Emigration Stories
Real stories from Dutch people who made the move
Bas (32)
Amsterdam β Auckland
With 160 points on the Skilled Migrant Category I got my residence visa within six months. Auckland is expensive, but the opportunities in tech are enormous.
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Mark & Fleur (38)
Utrecht β Wellington
Emigrating to the other side of the world with two kids aged 6 and 9 β scary but the best decision ever. Wellington feels like a village with city amenities.
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Wiebe (34)
Leeuwarden β Canterbury
From a dairy farm in Friesland to 400 cows in Canterbury. New Zealand's dairy industry is bigger, greener and needs farmers.
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Peter (43)
Rotterdam β Christchurch
The rebuilding of Christchurch after the earthquakes offered a unique opportunity. With an Entrepreneur Work Visa I built my own sustainable construction company.
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Tom & Roos (25)
Eindhoven β Queenstown
A year of backpacking in New Zealand became a life. Through the Working Holiday Visa we discovered Queenstown β and decided to stay.
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Linda (35)
Den Haag β Dunedin
As a nurse in The Hague I was burned out. New Zealand offered not just a visa but also appreciation, a better salary and breathing space.
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Sander (29)
Groningen β Hamilton
As an electrician with five years of experience I was on INZ's Green List. Within three months I had my residence visa and a job in Hamilton.
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Marieke (41)
Tilburg β Nelson
From the wine academy in Tilburg to Nelson's vineyards. New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc revolution needed an oenologist.
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Jan-Willem & Priya (36)
Leiden β Tauranga
As a mixed couple with two passports the visa route was complex. Via a Partner of a Worker Visa we both came to Tauranga β NZ's fastest growing city.
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Henk (52)
Zwolle β Napier
After twenty years in Dutch hospitality I sought space and appreciation. Hawke's Bay's food & wine scene gave me a new life as a chef.
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Eva (28)
Maastricht β Rotorua
The teacher shortage in New Zealand was my opportunity. Through the Green List I got fast-tracked residence as a teacher and discovered MΔori education in Rotorua.
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Fred & Annemarie (67)
Haarlem β Whangarei
With our pension and savings we chose New Zealand's Investor Visa. Whangarei offers subtropical climate and peace for our retirement.
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Daan (31)
Nijmegen β Wellington
From HKU in Utrecht to Weta FX in Wellington. New Zealand's film industry offers opportunities that don't exist in Europe.
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Ingrid (45)
Bergen op Zoom β New Plymouth
As a GP in the Netherlands I felt like a bureaucrat. In Taranaki I'm a doctor again β with time for patients and mountains as my backyard.
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Sophie (24)
Den Bosch β Queenstown
After my sports instructor training I knew: I want outdoor sports as a career. Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world, was the only logical destination.
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Jeroen (38)
Breda β Auckland
Cybersecurity is on INZ's Green List with Straight to Residence. After ten years in Dutch IT I made the move to Auckland's growing security sector.
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Rick (33)
Almere β Christchurch
As a plumber I was on the Green List. Christchurch's rebuild needs tradespeople and pays better than the Randstad.
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Nienke (30)
Delft β Dunedin
The biodiversity around the South Island drew me as a marine biologist to Dunedin. At the University of Otago I research Hector's dolphins.
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Lars & Kim (34)
Apeldoorn β Auckland
Kim is a Kiwi, I'm Dutch. Via the Partnership-based Visa I followed her to Auckland. Love brought me to the other side of the world.
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Pieter (40)
Enschede β Auckland
Physiotherapists are on the Green List. After registration with the Physiotherapy Board I moved to Auckland β more salary, less bureaucracy.
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Anke (37)
Wageningen β Canterbury
From Wageningen University to the Canterbury Plains. New Zealand's agriculture is digitizing fast and my expertise in precision farming was exactly what they needed.
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Marco (48)
Den Helder β Tauranga
From the Royal Dutch Navy to Port of Tauranga. My maritime experience was exactly what New Zealand's largest port needed.
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Timo (22)
Rotterdam β Queenstown
At 21 I grabbed the Working Holiday Visa and flew to Queenstown. I now make the best latte art with a view of the Remarkables.
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Els (39)
Deventer β Nelson
Emigrating as a single mother seemed impossible. But the Green List for nurses and Nelson's affordability made it achievable.
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Vincent (55)
Arnhem β Christchurch
My expertise in earthquake-resilient construction brought me to Christchurch. The city is rebuilding and needs engineers with European experience.
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