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Home > Our Publications > New Zealand Outlook > 2008 > February

Vital to plan all aspects of move

By Lawrence Johnston

VISIT New Zealand, before you make the big decision to emigrate there. That is one of the key bits of advice that Kevin Cameron offers as he ends his four year stint as Immigration New Zealand London Branch Manager.
And as he prepares to pack this month for Auckland, where he will now be based, his other main advice is that once you have made the decision to emigrate, carefully plan your move.
"Plan how long it is going to take you, particularly when you're thinking of selling your house and considering children's schooling. Establish a timeline when all these things are going to happen, so that you can get your application in at the right time.
"Whilst we can process a skilled migrant's application in less than three months, for many folk selling their property, considering schools and quitting their UK jobs, may take 12 to 18 months. Plan it out like that, then start the application process some 12 months before you intend to emigrate," he said.
On the length of time it takes to process an application, Mr Cameron said people who have job offers receive priority.
"Though we usually say allow three months, these are the ones we can sometimes get down to New Zealand even quicker. Some have got there in about a month."
On his point about pre-visiting New Zealand, he said: "Go and get as much information as you can. Though some migrants who apply for a visa then go and start from afresh, are successful, I still believe that those who have done their homework by making a visit, have a greater chance of success once they get there.
"We usually think that about 85 per cent of migrants remain in New Zealand. That figure may become less over time due to the growing mobility of labour, particularly skilled in this day and age, he said.
Excluding the air fare, the cost for someone to emigrate to New Zealand is around £800. "That includes the migrant levy and medical and police checks. But we can get a whole family there for just over £1,000," he said.
In his four years in London - the usual stint for someone in his sort of position in Immigation New Zealand - Mr Cameron has had to handle the switch over from the old general skills policy to the present skilled migrant category (SMC), and via the so called customised service strategy, the move to a more customer orientated approach to the work.
"That has meant upping our level of service to new clients, thereby aspiring to do better than our competitor countries," he said.
At one stage the SMC's popularity meant his staff swelled from 41 to 62. It is now back down at 47.
One thing Mr Cameron is looking forward to, is the birth of a new grandchild, who is due a few days after he arrives in Auckland.
As for his successor in London, Simon Smith, who has previously managed the service's branches in Wellington and New Delhi, is likely to take over in April.