My name is Lorraine, and I am a registered nurse in the ICU.
I came to NZ on the 14th of December 2020 from the UK, then did two weeks in managed isolation in Auckland. We were released on the 28th of December. The process from start to finish took around 6 months, once I had a job offer.
The easiest part of the process for me was putting my trust in the people who are experts in their role, so the emigration group looked after our visa application, they kept us fully informed and up to date with what we needed to do and what information to provide, they were amazing, and this was one less thing for my partner and I to do. I went through ACCENT to help me find a job and I dealt with Kristin, who was fantastic, she kept in touch all the time. If you emailed her, she would get back to you straight away and she was so knowledgeable about the whole process which made my life so much easier, top service.
Most challenging part of the process was selling our house whilst we were in New Zealand, it was very stressful dealing with solicitors via email and wanting documents signed when you’re not in the country. We had to leave our dog behind for a month but he’s here now.
Our first impressions were simply beautiful, we went to the local firework display on New Year’s Eve, and it was stunning and such a relief to be out of isolation with a bit of freedom.
The weather in NZ is so much better than the UK. We definitely get more chances to do outdoor activities than we ever did before, and the scenery is stunning! You don’t have to travel far to feel like you have been on holiday. We haven’t done much travelling up to the present, but we have visited Queenstown which is stunning.
We miss our supermarkets, decent fish and chips, and curry sauce.
I like the lifestyle, you don’t have the hustle and bustle and overcrowding, people are always warm and friendly. We live in Mosgiel and it’s a beautiful little village has all the amenities we need so you need to go into the city all the time, has a good bus service. We would like to visit the Otago Peninsula, which we are doing this November 2021. We would also like to visit Nelson and go back to Queenstown
My advice if you are planning to come to New Zealand is to get advice from the experts and start as soon as you can. Sometimes I found getting the documents can cause delays, I was waiting for documents from my university for over 4 months.
Work life balance hasn’t really changed much, I work shifts and tend to get shifts together so at least you get a few days off together. Nursing is very similar to what I’m used to in the UK, having the familiarities of the equipment, pumps and drugs, have made it easier to transition. The processes are very different to what I’m used to, but I’m used to them now, it’s like anything you get used to things.
I came to NZ on the 14th of December 2020 from the UK, then did two weeks in managed isolation in Auckland. We were released on the 28th of December. The process from start to finish took around 6 months, once I had a job offer.
The easiest part of the process for me was putting my trust in the people who are experts in their role, so the emigration group looked after our visa application, they kept us fully informed and up to date with what we needed to do and what information to provide, they were amazing, and this was one less thing for my partner and I to do. I went through ACCENT to help me find a job and I dealt with Kristin, who was fantastic, she kept in touch all the time. If you emailed her, she would get back to you straight away and she was so knowledgeable about the whole process which made my life so much easier, top service.
Most challenging part of the process was selling our house whilst we were in New Zealand, it was very stressful dealing with solicitors via email and wanting documents signed when you’re not in the country. We had to leave our dog behind for a month but he’s here now.
Our first impressions were simply beautiful, we went to the local firework display on New Year’s Eve, and it was stunning and such a relief to be out of isolation with a bit of freedom.
The weather in NZ is so much better than the UK. We definitely get more chances to do outdoor activities than we ever did before, and the scenery is stunning! You don’t have to travel far to feel like you have been on holiday. We haven’t done much travelling up to the present, but we have visited Queenstown which is stunning.
We miss our supermarkets, decent fish and chips, and curry sauce.
I like the lifestyle, you don’t have the hustle and bustle and overcrowding, people are always warm and friendly. We live in Mosgiel and it’s a beautiful little village has all the amenities we need so you need to go into the city all the time, has a good bus service. We would like to visit the Otago Peninsula, which we are doing this November 2021. We would also like to visit Nelson and go back to Queenstown
My advice if you are planning to come to New Zealand is to get advice from the experts and start as soon as you can. Sometimes I found getting the documents can cause delays, I was waiting for documents from my university for over 4 months.
Work life balance hasn’t really changed much, I work shifts and tend to get shifts together so at least you get a few days off together. Nursing is very similar to what I’m used to in the UK, having the familiarities of the equipment, pumps and drugs, have made it easier to transition. The processes are very different to what I’m used to, but I’m used to them now, it’s like anything you get used to things.
