Moving to New Zealand???

Hey! I know some of you guys live in New Zealand.. and im dreaming of moving either there, Canada or USA. i was thinking about UK too.. but the rainy weather is one of the main reasons i want to move from my place..
At first im just thinking of renting some appartment and trying out.. So i can just move if i dont like it. Buy some RWD banger, move close to some track where trackdays / driftdays are common. Bring my bicycle and ride with people.

So how is it with Visas? Do i need one to be there 1month at a time? Since im working 1month off, one month on.
Do you know any sites where i can look at cars? Any sites for appartments?
Any tracks that have regularly trackdays/drift days?
Any disadvantages with living in NZ?


Cheers, Vegard!

I would love to move to NZ too, beautiful scenery, dont need to insure cars, JDM goodies and loads of 20v corollas.. what more do you want

if you are thinking of moving away from somewhere that it rains all the time, then i wouldnt recommend the UK.. lol it rains all the time here

What if you harm someone when you dont have insurance?
I guess it would be cheap insurance aswell, since you can choose to drive witout one..?

Yeah, always thought that Uk had nicer weather than my place..
I have 213 rain days a year.. over 10 cities in the UK have more rain.. Manchester was 250 days i think!

i live in manchester
i know it rains more than that hahaha

there are places in the uk which are quite nice and warmer

Thats why i mentioned Manchester!
Nah, i want to try out a place where its alittlebit hotter.. and not so rainy!
Try out 1 or 2 months. See if i get to know people.. If im moving, i will be all alone! Not knowing a soul! Think that could be really interesting!
If its better, then i might consider moving

well we have members around the world so im sure wherever you move you will have a friend

Move to Australia instead Better weather than NZ (and more choice), better economy, better job prospects, more me (), but unfortunately much fewer JDM Corolla stuff (but NZ is just around the corner, and shipping is cheap )

Better weather depends on the eye! i have the impression that Australia never have temperatures under 18-20celcius? Thats wayy to hot for me!
Im going to have my norwegian job. Better paid and i don't want to loose Norway totally. Mostly because of the hospital stuff, and retirement This stuff is pretty much perfect in Norway! I want to keep my Norwegian passport.. and technically just be a tourist instead of actually moving to the country.
Is the economy bad in NZ? What does this mean for me? Since im basically just on a vacation while im living there, i guess its no problem?

I know alot of people who live in a other country as a tourist.. I know a guy in Canada. He does only have a permit to be in the country for 1month. Because he leaves for work after 28 days at home, its no problem. When he travels home again he gets a new month. The big problem with living like this, is that you cant get any morgage or anything like this.. licenses etc. Somethings can be a hassle when your just a tourist..

Its just a big difference to try out a country, and fully commit by becoming a citizen..

Skorp wrote:

Better weather depends on the eye! i have the impression that Australia never have temperatures under 18-20celcius? Thats wayy to hot for me!
Im going to have my norwegian job. Better paid and i don't want to loose Norway totally. Mostly because of the hospital stuff, and retirement This stuff is pretty much perfect in Norway!
Is the economy bad in NZ? What does this mean for me? Since im basically just on a vacation while im living there, i guess its no problem?

Australia has plenty of places that get sub-20 degree temperatures....just not all year round (except for Tasmania, which is basically New Zealand without the accent). Even our ski-fields can get 30+ in the summer.

As for the economy, I'm not saying that NZ is in bad shape, just that Australia is in pretty good shape (we're one of the few countries in the world that has managed to ride the GFC relatively unscathed). Average wages I believe are much higher than NZ too, and our dollar is stronger. And if you're worried about hospital and retirement, Aus has public-funded universal health care (with a decent private sector too) and compulsory employer-paid 9% superannuation (set to go up to about 12% over the next couple of years).

We have plenty of sheep too

cant forget the ian

Im currently going to school. But my job had an average Australian wage.. so nothing impressive. If i have the same wage in NZ i will earn 10k more than average every year. This is because the Norwgian Krone is stronger in NZ i guess, than Aus? And that your wages are higher as you mentioned..

im considering weak currency in the country im moving to as a good thing. Since i get my salary in a relatively strong currency. Norwegian Krone.

its just a hard desition..

Do you know anything about tracks in Aus? trackdays etc ? any websites i can look at cars and appartments in ?
What city would you choose?

Skorp wrote:

Do you know anything about tracks in Aus? trackdays etc ?

I'm only really pushing Aus because I live here

As far as track days etc are concerned, it really depends on where you want to live - all the east-coast capitals (Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne) have at least one or two local race tracks that offer track days on a fairly regular basis. None (except for Eastern Creek) are relatively close to the city though.

That, and Aus has pretty annoying car modification laws, draconian road rules, and HWP officers that are borderline Nazi...

Doesn't Austraila have some really creepy spiders? I would totally move there for the though LOL.

gold94corolla wrote:

Doesn't Austraila have some really creepy spiders?

Yep, and snakes too (including 8 of the world's 10-deadliest)...

And then there's the jellyfish, man-o-wars, sharks, stonefish etc etc...

Yeah.... I think I might just be better off bringing a home with me instead.

hahah, good idea chris..

^You could move to Canada, you know. Living in igloos, riding polar bears and moose', eating copious amounts of maple syrup and bacon.

In all seriousness, Visa terms get changed here like bi-monthly. I believe they way it is now you can get Visa's in 1 month, 3 month or 1 year terms? Unless you have somebody in the country to sponsor you, in which case it can be a lot longer.

If you really are serious about each place why don't you take a little vacation to each? I'm sure you'll find a small love for each country.

In Canada I know, around the Toronto area, there's a lot of track's and drift days. At least a track event every week, and drift days I'm not too sure about but I've heard there to be quite a bit. Southern Ontario (where Toronto is) and British Columbia (Vancouver/Hope/Smithers/Whistler to be specific) have probably the best weather in the country. It's pretty mild during the winters, but they get lots of snow, and with really warm summers.

Where I live we get winter from November till the end of March usually, with January/February lows reaching -40C sometimes. Canada has one of the strongest economies, a strong dollar, excellent universal healthcare, among other things. Laws on cars vary though depending where you go, there's noise limits, performance modifications and visual modifications that aren't legal some places, but aren't upheld in most, and the only real way you'll know is if the cops are in a bad mood and pull you over for it.

Aaaaaanyways, enough of me trying to sell my country, if you wanna know more just ask

All I need to say is look at the Lord of the Rings.

You don't need to give up your Norwegian Passport if you become a permanent resident.
But as Aaron said you'd need a sponsor, I'm not sure how al that works through. I'll do some home work for you.
As for cars we get all Jap hand me downs, so lots of goodies to be had.
Check out www.Trademe.co.nz for cars and Apartments.

I'm gonna "steal" this Skorp, I am considering the UK or Ireland and I'll visit that country (UK) for a week next summer.