Hey, just to let you know, it’s very common practice in New Zealand for you to be able to access your sick leave entitlement before it actually becomes due. It’s called ‘anticipating’ it. Ask about it, because NZ people would much rather you stay home when sick 😊👍
@@kingcountrykiwi7429 obviously not everywhere, that’s why I said it’s common practice 🙄 in the 7 jobs I’ve had in 30 years, every single one has encouraged anticipating sick leave when needed. (McDonald’s, LPG supplier, IRD, tax agency, hospital, 2 x accounting firms,)
@@kingcountrykiwi7429 it is done, and never hurts to ask - the major drawback is if the employee leaves before six months, then the employee has to pay the leave back and it can get messy.
to me the last part of your statement is totally true , as a person who worked outside all my life the last thing we ever wanted was for someone to come to work and infect some if not all ,, .
I used to work at a university. There they make you take your leave. If you haven't been on holiday for a while, you can expect a message from HR telling you to take a couple of weeks/months off. You should also note that you are automatically entitled to (12months?) maternity leave.
NZ businesses can't legally deny you leave, but they will often have official (and unofficial) policies around it, such wanting you take leave over the Christmas New Year break as the whole company will be closed, or prioritising workers with children when asking for leave during school holidays. Most places are also okay with staff taking single days here and there for example if you have an event in another city and want a three day weekend to get there and back. Leave also accumulates, if you don't take it all in one year it is added to the next year - this tends to make most company accountants very twitchy, so if you have a huge amount of leave accumulated they'll encourage you to take it - if you don't take all your leave and leave the company they're required to add it to your final pay. Some jobs however will have no paid leave at all but will add 8% to your salary as "holiday pay" - generally they're temporary, casual, or short term jobs and often jobs that even with the "added" 8% still pay badly.
Well I guess back in the day when businesses didn’t pay attention to workers leave balance a lot of businesses got struck with retirees with leave amassed over years adding up to a years income at retirement time, not paid at the rate it was accumulated 40 years ago, but, paid at the current rate of pay. Having learnt that lesson the hard way businesses are motivated to get people to take leave, most will be reasonable when they know your saving up some extra time for a trip to Europe or something.
A warning for you as newbies to NZ, we virtually shut down over the Christmas period, I just had to check my calendar to see when it fell, this year the 25th a Sunday, so by the Thursday the Great Exodus will have begun, so much will shut down, for the weeks after minimal service/shops open everyone's gone on holiday, just to let you know as it will be a shock to you coming from the open all hours US.
Wow, yeah good point! I forget how odd that must seem to people from other countries. Everything just grinds to a slow halt, we basically operate at about 30% capacity for a fortnight.
@@eisonnewzealand Supermarkets & most large retail places stay open, as do tourist & hospitality related industries. Anything trades and services though - yeah, good luck.
Great to see more of Keaton in front of camera! Really enjoyed the video, glad that you're thriving and enjoying work. We don't realise how good we've got it here, I swear. Brace yourselves for the incoming polar blast on Wednesday/Thursday!
I came just for a look when you started. But stayed because you are both so in tune with the Kiwi ethic. You are the cutest couple ever. People from overseas only talk about the wages. But free healthcare, no tipping, no added tax to goods, less materialistic lifestyle, etc, are some of the benefits.
You are so kind, thank you. 🤍 And yes, those things are all on the list of why we chose NZ. I often find myself taken aback when people ask “So why New Zealand?” inferring that there isn’t a reason to move here. I always say “Well I could tell you why for the next couple hours, but here’s the short reason…” and go from there 😅
Well done Keaton, you got a good job, & here you both are..fun stuff visa's to follow, worked out fantastic..what a blessing..happy life , happy wife, happy every thing... thankyou, for sharing... 🙏🤗
I started watching you because you're in ChCh , unlike most people posting about their foreigner-in-nz experience. And you walk and have expressed interest in having a garden.
Thank you guys for this video! I’m also from Nebraska! From Bellevue which is CRAZY when I saw your guys’ thumbnail😂. I’m thinking of doing a holiday work visa at the end of this year, into next year and so this helped out a lot 😆
Hey Katie and Keaton. Love the chill time with you guy's. Awesome insights! Thank you for sharing! Stay safe! Keep smiling! Till next time. BLESSiNGS!🙏
Hey you two, it hard to believe that you've only been here that long! I've loved following you and love how you mix up the videos with different topics and travels. And hey Keaton, you're pretty photogenic so don't be shy of that camera.😂 (Great interview technique Katie!👍🏻)
Me and wife are New Zealand born kiwis. My wife works full time and I have 3 jobs. The only thing that I would add is to help out your viewers is that many jobs in New Zealand via Seek or Trademe only offer part time contracts 15 hrs a week as a baseline and then on call for extra shifts. Its very difficult to get an employer to offer you full time work. Of course, it depends on the field your in. If you work in construction or IT or in a call centre you should have no problems. But with every other field this is generally the case (atleast here in Christchurch). Hope this helps.
Hey Katie, I'm new to your channel and I love it. We plan with my girlfriend to come to NZ next winter and especially to CHC. We are actually live in Germany ( She is German and I am French).
With sick leave , even though you get your sick leave after 6 months, most companies will allow you to take sick leave in advance if you get sick before the 6 months are up. And as well as your 4 weeks paid holiday you also get public holidays off. I can't remember if it's 11 or 12 of those.
I like watching your videos because as a Christchurch native, that just came bact to chch from Australia, I'm interested on how others are adjusting to our fair city. Love your content.
Thank you for the video. You mentioned you're an accountant. You could work as an accountant for Americans working in NZ. A lot of people struggle getting their taxes done when they're making money in another country, so they hire an international accountant to take care of the mountains of paperwork.
@@eisonnewzealand I almost went in accounting.Took ACC1 and 2, and I was like, NOPE. 😂 Don’t blame ya for choosing something different. Thank you for the video!
NZ is really easy for taxes if all you do is earn a salary/wage. All you need to do is give the IRD your email address and they'll let you know when they've done it for you.
@@_JustinCider_ Hi hg, the taxes I was talking about are not the NZ taxes, but the taxes here in the US. American citizens must file taxes even when they live abroad, and the process of preparing and filing these taxes are incredibly difficult and annoying. So, even if Americans don't need to necessarily pay taxes here, they still need to file every year.
Hi there , keep in mind that dental and eye care is not free and you’ll still pay a part-charge to visit the GP ( eg my GP charges $58 for 15mins ) but prescriptions are really cheap and that there are delays for specialists in the public system, a lot of people still have private health insurance. I think we also have 13 paid public holidays. Christchurch is a great place to live, I grew up there but have been in Auckland most of my life. Cheers, hope things go well for you both . 😀
Free hospitallization will click in once you get your residents visa. Sometimes people can abuse their sick leave. If you don't use up your sick leave and in the future have to be hospitalised for a long period your company may help you out by paying you in lieu of time not taken.
@@gregnz1 Not always true. Most companies will allow some accumulation, maybe with an upper limit. However it doesn't get paid out like annual leave does when you resign from a company.
@@_JustinCider_Only some companies if you are lucky to work in a private company. Annual leave is not good for company books, so most staff cannot accumulate to much, management can. I use all of mine because my workplace gets a lot of viruses, and its an open office.
Hey Katie! I love your videos. Fellow accountant here 😊 You mentioned having an accounting background. I'm curious whether you've landed in accounting in NZ despite the differences between GAAP and IFRS. I'm a US CPA with IFRS experience and wondering how to transfer my skills to NZ.
Hi! I actually work at an accounting firm in HR! The current climate in NZ is making it pretty tough to find a job all around. It’s all about finding an employer that is willing to take a chance on you with your current skill set and experience.
@@eisonnewzealand Hey Katie, thanks so much for your response! This is great insight and I really appreciate you sharing. Congratulations on your role 🎉🎉
Under nzs labour act it's illegal to work more than 5 hrs without a break. Govt employers by law cannot work more than 12hrs in any 24 HR period except in times of civil emergency for eg a large earthquake
@@barrynichols2846 which bit the labour act became law in the 1900s. It's why we have labour day. Similarly I'm unaware of any changes to the local govt act
@@johanmeischke9189 I didn't think it was law, because our collective contract got rid of the 5 hour limit. The workers didn't want it. But it was only an office job. Or maybe we agreed we could ignore it.. I'm not sure now
@@barrynichols2846 National brought in a law where the break could be "negotiated" away, your contract may have been "negotiated" during that time - Labour changed it back again.
We used New Zealand Shores. Very helpful. It takes a lot of work to send them all of the information they need, but then they compile it and submit the documents for you. A lot of stress off of our backs knowing our advisor had the paperwork covered.
😊 Hi Katie. Good video. With Keaton working for a good company in the USA and enjoying his job, what was the appeal of NZ? The cost of living in NZ is very high. I always struggle to understand why someone would choose NZ as it’s so hard to buy your own place and have a comfortable standard of living due to the gap between the cost of living and wages forever shrinking. I guess people don’t move to NZ for money 🥴 Is Keatons remuneration in NZ comparative to the USA, or well below what he was receiving? I hope the pressure is off, now that you are both working 💰
We chose New Zealand for many, many reasons and none of them were because of money. We are so grateful to be here and are working hard to make sure that when we are eligible to buy a home (after we are granted residency) we have the means to do so.
Thank you for your video! I am also looking to move to NZ in the education field and I have a question for Keaton: what type of questions should I ask prospective employers during interviews? Is there anything you wish you would have asked/known before moving there? Thanks in advance!
He said that every company asked why he was interested in that specific company. That might relate a bit differently in education, but still do your research on the town and get as much info on the school as possible! Being from overseas, they wanted to make sure he was really committed and would follow through with the move and be passionate about the role and stay with the company if they take a chance on you! He also said that you should determine your nonnegotiables and ask about them. As badly as you want a job to move here, you want to make sure you are happy in your job and wherever you land is going to be a place that aligns with your values!
I've heard there's been a lot of pressure making ends meet due to the crazy living cost. However, my family is still expecting moving there for a better life quality. Is it possible if we get a talk from your perspective? Thanks!
Since it is only Keaton and I, I'm not sure our situation would be a good example for you, but I can share a few things we've noticed about costs since being here. As I can only speak about our situation I can say that we are actually saving a significant more amount than we were in the states. There are many reasons for that - one being that health care is not attached to our jobs so we are saving hundreds of dollars a month by not paying for insurance. Two - NZ is much less of a consumeristic society. I don't feel the need to go out and buy "the next best thing." I don't online shop as much as I was in the states because I'm getting targeted for less ads on social media and such. Three - there are so many free activities like hiking or taking a trip to the beach that we didn't have access to in Nebraska. Most of our days off we spend no money doing outdoor activities and packing a lunch! I can also say that my quality of life is already significantly better than it was in the states. I'm less stressed from work, I'm not all consumed by the media and seeing terrible news at every turn, and I'm spending more time in the sunshine and enjoying nature. I hope this helps a bit. Yes things are more expensive, but right now for us, the extra cost of groceries (just an example) is worth the quality of life we are currently experiencing.
generally in NZ if you have private health insurance , you will still see the same doctor that those using public health care see ,,,, private insurance here basically means you MAY get first dibs at a hospital bed and not too much else over and above what is offered to the public .
Loved the video! It’s crazy I came across this, I’m from Nebraska and also moving to New Zealand in November!
That's so exciting!! What city are you from/ moving to? I am originally from Grand Island, Keaton from Norfolk, but we lived in Omaha when we moved!
@@eisonnewzealand from Lincoln and moving to mangawhai
You are so cool Katie 😊 so glad to see how this UA-cam channel is working out for you!
Thank you, Beth! You're so sweet! ❤
Hey, just to let you know, it’s very common practice in New Zealand for you to be able to access your sick leave entitlement before it actually becomes due. It’s called ‘anticipating’ it. Ask about it, because NZ people would much rather you stay home when sick 😊👍
Not where I work. Never heard of that.
Very good to know!
@@kingcountrykiwi7429 obviously not everywhere, that’s why I said it’s common practice 🙄 in the 7 jobs I’ve had in 30 years, every single one has encouraged anticipating sick leave when needed. (McDonald’s, LPG supplier, IRD, tax agency, hospital, 2 x accounting firms,)
@@kingcountrykiwi7429 it is done, and never hurts to ask - the major drawback is if the employee leaves before six months, then the employee has to pay the leave back and it can get messy.
to me the last part of your statement is totally true , as a person who worked outside all my life the last thing we ever wanted was for someone to come to work and infect some if not all ,, .
I used to work at a university. There they make you take your leave. If you haven't been on holiday for a while, you can expect a message from HR telling you to take a couple of weeks/months off.
You should also note that you are automatically entitled to (12months?) maternity leave.
NZ businesses can't legally deny you leave, but they will often have official (and unofficial) policies around it, such wanting you take leave over the Christmas New Year break as the whole company will be closed, or prioritising workers with children when asking for leave during school holidays. Most places are also okay with staff taking single days here and there for example if you have an event in another city and want a three day weekend to get there and back. Leave also accumulates, if you don't take it all in one year it is added to the next year - this tends to make most company accountants very twitchy, so if you have a huge amount of leave accumulated they'll encourage you to take it - if you don't take all your leave and leave the company they're required to add it to your final pay. Some jobs however will have no paid leave at all but will add 8% to your salary as "holiday pay" - generally they're temporary, casual, or short term jobs and often jobs that even with the "added" 8% still pay badly.
Well I guess back in the day when businesses didn’t pay attention to workers leave balance a lot of businesses got struck with retirees with leave amassed over years adding up to a years income at retirement time, not paid at the rate it was accumulated 40 years ago, but, paid at the current rate of pay.
Having learnt that lesson the hard way businesses are motivated to get people to take leave, most will be reasonable when they know your saving up some extra time for a trip to Europe or something.
A warning for you as newbies to NZ, we virtually shut down over the Christmas period, I just had to check my calendar to see when it fell, this year the 25th a Sunday,
so by the Thursday the Great Exodus will have begun, so much will shut down, for the weeks after minimal service/shops open everyone's gone on holiday, just to
let you know as it will be a shock to you coming from the open all hours US.
Wow, yeah good point! I forget how odd that must seem to people from other countries. Everything just grinds to a slow halt, we basically operate at about 30% capacity for a fortnight.
We've heard about that happening! Thank you for the extra warning. We will have to do some extra planning around that time.
@@eisonnewzealand Supermarkets & most large retail places stay open, as do tourist & hospitality related industries. Anything trades and services though - yeah, good luck.
Great to see more of Keaton in front of camera! Really enjoyed the video, glad that you're thriving and enjoying work. We don't realise how good we've got it here, I swear. Brace yourselves for the incoming polar blast on Wednesday/Thursday!
Today is going to be BEAUTIFUL and then it looks like snow?! I feel like I'm back in Nebraska!
I came just for a look when you started. But stayed because you are both so in tune with the Kiwi ethic. You are the cutest couple ever. People from overseas only talk about the wages. But free healthcare, no tipping, no added tax to goods, less materialistic lifestyle, etc, are some of the benefits.
You are so kind, thank you. 🤍 And yes, those things are all on the list of why we chose NZ. I often find myself taken aback when people ask “So why New Zealand?” inferring that there isn’t a reason to move here. I always say “Well I could tell you why for the next couple hours, but here’s the short reason…” and go from there 😅
Well done Keaton, you got a good job, & here you both are..fun stuff visa's to follow, worked out fantastic..what a blessing..happy life , happy wife, happy every thing... thankyou, for sharing... 🙏🤗
I started watching you because you're in ChCh , unlike most people posting about their foreigner-in-nz experience. And you walk and have expressed interest in having a garden.
We love going on walks and my garden is actually doing really well! I'll have to do an update on it soon!
@@eisonnewzealand Tomorrow's forecast is for very low temperatures, maybe even snow to sea level. Try to cover up any tender seedlings if you can.
Thank you guys for this video! I’m also from Nebraska! From Bellevue which is CRAZY when I saw your guys’ thumbnail😂. I’m thinking of doing a holiday work visa at the end of this year, into next year and so this helped out a lot 😆
I'm trying to relocate my family of 5 to Christchurch from Memphis, TN. I'm hoping my husband can get a skilled migrant visa.
Welcome to NZ Katie and Keaton
Thank you!!
Hey Katie and Keaton. Love the chill time with you guy's. Awesome insights!
Thank you for sharing! Stay safe! Keep smiling! Till next time. BLESSiNGS!🙏
Thank you so much!
Hey you two, it hard to believe that you've only been here that long! I've loved following you and love how you mix up the videos with different topics and travels. And hey Keaton, you're pretty photogenic so don't be shy of that camera.😂 (Great interview technique Katie!👍🏻)
He is a cutie!! Slowly, but surely I'm getting him involved :)
Me and wife are New Zealand born kiwis. My wife works full time and I have 3 jobs. The only thing that I would add is to help out your viewers is that many jobs in New Zealand via Seek or Trademe only offer part time contracts 15 hrs a week as a baseline and then on call for extra shifts. Its very difficult to get an employer to offer you full time work. Of course, it depends on the field your in. If you work in construction or IT or in a call centre you should have no problems. But with every other field this is generally the case (atleast here in Christchurch). Hope this helps.
Hey Katie,
I'm new to your channel and I love it. We plan with my girlfriend to come to NZ next winter and especially to CHC. We are actually live in Germany ( She is German and I am French).
Hi! That is so exciting! This past winter had more rain that we would have liked, so hopefully next winter is better for you!
With sick leave , even though you get your sick leave after 6 months, most companies will allow you to take sick leave in advance if you get sick before the 6 months are up. And as well as your 4 weeks paid holiday you also get public holidays off. I can't remember if it's 11 or 12 of those.
The letter of the law is that you get sick leave after 6 months, but most employers are reasonable and won't take issue with you using it before then
10 days sick leave is std. But remember to get a doctor's cert for anything 3 days or over
I like watching your videos because as a Christchurch native, that just came bact to chch from Australia, I'm interested on how others are adjusting to our fair city.
Love your content.
We are loving Christchurch! Excited to see it really come alive through the summer :)
Thank you for the video. You mentioned you're an accountant. You could work as an accountant for Americans working in NZ. A lot of people struggle getting their taxes done when they're making money in another country, so they hire an international accountant to take care of the mountains of paperwork.
I did think about that! There were a lot of different factors that went into me choosing a different career path!
@@eisonnewzealand I almost went in accounting.Took ACC1 and 2, and I was like, NOPE. 😂 Don’t blame ya for choosing something different. Thank you for the video!
NZ is really easy for taxes if all you do is earn a salary/wage. All you need to do is give the IRD your email address and they'll let you know when they've done it for you.
@@_JustinCider_ Hi hg, the taxes I was talking about are not the NZ taxes, but the taxes here in the US. American citizens must file taxes even when they live abroad, and the process of preparing and filing these taxes are incredibly difficult and annoying. So, even if Americans don't need to necessarily pay taxes here, they still need to file every year.
@@patriciayoung8956 Ahhh. That's crazy. I've heard the American tax system is a bit of a headache.
Hi there , keep in mind that dental and eye care is not free and you’ll still pay a part-charge to visit the GP ( eg my GP charges $58 for 15mins ) but prescriptions are really cheap and that there are delays for specialists in the public system, a lot of people still have private health insurance. I think we also have 13 paid public holidays. Christchurch is a great place to live, I grew up there but have been in Auckland most of my life. Cheers, hope things go well for you both . 😀
Free hospitallization will click in once you get your residents visa.
Sometimes people can abuse their sick leave. If you don't use up your sick leave and in the future have to be hospitalised for a long period your company may help you out by paying you in lieu of time not taken.
Sick leave does not accumulate like annual leave, so if you dont use sick for sickness and mental health breaks, the sick leave is gone.
@@gregnz1 Not always true. Most companies will allow some accumulation, maybe with an upper limit. However it doesn't get paid out like annual leave does when you resign from a company.
@@_JustinCider_Only some companies if you are lucky to work in a private company.
Annual leave is not good for company books, so most staff cannot accumulate to much,
management can.
I use all of mine because my workplace gets a lot of viruses, and its an open office.
Hi from Florida. Thanks
Hi Bob!
Thank you so much for this.
God bless you watching from Kenya East
Hey Katie! I love your videos. Fellow accountant here 😊 You mentioned having an accounting background. I'm curious whether you've landed in accounting in NZ despite the differences between GAAP and IFRS. I'm a US CPA with IFRS experience and wondering how to transfer my skills to NZ.
Hi! I actually work at an accounting firm in HR!
The current climate in NZ is making it pretty tough to find a job all around. It’s all about finding an employer that is willing to take a chance on you with your current skill set and experience.
@@eisonnewzealand Hey Katie, thanks so much for your response! This is great insight and I really appreciate you sharing. Congratulations on your role 🎉🎉
Under nzs labour act it's illegal to work more than 5 hrs without a break. Govt employers by law cannot work more than 12hrs in any 24 HR period except in times of civil emergency for eg a large earthquake
I think that was removed. And it was part of collective contracts, as opposed to every where
@@barrynichols2846 which bit the labour act became law in the 1900s. It's why we have labour day. Similarly I'm unaware of any changes to the local govt act
@@johanmeischke9189 I didn't think it was law, because our collective contract got rid of the 5 hour limit. The workers didn't want it. But it was only an office job. Or maybe we agreed we could ignore it.. I'm not sure now
@@barrynichols2846 National brought in a law where the break could be "negotiated" away, your contract may have been "negotiated" during that time - Labour changed it back again.
@@barrynichols2846 its actually illegal to work 5 hrs without a break. If you didnt negotiate this then you really should say something
Can you make a video about finding a legitimate immigration advisor? How helpful were they?
We used New Zealand Shores. Very helpful. It takes a lot of work to send them all of the information they need, but then they compile it and submit the documents for you. A lot of stress off of our backs knowing our advisor had the paperwork covered.
😊 Hi Katie. Good video.
With Keaton working for a good company in the USA and enjoying his job, what was the appeal of NZ? The cost of living in NZ is very high. I always struggle to understand why someone would choose NZ as it’s so hard to buy your own place and have a comfortable standard of living due to the gap between the cost of living and wages forever shrinking.
I guess people don’t move to NZ for money 🥴
Is Keatons remuneration in NZ comparative to the USA, or well below what he was receiving?
I hope the pressure is off, now that you are both working 💰
We chose New Zealand for many, many reasons and none of them were because of money. We are so grateful to be here and are working hard to make sure that when we are eligible to buy a home (after we are granted residency) we have the means to do so.
Thank you for your video! I am also looking to move to NZ in the education field and I have a question for Keaton: what type of questions should I ask prospective employers during interviews? Is there anything you wish you would have asked/known before moving there? Thanks in advance!
He said that every company asked why he was interested in that specific company. That might relate a bit differently in education, but still do your research on the town and get as much info on the school as possible! Being from overseas, they wanted to make sure he was really committed and would follow through with the move and be passionate about the role and stay with the company if they take a chance on you! He also said that you should determine your nonnegotiables and ask about them. As badly as you want a job to move here, you want to make sure you are happy in your job and wherever you land is going to be a place that aligns with your values!
Can you please provide info on your immigration advisor
We are with New Zealand Shores!
Beautiful couple ❤️🌹
Yep pull a sicky & get paid, like a real kiwi lol 😆
They're called "mental health days" and more & more bosses are accepting them as legitimate now.
I've heard there's been a lot of pressure making ends meet due to the crazy living cost.
However, my family is still expecting moving there for a better life quality.
Is it possible if we get a talk from your perspective?
Thanks!
Since it is only Keaton and I, I'm not sure our situation would be a good example for you, but I can share a few things we've noticed about costs since being here. As I can only speak about our situation I can say that we are actually saving a significant more amount than we were in the states. There are many reasons for that - one being that health care is not attached to our jobs so we are saving hundreds of dollars a month by not paying for insurance. Two - NZ is much less of a consumeristic society. I don't feel the need to go out and buy "the next best thing." I don't online shop as much as I was in the states because I'm getting targeted for less ads on social media and such. Three - there are so many free activities like hiking or taking a trip to the beach that we didn't have access to in Nebraska. Most of our days off we spend no money doing outdoor activities and packing a lunch! I can also say that my quality of life is already significantly better than it was in the states. I'm less stressed from work, I'm not all consumed by the media and seeing terrible news at every turn, and I'm spending more time in the sunshine and enjoying nature. I hope this helps a bit. Yes things are more expensive, but right now for us, the extra cost of groceries (just an example) is worth the quality of life we are currently experiencing.
@@eisonnewzealand That is a great summary Katie. You could get a job in PR easily! Very well put.
How have you found the banking here compared to back in the US?
Hi great video, is it okay to negotiate salary with Emoloyer in NZ?
Yes, it is. But they may be less inclined to negotiate if they’re having to sponsor a work permit.
generally in NZ if you have private health insurance , you will still see the same doctor that those using public health care see ,,,, private insurance here basically means you MAY get first dibs at a hospital bed and not too much else over and above what is offered to the public .