GEOGRAPHY

New Zealand (Aotearoa) is located in the Southwest Pacific Ocean approximately 1900km east of Australia. The country consists of 2 main islands called the North Island and the South Island and a number of small outlying islands. The country is about the same size as Japan. Half of the country total land area is pasture land and about a quarter is under forest cover.

POPULATION

The population of New Zealand is urbanized and is estimated at just over 4 million people and approximately 75% of people live on the North Island, with the greatest percentage living in Auckland. NZ is a multicultural country which makes the country very diverse and great emphasis is placed on cultural safety.

CLIMATE

New Zealand has a temperate climate with moderately high rainfall and many hours of sunshine. While the far north has subtropical weather during summer, the inland alpine areas of the South Island can be very cold and covered with snowfall in winter. New Zealand is situated in the Southern Hemisphere, therefore the seasons here are opposite to the Northern Hemisphere. The temperature varies from warm subtropical in the north to cool temp climates in the south. The warmer months are generally in January and February while June and July are the coldest. Official weather forecast link

EDUCATION

New Zealand has a range of education systems and services starting from early childhood education to tertiary education. Schooling education is free (excludes foreign students) and compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16 in state primary, intermediate and secondary schools. There are also private or independent schools. The Education system in New Zealand is a three-tier model which includes primary schools, following by secondary schools (high schools) and tertiary education at universities and/or polytechnics. The academic year in New Zealand varies between institutions, but generally runs from late January until mid-December for primary schools, secondary schools, and polytechnics, and from late February until mid-November for universities. Tuition fees at private institutions vary. Ministry of Education tuition subsidies and or funding from Skill NZ programmes are available. NZQA website link

ECONOMY

NZ is a mixed economy, i.e. imports/exports/manufacturing. The agricultural, horticultural, forestry, mining, fishing industries play a major and important role in NZ economy especially for the export sector. The primary sector contributes over 5% of NZ total export earning. The service sector accounts for 60% of the economy and employs about 72% of the workforce. The country is strongly trade orientated. The largest exports markets are Australia, Japan, China, USA, Japan, Korea and the UK. For an extensive summary of the NZ economy see the Treasury website.

EMPLOYMENT

New Zealand’s employment market is picking up gradually from the global financial crisis – a trend that’s set to continue, so if you have the right skills, it is a good time to look for jobs in New Zealand. Overall employment is up & unemployment rate is falling.

The Government predicts employment growth is rising more quickly from 2013 as the rebuilding of Christchurch increases demand. It sees employment continuing to grow through to 2015, though at a relatively restrained rate of around 1-1.5% a year. Unemployment is tipped to fall further to 4.7% in the March 2016 quarter reflecting ongoing employment growth.
There are job opportunities across the board, but some specific skills are urgently needed. High priority skills are posted in the Skill Shortage Lists. If you hold one of those skills, you could find it is much easier to get a work or resident visa.
We also have a Canterbury Skill Shortage List. Rebuilding after the earthquakes in Christchurch and the surrounding area of Canterbury has also created an urgent need for particular skills, such as if your skill is on that list you may qualify for a temporary visa or, if it’s also one of the Long Term Skill Shortages, a visa that can lead to residence. We guide clients on the current employment opportunities & Skill Shortages in New Zealand. Ministry of Business,Innovation & Employment

TAX SYSTEM

New Zealand Taxes are collected at a national level by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) on behalf of the Government of New Zealand. The Tax year begins on the 1st April of every year and PAYE is deducted from wages and salaries. National taxes are levied on personal and business income, as well as on the Consumption of goods and services via Goods and Services Tax – GST now set at 15%. There is no capital gains tax although certain “gains” such as profits on the sale of patent rights are deemed to be income. Local property taxes (rates) are managed and collected by councils. Some goods and services carry a specific tax, referred to as an excise or a duty such as alcohol excise or gaming duty. These are collected by a range of government agencies such as the New Zealand Customs Service. There is no Social Security (Payroll) tax in New Zealand. IRD website link

HEALTHCARE

New Zealand residents benefit from a public health system that is free or low cost thanks to heavy Government subsidies. The NZ health system caters for both private and public sectors. Level of state health care is very high, 60% of the population chooses to supplement this with private health insurance. Non-residents can also use healthcare services at a cost. You can choose to take out medical insurance for private healthcare.
Basic dental care for children under 18 is free. For adults the costs for a visit to a dentist is varies depending on procedure. Medical Insurance schemes do not generally provide cover for dental care.
Pharmacy prescriptions are subsidised by the government. Surcharges (levies) on approved medicines and drugs are charged by pharmacies.
A stay in a Government funded hospital is free while a private hospital stay will be covered by private medical insurance or by personal means. A waiting period will apply for public hospitals depending on the severity of the illness or injury. Ministry of Health

ACCIDENT COMPENSATION COMMISSION (ACC)

New Zealand’s accident compensation scheme provides 24-hour no-fault personal injury insurance cover.
ACC provides personal injury cover for all New Zealand citizens, residents and temporary visitors to New Zealand. In return people do not have the right to sue for personal injury, other than for exemplary damages. ACC website link

GOVERNMENT

The Treaty of Waitangi was signed between the Maori and the British Crown in 1840. NZ was a British colony but is now fully independent from Britain. It is an independent state within the Commonwealth and is currently being governed by the National Party & has an MMP Parliament. Government elections take place in every 3 years.

LEGAL SYSTEM

New Zealand law is based on three related principles: parliamentary sovereignty; the rule of law; and the separation of powers. As a former British colony, the legal system is heavily based on the English legal system, and remains similar in many respects. There are also important differences, which reflect the unique legal culture that has developed in New Zealand. The legal and judicial systems in New Zealand are efficient and it is a country with an independent judiciary. There are also specialist courts such as employment courts, family court, youth court and environment court. Ministry of Justice