New Zealand, a country of wonderful islands where nature is in its purest state, a place where you will enjoy an excellent educational system and valuable job offers. A place where you will enjoy an excellent educational system and valuable job offers. What else can we say? Surely, you dream of starting a new life here, so we will tell you how to emigrate to New Zealand from Colombia.
According to the Human Development Index measured by the United Nations (UN), New Zealand is the ninth best country in the world to live in. By evaluating its social welfare indicators, they concluded that it offers security, opportunities and an optimal quality of life.
You know what’s the best part: the Kiwis love to share their culture with immigrants! So, if you want to immigrate to New Zealand as a Colombian, sit back, take note and plan your trip!
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Why emigrate to New Zealand?
New Zealand not only has one of the most solid educational systems in the world, no! It also offers a cultural exchange that allows its inhabitants to live with people of more than 90 different nationalities.
As if this were not enough, it is a country where contact with nature is a priority. On the kiwi island you can enjoy beautiful landscapes, practice extreme sports in its mountains or discover the Maori culture.
Oh, and we can’t forget its employment opportunities. In fact, in this country where the exotic mixes with the urban, you will find job offers that promote the strengthening of your skills, while contributing to the economic growth of New Zealand.
Requirements to emigrate to New Zealand from Colombia
Now, let’s get down to business! To emigrate to New Zealand from Colombia you must start by fulfilling all the conditions requested by the New Zealand government. To take the first step, you must gather the following documents.
Valid passport
To apply for it, you must go to the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, located in Bogota or in the authorized governors’ offices. Note: This document must be assigned to your name and must be valid for more than six months.
Verification of financial solvency
This requirement is essential! By means of bank statements, certificates confirming your acquisition of a student loan or a letter from a sponsor, you can prove that you have enough money to pay for your stay and its associated expenses in the Kiwi country.
Visa approved
Depending on the reason why you are going to immigrate to New Zealand from Colombia, you must apply for a visa. Pay attention because, below, we will tell you what you need to apply for two different types of visas.
Student Visa
Generally, the student visa is valid for 4 years, but the truth is that you are approved for the duration of your course. In addition, it authorizes you to work a maximum of 20 hours per week, that is to say, half a day.
Some of the requirements to apply for this visa are to have a letter of enrollment in an accredited school, a valid passport, a medical certificate that corroborates your state of health, a medical insurance for students and a certificate of judicial record that confirms that you do not have any problems with the law.
This visa costs 330 NZD* and the processing time for your application is approximately 56 days (although this may vary depending on the number of applications the government is processing).
*The cost of the visa is for reference only and may vary over time.
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Working Visa
If you are going to emigrate to New Zealand from Colombia to work, you should know that the work visa in New Zealand has more than 60 types, since there are specific visas for workers with different job profiles. Even so, here we share with you the most requested ones:
- Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa: it is valid for 2 and a half years. It allows you to work in New Zealand if you have work experience, a degree in one of the demanded careers or a job offer.
- Talent Work Visa: it is a work visa for New Zealand valid for 2 and a half years. It is for professionals with skills required by an accredited employer offering full-time employment.
- Essential Skills Work Visa: authorizes you to work for up to 3 years if you are a qualified professional and there is no one in New Zealand with the skills to fill the vacancy you are interested in.
- Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa: makes you a resident if your application is qualified and you score 160 points or more.
You can find more information about work visas for New Zealand on the official government website.
Step by step to emigrate to New Zealand from Colombia
I’m so excited! If you’ve made it this far, it’s because you definitely want to get started on your next adventure of moving. Read on for a step-by-step guide to make emigrating to New Zealand from Colombia easier than you think.
1. Choose a city
For your stay in New Zealand to be just as you dream it, the best thing you can do is to choose in advance the place where you are going to live. Each city in the Kiwi country has its own particularities that may or may not fit your lifestyle. For example:
- Auckland is the most important urban area in New Zealand. It is a multicultural city, with many attractions and close to iconic points. It stands out for the excellent level of the educational centers.
- Wellington is the capital of the country. It has a wide cultural and leisure offer. It is also the starting point for visiting natural parks and planning outdoor sports and adventure activities.
- Queenstown is famous for being the capital of extreme sports. It is located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, making it a good destination for explorers and for those looking for jobs related to sport and nature.
- Christchurch is known for its botanical gardens and for being the starting point for expeditions to the Antarctic. It is the third largest city in the country and has a large number of jobs in the construction sector.
2. Choose an academic program
Studying in the Kiwi country is one of the best reasons to emigrate to New Zealand from Colombia. For this reason, we share with you two of the courses you can take to take your adventure to the oceanic island to another level:
- English courses: there are from intensive to general courses. In these courses you learn to master the 4 aspects of the English language with native speakers. And if you are looking to certify your level of English, you can take a course to take official exams such as TOEFL or IELTS.
- Technical courses: these are programs in specific areas that combine a theoretical and a practical part. They are cheaper than a university degree and the level of English required to take them is not so high (even so, you need an intermediate-advanced level). They are recognized by the government and large companies in the Kiwi country.
3. Plan the details of your trip
We know you’re already imagining yourself in the locations of The Lord of the Rings, right? But first, you should give yourself some time to create a travel plan in which you will finalize some important details.
For example, calculate the expenses you need to cover (plane tickets, and cost of living), find a place to stay for the first few weeks and pack your suitcase with clothes for all seasons (including, of course, a power adapter).
Don’t worry if you have any doubts, our Student Advisors will always be there to help you with whatever you need!
How much money does it take to emigrate to New Zealand?
To begin with, you should know that the cost of living in New Zealand varies depending on the city you live in and your lifestyle. Even so, here are some approximate amounts to give you an idea of what you can spend.
According to Expatistan, if you are traveling alone, the monthly cost of living in New Zealand is 4,263 NZD*.
And, to give you more exact data, a one-year course can cost you from 24,910 NZD, a weekly residence between 230 and 360 NZD, a weekly market can cost you 80 NZD, a bus ticket in InterCity 10 NZD and ordering a normal menu in a restaurant 20 NZD*.
*Prices are for reference only and may vary over time.
Moving to another country is a big change, so don’t be taken by surprise by the cultural differences
