New Zealand has a skilled migrant immigration policy. When vacancies cannot be filled locally then our clients ask us to source overseas applicants. Immigration visas are then provided for qualifying applicants and family members.
Why New Zealand?
New Zealand's beauty, distinctive culture, unique history, stable economy, diverse population and excellent health, criminal justice, educational and social services allow for excellent career and lifestyle opportunities.
The country is a good destination for families, couples (different and same-sex), and people travelling on their own. Equality, transparency, tolerance and human rights are core values of the society.
New Zealand offers a well developed social democracy that is progressive in facing social and ecological issues and responsibilities. You will find a modern infrastructure supported by a stable economy and a choice of rural, semi rural and metropolitan lifestyles available.
The Lifestyle
The unique 'Kiwi' lifestyle is possibly one of the biggest draw cards. Measured in terms of employment, equality and opportunity, and personal safety, housing and the physical environment, leisure satisfaction, quality of working life and social welfare provisions, New Zealand’s standard of living is relatively high. By using yardsticks as education, health, infant mortality, life expectancy and price stability, New Zealand’s situation is comparable to that of Australia, Canada, Japan, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States. Cities of Auckland and Wellington are regularly ranked highly in Mercers international Quality of Life index.
In 1937 the Government of the day established the first truly universal welfare system which offered support to the disadvantaged and created a safety net for those out of work, in need or without homes or income. This "cradle to grave" concept - as it was known - helped to eliminate almost all poverty and certainly the worst of what one sees in many developed countries. New Zealanders pride themselves on having an absence of homeless on the streets, squatter settlements and shanty towns. However there are social problems and psychologists and other professionals skills are highly valued and sought in a range of fields.
New Zealanders tend to be informal and relaxed in their communication style. Even in formal situations first names are commonly used.
Demographics
New Zealand is a multicultural society built on a bi-cultural framework. Those of European extraction account for approximately 70% of the population. Approximately 15% of the population is Maori, 3% Polynesian and the balance is made up of a variety of ethnic peoples. Dutch, South Africans, Chinese, Indians are just a few who have settled in New Zealand over the years.
Statistics indicate that the population was 4,440,000 at November 2012.
Auckland is the largest city with a population of around 1.4 million. It boasts the world’s largest Polynesian population. Wellington and Christchurch are the next largest cities with approximately 300,000 residents each. Christchurch is the largest of the South Island cities.
Maori and the Treaty of Waitangi
The Maori were New Zealand's first settlers. About 1000 years ago they made an epic journey from legendary Hawaiki, probably in Polynesia to the north of New Zealand. The explorer Kupe, who legend says first discovered New Zealand, named the new land Aotearoa - Land of the Long White Cloud.
The Treaty of Waitangi is New Zealand's founding document and established the country as a nation. It was signed in 1840 between leading Maori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown.
Employers will expect overseas job seekers to have some familiarity with issues relating to Maori such as the relevance of the Treaty of Waitangi to psychological practice. Psych-Recruitment will provide candidates registered with us resources to assist with acquiring basic level knowledge in this regard to assist with job applications and telephone or video interviews.
The Location, Geography and Climate
You’ll find New Zealand tucked away about 2000 km southeast of Australia in the Pacific Ocean. Its total landmass is slightly larger than the United Kingdom and similar to the size of California, Italy or Japan. To get there you’ll spend 3 hours on a plane from the East Coast of Australia and about 10–13 hours from Asia or North and South America. A flight from Europe or South Africa will last a minimum of 24 – 26 hours.
The country is long and narrow, stretching a distance of 1600 kilometres in a north to south direction and being no more than 450 kilometres wide, at its widest point. This means that no point is particularly far from the sea. The North and South Islands have a combined area of approximately 268,000 square kilometres.
The sea moderates the climate bringing mild temperatures throughout the year and an absence of extreme hot or cold. The North Island is generally warmer than the South Island although the nature of the terrain causes many micro climates causing wide variations. Being surrounded by ocean provides moderate year-round rainfall and it is wetter on the West Coast than East. October through to April is the warmest months and May to September is the coolest. Snow is generally not seen at sea level, though there is an abundance of snow during winter in the South Island high country and in the mountain ranges in the North Island. Both the North and South Islands have ample winter ski fields, with the South Island renowned for the majesty of its mountains and beauty of its woodlands, lakes and rivers.
Blenheim, at the top of the South Island is the sunniest city in the country, however most of the country enjoys over 2000 hours of sunshine per year.
Natural Environment
New Zealand's natural environment received significant fame through its depiction as Middle Earth in “The Lord of the Rings” and “the Hobbit” movie trilogies.
New Zealand separated from other land masses for more than 100 million years ago which allowed many ancient plants and animals to survive and evolve in isolation. Complementing a unique flora and fauna is a landscape that contains an unrivalled variety of landforms from mountain ranges to sandy beaches, lush rainforests, glaciers and fiords and active volcanoes. The characteristic New Zealand forest is a temperate, evergreen rain forest with giant tree ferns, vines and epiphytes - looking a bit like the popular image of a jungle.
In spite of around 1000 years of native bush clearance by humans, about a quarter of the country still remains forested - mostly in high-country areas. Most of these remaining areas are protected from exploitation in national and forest parks, where they can be enjoyed by all.
Comparable in size and/or shape to Great Britain, Colorado and Japan, New Zealand is one of the world's least crowded countries.
Education
Formal education is mandatory for children and adolescents ages 5 through to age 17. New Zealand offers a mixture of private and public schools, similar to that found in the United Kingdom. The education philosophy is based on the British tradition but in recent years it has moved towards both a vocational application and a South Pacific orientation. The school year commences February and ends in December.
A range of good quality tertiary level education is available in all the main centres as well as distant learning courses.
Those registered with Psych-Recruitment will be provided with support in obtaining information about educational facilities for family members during the recruitment process.
Immigration
If you don't already hold entitlement to work in New Zealand then the jobs we recommend will be in skills shortage positions. This means the government will encourage migration and provide visas for you and your family members. However you will need to meet the general health, character, age criteria.
For Australian citizens and residents we remind you that you do not need a work or residency visa and your Australian psychologist registration will qualify you for reciprocal registration in New Zealand
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