Preparing
to move
The practical part: shipping, housing, banking and schools. It’s a lot, but all manageable, and we help you order it.
Kettle on. About 14 min
Three things you can do right now
Build my moving checklist
Everything to do before you fly and in your first weeks here, ticked off in your own time and kept on your own device.
Open the checklist I want to know what it costsPrice up the move
Flights, shipping, bonds and the first month, worked out for your household rather than a generic average.
Open the cost calculator I want it all in one planBuild my plan
Registration, visa, the move and arrival in one running plan, so nothing sits waiting on something you didn’t know about.
Build my planA big move is just a lot of small, doable things
So this step lays it out as a countdown: what to think about months ahead, what to do in the final weeks, and what waits for your first days on the ground. Work through it at your own pace, tick things off as you go, and let the list carry the worry so you don’t have to.
And you’re not project-managing this alone. We’ve helped many families make exactly this move, and we’re on hand for the questions the checklists don’t answer, plus introductions to the relocation and shipping partners we trust.
Three things to sort first
These three take the longest and matter the most, so get them moving early.
Somewhere to land
You don’t need your forever home before you fly, just a sorted first few weeks. Temporary or short-term rental accommodation buys you time to find the right place once you’re here.
Banking & funds
Opening a New Zealand bank account and planning how you’ll move your money across are jobs best started early: some banks let you begin the process before you arrive.
Schools & childcare
If you’re moving with children, school enrolment and zones shape where you’ll want to live. Researching this early often decides the neighbourhood for you.
What to do, and roughly when
Lay the groundwork
- Research regions and neighbourhoods, guided by work and schools.
- Begin school enrolment enquiries and check zones.
- Get quotes from international shipping and relocation companies.
- Start gathering documents: passports, certificates, references, medical and school records.
- Plan the money side: how and when you’ll transfer funds.
Book & arrange
- Book flights and your first accommodation for arrival.
- Confirm your shipping or air-freight, and decide what comes and what goes.
- Arrange travel and contents insurance for the move.
- Notify schools, landlords, banks and utilities at home of your leaving date.
- Sort pets early if they’re coming — the pet process has its own long timeline.
Tie off loose ends
- Close or redirect accounts, subscriptions and mail.
- Pack a "first fortnight" bag: essentials you’ll want before shipping arrives.
- Keep all key documents together in your hand luggage.
- Confirm someone can meet you or your accommodation is ready on arrival.
- Say your goodbyes, and let yourself feel them.
Get set up
- Open or activate your bank account and get an IRD number for tax.
- Get a local SIM and sort your phone and internet.
- Enrol the children and register with a local doctor (GP).
- Look into transport, a car, or public transport options.
- Breathe. The hardest part is now behind you.
Housing, money & admin
Housing
Rent first while you find the right neighbourhood. In New Zealand, school zones and where you live go hand in hand.
Banking & IRD
A local bank account and an IRD number are the first two things to set up. Almost everything else in your financial life follows from them.
What to bring
Split sea and air freight, be ruthless about what’s worth shipping, and mind New Zealand’s strict biosecurity rules on food, plants and outdoor gear.
We’ve kept this deliberately short. Moving to New Zealand, our national guide, walks through housing, banking, tax, healthcare, schools and settling in, step by step, with the official links. Ethicare is a recruitment specialist; for the move itself, we’re glad to introduce you to the relocation and shipping partners we rely on.
Open Moving to New ZealandFurnishing your home affordably
Most healthcare professionals build their home gradually: a few essentials first, the rest as they settle.
New Zealand has a well-established second-hand market, and it’s often possible to furnish an entire home for a fraction of the cost of buying new. Online marketplaces, charity stores and used-furniture retailers are especially popular in the first few months, while you find your feet and work out what you need.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Sofa | $150–800 |
| Dining table & chairs | $150–700 |
| Queen bed frame | $100–500 |
| Mattress (buy new) | $400–1,000 |
| Bedside tables | $30–100 each |
| Chest of drawers | $80–300 |
| Coffee table | $40–200 |
| TV unit | $50–250 |
| Washing machine | $250–700 |
| Fridge freezer | $300–900 |
As a rough guide, many couples comfortably furnish a rental for around NZ$2,500–5,000 by combining second-hand furniture with a few key new purchases, a mattress and good bedding being the ones most people choose to buy new. Prices vary by region and condition, so treat these as a starting point, not a quote.
Where to look
- Facebook Marketplace, the busiest place for local, near-new pieces
- Trade Me — New Zealand’s big online marketplace
- Habitat for Humanity ReStores
- City Mission stores
- Salvation Army Family Stores
- Hospice shops
Most regions also have well-loved used-furniture retailers, ask a local or your new colleagues for the nearest one.
Value-for-money retailers
- Mocka
- Early Settler
- Furniture Clearance Centre
These stores often offer starter furniture packages at gentler prices than premium retailers, handy for the few pieces you’d rather buy new.
One of the biggest misconceptions we hear is that you need a fully furnished home ready on day one. In reality, building it gradually tends to save money and gives you the chance to create a home that reflects your own style, rather than rushing into expensive purchases before you even know which neighbourhood you’ll stay in.
“I spent ages deciding what to ship and what to leave behind. In the end, the cost of shipping some of our furniture was more than it was worth. There’s so much available second-hand in New Zealand through Facebook Marketplace and Trade Me. We arrived with far less than we originally planned and just bought things as we needed them.”
“Moving our two dogs cost far more than we expected, but for us it was non-negotiable — they’re part of the family and they were coming with us. My advice to anyone moving with pets would be to research everything early and budget for it properly. It can easily be one of the biggest costs of relocating.”
Settling the family in
New Zealand schools are welcoming and used to new arrivals, and children tend to find their feet quickly.
Schools & zones
State schools are free for domestic students, and children on a student visa based on a parent’s work visa — including the Accredited Employer Work Visa — generally count as domestic. Enrolment is often tied to where you live, so school choice and housing go hand in hand. Start enquiries early and check zones before you commit to an address.
The records you’ll need
Bring school reports, immunisation records and any learning-support paperwork. Having your children’s history to hand makes enrolment and the right placement much smoother on arrival.
Easing the change
Involve children in the move, talk openly about what’s changing, and expect a settling-in period. An outdoor, friendly school culture usually does the rest faster than parents dare to hope.
The move itself is the part people lose the most sleep over, and almost always it goes more smoothly than the dread suggests. My advice: don’t ship more than you need, and don’t try to arrive with everything perfect. Sort a soft landing, a place to stay, a bank account, a SIM card, and let the rest come together in the first few weeks. The families who travel light, in their heads as much as their boxes, are the ones who arrive ready to enjoy it.
SophieFounder, Ethicare Resourcing
What’s worth knowing before you pack
Shipping takes longer than you think
Sea freight can take many weeks to arrive. Pack a generous “first weeks” bag and plan to live out of it for a while. Your container won’t be there to greet you.
Biosecurity is taken seriously
New Zealand has strict rules on bringing in food, plants, wooden items and used outdoor equipment. Declare everything and clean your gear: fines for getting it wrong are real.
The first weeks cost more
Bonds, rent in advance, a car, setting up a home, the early outlay adds up before your first pay lands. A cash buffer takes a lot of pressure off those opening weeks.
Goodbyes hit harder than logistics
Amid the admin, the emotional side of leaving can ambush you. Give it room, plan how you’ll stay in touch, and be gentle with yourself and the family.
The things people ask us first
Should I find a permanent home before I arrive?
Usually not: most people rent somewhere short-term to begin with and choose their longer-term home once they’re on the ground. It’s hard to judge a neighbourhood from the other side of the world, and arriving with a soft landing booked takes the pressure off making a big decision sight-unseen. Sort the first few weeks, then take your time.
Do most rental properties come with appliances?
An oven and cooktop are almost always included, and a rangehood is common. Beyond that, don’t assume: a fridge, washing machine and dishwasher are often not provided, which surprises people coming from places where white goods are standard. Many rentals are let unfurnished, with appliances varying property to property, so always check the listing or ask the landlord exactly what’s included. If you need to buy, the second-hand options in our furnishing guide above make it quick and affordable to sort.
What is the quality of rental houses like in New Zealand?
it varies. Newer builds are warm, dry and well insulated, but some older homes can feel colder and damper than newcomers expect. Central heating is far less common than in most northern-hemisphere countries, and many homes rely on a heat pump and good sun instead. The good news is that all rentals must now meet the government’s Healthy Homes Standards, which set legal minimums for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture control and draught-stopping.
When you’re viewing, look for insulation, a heat pump or other fixed heating, double glazing where possible, and which way the home faces, a north-facing home gets far more winter sun here. It’s perfectly reasonable to ask for the property’s Healthy Homes compliance statement before you sign.
Can I get a mobile phone plan straight away?
Yes, a prepaid SIM is the quickest route, available the day you arrive from any provider (One NZ, Spark, 2degrees or the budget brand Skinny) with just your passport. A pay-monthly plan can require a New Zealand bank account and a little local credit history, so many people start on prepaid and switch to a contract once their banking is set up. Coverage is strong in the cities and main towns; if you’re heading somewhere rural, it’s worth checking the provider’s coverage map.
How much should I ship?
Less than you’d instinctively pack. Furniture and bulky items are often not worth the freight, while sentimental and hard-to-replace things usually are. Many people send a modest sea-freight shipment and bring essentials by air, then buy the rest here. Get a few quotes early and let the cost guide your cull.
Can I sort banking and tax before I land?
Partly. Some banks let you begin opening an account from overseas, which is worth doing. Your IRD number for tax is generally sorted once you’ve arrived and have a bank account and visa in place. Getting both done early in your first days matters, without an IRD number you’ll be taxed at a higher rate until it’s resolved.
What about bringing pets?
It’s very doable, but it has one of the longest lead times of anything in the move, with import rules, vaccinations and quarantine to arrange. If a pet is coming, start that process as early as you possibly can and consider a specialist pet-relocation company, it’s not something to leave to the final weeks.
Can you help with the move itself?
We’re not a removals firm, but we’ve helped enough families through this to know who is worth trusting. We’re happy to introduce you to relocation, shipping and settling-in partners we rate, and to answer the in-between questions that no checklist quite covers. You won’t be left to work it all out alone.
One day the lists end, and it’s just a corridor, two suitcases and a sign that says welcome.
Everything in this step is in service of that morning. Get the big things moving early, and the rest really is just packing.
Read a little deeper
Feeling the weight of the to-do list?
Tell us where you’re up to and what’s worrying you, and we’ll help you order it, point you to the right partners, and answer the questions the checklists don’t.
Ethicare Resourcing · your guide to a life and career in New Zealand.