Bas(32)

I worked five years as a software engineer at a fintech company in Amsterdam. The salary was good, but the housing market made it impossible to buy anything. When I spoke with a recruiter from Auckland at a conference in Melbourne, the idea of New Zealand started to grow. Within a month I had arranged a skills assessment and booked my IELTS exam.

The Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) from Immigration New Zealand works on a points system. You get points for age, work experience, education and a job offer. With my master's degree, six years of experience and a job offer from an Accredited Employer in Auckland, I scored 180 points — well above the 160 threshold. My Expression of Interest was selected from the pool within two weeks.

The visa application was thorough but logical. I had to do medical examinations, request a police clearance certificate from Dutch justice, and have all my diplomas verified. INZ (Immigration New Zealand) is strict but transparent — you know exactly where you stand. After four months I had my Resident Visa in hand.

The first weeks in Auckland were overwhelming. Applying for an IRD number (tax number) was simple — online in ten minutes. ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) covers everyone in New Zealand for accidents, so that was sorted immediately. Opening a bank account at ANZ was trickier than expected; they wanted proof of address, but I didn't have a rental agreement yet. Eventually they accepted my employer's letter.

Auckland is a multicultural city with a strong tech sector. My employer, a SaaS company in Wynyard Quarter, offers a good salary of around NZ$120,000 plus KiwiSaver (the pension savings scheme here, where your employer contributes at least 3%). The work-life balance is genuinely better than in the Netherlands — at five o'clock the office is empty and colleagues go surfing or hiking.

What I recommend to everyone: start your Expression of Interest early and make sure your IELTS score is high enough (at least 6.5 overall). The Skilled Migrant Category is competitive, but as an ICT professional with experience you have a good chance. New Zealand is actively seeking tech talent. After two years of residence you can apply for Permanent Residence, and after five years for citizenship. I plan to stay.