Complete Guide to Moving to Canada from New Zealand: Everything you need to know.

Canada is a good choice for New Zealanders looking to move to North America. With large states, diverse cultures, and ample opportunities, Canada is an attractive destination for families, students, and workers alike. The country also offers a variety of immigration programs in different categories that can help New Zealand citizens secure permanent residency in Canada.

Read on to learn more about moving from New Zealand to Canada, including the visas you need, moving checklists, and how to open a bank account.

Canada Visa for New Zealand Residents

Canada offers multiple immigration routes to New Zealand citizens, depending on eligibility. These immigration programs include permanent residency visas, study, business, and work permits. Here are common long-term visas that New Zealand citizens can apply for when moving to Canada:¹

There are some additional options New Zealand citizens can use to work and live in Canada:

• International Experience Canada (IEC): New Zealand citizens under 35 years old can participate in the IEC for up to 23 months of work and travel in Canada under the Working Holiday Program.
• Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA): You must have a confirmed employment offer from a Canadian employer to apply for a closed work permit. The employer must have obtained an LMIA from ESDC.
• Intra-Company Transferee: This program is a part of the International Mobility Program. High-skilled workers from multinational companies can work in Canada without needing an LMIA.

Canada Immigration Requirements

To apply for a visa, you’ll need to have a valid passport and meet the individual visa requirements for you and all family members joining the move.

If you are considering applying for permanent residency, Express Entry is a strong option because of its fast processing times. New Zealand citizens must meet these requirements when applying for Canadian Express Entry:²

1. You must have a valid New Zealand passport.
2. Obtain the requisite band score in IELTS.
3. Complete your biometrics.
4. Identify the National Occupation Code (NOC). It classifies jobs based on Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER).
5. Identify the appropriate TEER category that aligns with your job, depending on your qualifications and duties.
6. Evaluate your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Score. Age, work experience, and language score impact your CRS score.
7. Select an immigration program.
8. Create an Express Entry Profile to enter the Express Entry pool.
9. Select a Canadian province.
10. Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA)
11. You must submit a comprehensive PR application with the necessary documents within 60 days.
12. Pay the fee when applying for the PR.
13. Provide evidence of funds, medical health certificate, and police clearance.
14. Obtain a letter of work experience from your current employer.

Moving to Canada checklist

Moving from New Zealand to Canada is a big move, but make it manageable by crossing off the following things from your to-do list:

1. Have your passport in order. It should remain valid throughout your visa processing time.
2. Apply for and be approved for the appropriate visa category or work permit. Consider your long-term plans and whether applying for permanent residency makes sense.
3. Book your travel. Most airlines fly to Canada but be ready for a long flight that may have one or more layovers.
4. Get your health and police clearance certificates. You’ll need to show you’re in good health and have been a law-abiding citizen to immigrate.
5. Create a plan for moving your stuff. The distance between Canada and New Zealand is great, so consider whether you want to ship items over, send cargo by flight or just pack up some suitcases and start brand new in the country.
6. Find your new residence. When you arrive, you can stay temporarily in a hotel or move into an apartment for the short term as you get on your feet. Consider whether you would like to continue renting, especially in a city, or perhaps move to your own home.
7. Ensure there’s no gap in treatments or health items you may need. This could mean having an ample supply of required medications, bringing enough contact lenses or getting set up with a doctor or hospital in Canada to continue treatments.
8. Education. If you are in university or have family members like children of school-going age, identify the right places of learning so there’s no gap in your studies.
9. Obtain your English language proficiency score (IELTS), especially if you are a non-English native.
10. Organise your money. Identify which banks are in Canada and where you’d want to open a new bank account. Also, think about if you want to maintain any accounts in New Zealand while you are away.

Before You Leave New Zealand

You may want to wrap up or close out a few things before you leave New Zealand. Here are a few of those tasks:³

1. Double-check you have your visa and flight tickets. Keep a copy on your mobile and add your ticket information to your calendar.
2. Collect important documents, like birth certificates and school transcripts, in one place and make copies.
3. Disconnect and cancel all utilities that you’ll no longer need.
4. Cancel any bank or credit cards you won’t be using in Canada. If your account stays open, you may still incur fees.
5. Cancel all subscription plans that are only relevant in New Zealand.
6. If you have a car, make a plan for whether you want to leave it with family, sell it or even ship it to Canada.
7. If shipping items to Canada, coordinate pick up and delivery with your departure and arrival dates.
8. Taking time off from work can be a good idea to accommodate the move.
9. Don’t forget to pack keepsakes and memorable items from your home in New Zealand.
10. Plan to stay in touch with family and friends, even with the time difference.

Upon Arrival in Canada

Once you’re on Canadian shores, consider these steps to get settled in:³

1. Complete the entire immigration process, which may include registering locally.
2. Find housing and update your mailing address to your new home.
3. Apply for a social insurance number, which is required to work in Canada.
4. Make a plan to update your driver’s license for Canada.
5. Change your SIM card to a new Canadian number.
6. Identify schools, doctors, vets and pharmacies near you.
7. Canada is a big country, so explore your new neighborhood, province, and country.
8. Open a bank account in Canada - more on that in the next section.

How much money does it cost to move to Canada from NZ

The amount of money required to move to Canada from New Zealand depends on several factors, like the immigration process you choose, the visa you apply for, the province to move to, flight tickets, initial living costs, your family size, and the amount of your belongings. Plus, bringing over cars and pets requires you to spend more.

For example, the Express Entry program requires biometrics, medical examinations, police certificates, English language tests, ECA and PCC fees, and obtaining transcripts, photos, notaries, and translations. The total cost can be around $2,300 CAD for a single applicant and around $4,500 CAD for a couple.

In addition, some Canadian visa requires applicants to show evidence of enough funds to settle. This amount can range from around $14,000 CAD for a single individual to around $26,000 CAD for a family of three or four.⁴

Cost of Living in Canada

The cost of living in Canada can be high. Still, it also depends on whether you decide to live in a city or a more rural area, your living arrangements, how you intend to get around, and the number of people in your family, including children. For example, the accommodation cost in Vancouver differs from that of Montreal or Toronto. The cost of accommodation in the city centre is high, but it is considerably reduced the farther you move away from it.

Check out our forthcoming article on living costs in Canada.

Open a Canadian bank account as an NZ Expat

Getting a Canadian bank account is vital to settling into the country. A local account can help you receive your salary, make payments like a new security deposit, and send money to or from New Zealand.

Canada has a number of popular banks, including the National Bank of Canada, BMO Canada, HSBC Canada, and Nova Scotia Canada. If you’re unsure which to choose, take a look at our top banks in Canada guide for help.

To open a bank account, you will need to provide documents like your passport, a secondary ID, immigration papers, and a social insurance number. Depending on your chosen bank, you may need to submit additional documents to fulfill your KYC. While a local bank account is convenient for receiving your salary and taxation purposes, many charge a fee for international transactions.

Want to save money on international transaction fees—especially when dealing with multiple currencies? Check out the Wise account, which is tailor-made for international transactions. Wise allows easy transfers worldwide for a low fee and an exchange rate without any markups or hidden fees. A Wise account comes with an international debit card that you can use in over 150 countries- including Canada and New Zealand.

Moving your Money to Canada from New Zealand

You will have some choices when it comes to moving your money from New Zealand. Most banks allow for wire transfers, which can take a few days and come with a transfer fee plus an exchange rate markup. Similarly, converting New Zealand dollars to Canadian dollars in cash at money exchanges like airport money exchange counters can be expensive.

Send money to your new Canadian bank account with Wise. Wise has just one low transfer fee and uses the real mid-market exchange rate, so you never pay extra fees or markups.

The Wise multi-currency account also lets you hold multiple currencies, including CAD and NZD, so you can move your funds between currencies as you need. It also provides Canadian bank details so you can receive money and make payments locally.

And if you need cash, Wise has got you covered. A Wise multi-currency account offers a debit card that lets you withdraw cash at ATMs abroad.

Moving your KiwiSaver Savings to Canada

While the overall banking and financial systems in Canada and New Zealand are similar, the tax systems differ. For example, the financial and calendar years end on 31 December in Canada.

New Zealand has a KiwiSaver account, whereas Canada has its Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) as the equivalent.

You cannot transfer your KiwiSaver balance to the RRSP account in Canada. The best alternative is to close the KiwiSaver account within one year after shifting to Canada and transfer the balances. However, you can lose the income tax credits the New Zealand government offers in your KiwiSaver account.⁵

To close the KiwiSaver account, you must do the following:

• Complete the KiwiSaver permanent emigration withdrawal application form.
• Get the form notarised, submit it to your bank branch, or send it by email.
• You must provide documents such as evidence of emigrating from New Zealand, a residential address in Canada, and a statutory declaration of your immigration status.

Start your Canada journey with Wise

Moving across the world can be a big journey, so let Wise make it easier. Wise lets you transfer money between New Zealand and 150+ countries, including Canada.

The Wise multi-currency account is a simple way to have a Canadian bank account ready to go when you arrive. With low fees, you can save money compared to major banks in Canada or New Zealand. Features like an award-winning Wise app, a debit card, and the ability to remit funds worldwide instantaneously make your Wise multi-currency account your best option when relocating to Canada from New Zealand.

Sign up for Wise today

So whether you want to send money to Canada to get started, or earnings back to New Zealand, Wise can make it happen with just one low transfer fee and the real mid-market exchange rate. That means you get to keep more money in your wallet.