ITA is in hand!

[jnbates]

Hi there,

I've been lurking in and out of here for a while and finally had some news worth posting - my wife has accepted a LTSSL-applicable job offer in Hamilton, and as of two days ago we've been invited to apply!

The required documents and medicals are on thier way and/or scheduled, so we should be able to submit within 3 weeks - hope to be there some time in June.

Now to sell the house and most of its contents, the cars, arrange shipping, etc, etc, etc.

Our family of four (two girls under 10 yrs old) is really looking forward to making the most of this opportunity!

See ya when we see ya!

PS. Will have to update the 'expat living in...' country as I selected 'poorly' when I first created the profile a year ago.

[topcat83]

Congrats!

[jnbates]

Thanks, Top Cat. We'll be arriving at a great time to shop for houses - in the winter, when we can see whether the heating systems in particular properties are effective or not.

I'm just really happy that we're coming on the path to permanent residency. And I'm looking forward to seeing green, for a lot more months of the year.

[jawnbc]

Another Canuck heading to the land of the long white cloud. Excellent!

Have you done your medicals yet? How long did the appointment take and then how long to get the completed file to send with your application?

I'm in Vancouver and at about the same stage of the process as you: though my job is in Auckland and I start mid-August. Am booked on NZ83 non-stop Vancouver-Auckland on 15 August.

[topcat83]

Originally Posted by jawnbc

Another Canuck heading to the land of the long white cloud. Excellent!

Have you done your medicals yet? How long did the appointment take and then how long to get the completed file to send with your application?

I'm in Vancouver and at about the same stage of the process as you: though my job is in Auckland and I start mid-August. Am booked on NZ83 non-stop Vancouver-Auckland on 15 August.

Hi there welcome to the Forum. With an August start you'll find us mid-winter. That non-stop flight is wonderful! We visited Canada last year and it is sooo wonderful not to have to come through LA and US immigration.

[jawnbc]

Thanks TC! Glad to be here! I lived in Sydney for 3 years so I've travelled between Canada and Australia or New Zealand every which way except South America! I try to avoid US "transit' nonsense so the non-stop flight is great.

Living in Oz changed my idea of a "long flight": less than 8 hours I'm good with some music and a few magazines. For this one I've it down to a science: board, eat, take sleeping tablet, wash face and clean teeth, earplugs, noise cancelling headphones, eye shades and blanket. I get 5-7 hours of good rest before the start of The Day That Will Never End at 05h00 in Auckland.

Originally Posted by topcat83

Hi there welcome to the Forum. With an August start you'll find us mid-winter. That non-stop flight is wonderful! We visited Canada last year and it is sooo wonderful not to have to come through LA and US immigration.

[jnbates]

Originally Posted by jawnbc

Another Canuck heading to the land of the long white cloud. Excellent!

Have you done your medicals yet? How long did the appointment take and then how long to get the completed file to send with your application?

I'm in Vancouver and at about the same stage of the process as you: though my job is in Auckland and I start mid-August. Am booked on NZ83 non-stop Vancouver-Auckland on 15 August.

I'll get back to you on the medicals - we're scheduled to have them early next week. We've got everything else assembled and that's the last info we need.

We're feeling the urgency to get going as my wife has had a permanent full-time job waiting for her since early March with a May 2nd commencement date. The hold up had been the registration authority's approval for her qualifications. Once that was complete, the EOI and ITA has gone fairly quickly. As of this week we've got a solid offer on our house and have to be out of it by the last week of June, so the race is on to get things organized.

I looked at flying through either Van or LA (from Edmonton) and prefer LA because it cuts the distance south a bit. It also turns out to be a couple of hundred bucks cheaper to fly the family to LA than it is to Vancouver. So it costs me more to fly a shorter distance in my own country that to go further into the US - is that messed up or what? LOL! The layover in LA is pretty long, so going through customs doesn't concern me. It's more of a minor inconvenience, especially if it results in less time in the air for the long jump across the equator while saving a bit of cash, too. Again, this is from Edmonton, Alberta. If you're in Vancouver already it's a no-brainer.

I can't wait - this is fully awesome!

[jawnbc]

Awesome is the correct word!

Originally Posted by jnbates

I'll get back to you on the medicals - we're scheduled to have them early next week. We've got everything else assembled and that's the last info we need.

We're feeling the urgency to get going as my wife has had a permanent full-time job waiting for her since early March. The hold up had been the registration authority's approval for her qualifications. Once that was complete, the EOI and ITA has gone fairly quickly. As of this week we've got a solid offer on our house and have to be out of it by the last week of June, so the race is on to get things organized.

I looked at flying through either Van or LA (from Edmonton) and prefer LA because it cuts the distance south a bit. It also turns out to be a couple of hundred bucks cheaper to fly the family to LA than it is to Vancouver. So it costs me more to fly a shorter distance in my own country that to go further into the US - is that messed up or what? LOL! The layover in LA is pretty long, so going through customs doesn't concern me. It's more of a minor inconvenience, especially if it results in less time in the air for the long jump across the equator while saving a bit of cash, too. Again, this is from Edmonton, Alberta. If you're in Vancouver already it's a no-brainer.

I can't wait - this is fully awesome!

[jnbates]

So jawnbc, when I tell people we're moving to NZ some of them ask if we've considered moving to Vancouver and staying in Canada. I've got my own answers for that, but I'm interested to hear what you've got to say about it, as someone who is from Vancouver who is living in AUS and NZ, if you don't mind.

[jawnbc]

Vancouver's awesome--love it--but it's changing, slowly but surely. And very expensive. I could stay here and be very happy regardless: we're well positioned economically as two men with no kids and good professional incomes. Hateful mortgage, but apparently that won't change in Auckland...

Why NZ? Excellent climate, people with some manners, still a social safety net (though not as strong as Canada's) for people. Kiwis work hard and then dial it back. Very social. Independent foreign policy. Trying to find the elusive magic balance between social democracy and a strong economy. And a progressive electoral system that doesn't give any ONE party control of government with less than 50% of the popular vote.

It's also BEAUTIFUL, with pretty much anything but tropics on offer. Everything beautiful about BC is in NZ, but in a smaller land area. I will miss, however, going skiing/snowboarding after work. And the long summer evenings--but not the long winter nights.

We have family and friends there. The job offer pays me slightly more than what I earn in Vancouver and the income tax is lower because there's no provincial income tax. GST is what I'm used for HST so that's fine.

Overall: great standard of living, great people, great opportunity. All my friends who've been to NZ are jealous. That's always a good sign! How about you? What's prompted your move?