average of 8.3%. Commentators have also argued that New Zealand has been less affected by global events and is in a relatively better position to recover than many other countries. This is due to factors such as having a strong labour market when the downturn began, tax rates and reductions in interest rates. We are now into our 5th consecutive quarter of growth and things seem to be continuing on the right track as New Zealand's most severe recession in three decades draws to an end.

Recent months have been particularly interesting indicator of how New Zealand is tracking towards economic recovery. We have seen the Reserve Bank signal an end to the programme of economic stimulus with the first increase in the official cash rate since July 2007 and predictions of slow, but steady economic growth for the near future. With it widely believed that the unemployment rate has now peaked, the signs are definitely there for improved employment prospects.

We know from talking to NZ businesses that they are still being cautious about investment but at the same time they are telling us that they recognize a need to prepare now for expected growth. This is exemplified by the strong increase in temp and contracting hires in all regions and the strong intentions from employers to further increase their contracting/temporary workforce over the next three to six months.

Things will certainly slow down again in the approach to Christmas. December/January are notoriously quiet months for job hunting in New Zealand as most Kiwis tend to take their Summer holidays over this time. A great time to visit for a holiday but not the best time of year for a job hunting trip!