New Zealand holds dramatic mountain ranges, immaculate beaches and green landscapes. In between you can see everything from towering mountain ranges and active volcanoes, lush rainforests and temperate grasslands, glaciers, fiords and lakes.

With a relaxed attitude to life, enthusiasm for sports, the arts and the great out doors, New Zealanders are also assuredly considerate and share a real interest in those of different cultures making it an attractive place to live and work.

As an overseas trained doctor, Direct Medics can provide you with helpful information in assisting you and your family travel to and settle in New Zealand.

Direct Medics offers a detailed Welcome Pack for all overseas doctors who are successful in gaining a position in New Zealand which will aid you in making a new life abroad.

Facts about New Zealand

Land area: 268,021 km2
Population: 4.3 million
Official language: English, Māori
Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Time: GMT + 12

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main land masses (commonly called the North Island and the South Island).

Bringing your Family

In this section, you will find an array of topics designed to help you settle in New Zealand and important information for you and your family.


Housing

Finding appropriate housing, whether renting or buying, in New Zealand will be a relatively easy process depending on where you are looking to live. If you are staying only short term (say, less than three years), you may be better off renting. However, there are restrictions on Temporary residents purchasing real estate.

The majority of migrants choose to rent a house (long or short term) when they first arrive in New Zealand. However finding furnished rental accommodation is far more difficult and expensive. Rent is usually paid weekly or fortnightly in advance. It is also your responsibility to organise and pay for the electricity, telephone and any gas or water charges.

If you intend to buy a property, the majority of New Zealand real estate is sold through agents who charge a fee based on the price of the property. You can also look in major newspapers as most of them have a property section.


Education

The Education Index, published with the UN's Human Development Index in 2008, lists New Zealand education as amongst the highest in the world, tied for first with Denmark, Finland and Australia.

New Zealand follows the three-tier model which includes primary, secondary and tertiary education. Education is free and compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16 and post-compulsory education is regulated within a unified system of national qualifications in schools, vocational education and training.

New Zealand has 8 universities, 22 Polytechnics, 4 Colleges of Education and several thousand Private Training Establishments offering a wide range of academic and professional courses which overseas students may enrol in.


Taxation & Finance

The tax system in New Zealand is not particularly complicated. Every taxpayer in New Zealand is required to complete a Tax Code Declaration when they start employment and register for an IRD number before you begin earning an income. If you do not have an IRD number, tax will be deducted at a no-declaration rate, which is higher than the normal deduction rate. You can apply for an IRD number here.

New Zealand has a system of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) that ensures that tax is deducted at source from employees’ salaries.

New Zealand residents are taxed on their worldwide income, while non-residents are subject to income tax only on income derived from New Zealand. Usually anyone who’s present in New Zealand for more than 183 days in a 12-month period is considered resident there and liable to pay taxes.

Most banks provide online Internet Banking and a facility to transfer funds between overseas bank accounts but you should see each bank’s website for details.

Different banks require different documentation, so you should check exactly what’s required beforehand. Usually you will need two forms of identification, your IRD number and possibly statements from your current or previous bank. The majority of banks also require an opening balance of at least $200 and up to $500 in some cases.


Family Healthcare

New Zealand does not deduct social security health contributions from salaries and all citizens and permanent residents are automatically entitled to state healthcare.

If you are a visitor or temporary migrant and a national of a country with which New Zealand has a reciprocal agreement (such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Guernsey, Ireland, Jersey, the Netherlands and the UK), you can also receive state health benefits. Otherwise you must pay the full cost of healthcare.

Medical treatment required as the result of an accident isn’t covered by the state healthcare scheme but by the accident compensation scheme operated by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).

Medical benefits include all treatment, including surgery, hospital care, specialists, doctor’s fees and medicines, irrespective of where or how the accident occurred and who was to blame.

If you need to see a GP or specialist privately, you (or your insurance company) must pay the full fee. It is not compulsory to register with a doctor in New Zealand and telephone directories contain a list of local doctors in the preface. There’s also no need to register with a dentist and the best way to find a good one is through word of mouth.

Most chemists’ provide general advice regarding the best medicines for particular conditions, and some are specially trained to provide individual consultations and advice to customers and although some may charge for their services and many use this system as a cheaper alternative to visiting a doctor.


Family Support

There are numerous online resources that families can explore for further help or information. These include: 

New Zealand Government Website – Includes helpful sections on services, directories and travel.

111 is New Zealand’s primary emergency call service number. It should be used to contact Police, Fire or Ambulance services in life threatening or time critical emergency situations.


English Language Training

There are many sources of English language training for your family members who may be migrating to New Zealand.

There are English Language Schools in New Zealand for international students who would like to study or learn English and offer ESL (English as a Second Language) in NZ.

There are also GEOS language centres in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and English New Zealand centres across the country.


Employment for Family Members

It is highly recommended that you check with Immigration New Zealand regarding the type of entry visa your family members require so that they have the right to work as they may need to apply for a different kind of visa in their own name.

The Department for Labour website is also a good starting point for finding a job, training information, information on wages and employment conditions and other related resources.

If your family are interested in volunteering, the Volunteering New Zealand website enables you to search for volunteer jobs.

Travelling

You will no doubt want to travel the country and visit some of the amazing places New Zealand has to offer. The following is some useful travel information and advice on places to visit.


Travel Information

New Zealand has left-hand traffic on its roads and the maximum speed limit on the open road is 100 km/h, with 50 km/h the common limit in residential areas.

You can legally drive in New Zealand for up to 12 months if you have either a current driver's licence from your home country or an International Driving Permit (IDP). If your licence is not in English, you must bring an English translation with you or obtain an IDP. After 12 months you are required to convert to a New Zealand licence. 

Air New Zealand is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 27 domestic destinations and 26 international destinations in 14 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania.

Public transport exists in many of the country's urban areas, and bus transport is the main form of public transport.


Places to Visit

There is an abundance of exciting destinations, places and icons to visit in New Zealand from the Fox and Franz Joseph glaciers to the geothermal region of Rotorua with its pools of boiling mud and geysers.

There are numerous tourism sites available online but a good place to start is the official New Zealand tourism website which has information about the country, things to do and places to visit.