Thoughts about my move to New Zealand

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by freebeard

There's a hidden variable. I'm not sure what it is.

...what y'all disagree on

Elaborate on that.

Everyone has disagreement, especially concerning the area and shape that define the boundaries of liberty vs subjugation (see what I did there :P).

I prefer more responsibility than most, and therefore prefer more liberty than most. It aligns with my higher than average threshold for danger. My calculus is that death is inevitable and life is short (on geologic or infinite timelines), so might as well explore while exploration is possible.

[freebeard]

There's a hidden variable. I'm not sure what it is.
...
Elaborate on that.

I'm autistic like you. I reread the comment, maybe I conflated two thoughts. People seem predictable, but their likely to go off at random. versus People get a notion in their heads and ride it right into the ground.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by myself

Like everything interesting, it's complicated. The native Indians sided with and against the French, British and Americans.

Youtube confirms my bias: Unforgettable Gesture: The Irish Repay 173-Year-Old Favor to the Navajo Nation

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Ecky

JSH asked how you move to New Zealand. My impression is that New Zealand, similar to many other Western countries, has an immigration system that discriminates in favor of educated, young, English-speaking immigrants - which is not to say there aren't other ways in.

My general path here was (from the visa perspective): Visitor -> Worker -> Resident (where I am now) -> Permanent resident -> Citizen

You can see a list of New Zealand visas here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas

A few paths I'm aware of include:
Working holiday - if you're 30 or under, you can get an open work visa and come for two years, during which you can look for more permanent work.
Job offer - if you're offered a job from an accredited employer, making above NZ28 (~$17US)
Green list job offer - Green listed jobs take you straight to residency.
Student - after studying, you have the opportunity to work here.
Entrepreneur - start a business and be self-employed here for at least 6 months.
Investor - bring ~10 million US and invest it into the economy, or ~600,00 if you have a child who is a resident here.
Have family here - and have them sponsor you.

Overall, it looks like it isn't the easiest place to simply buy into and retire. For someone elderly, their best chance is to be sponsored by someone locally. On the other hand, I understand it's far easier to get into NZ at any level than it is to get into the US. A dentist might, for example, wait 10+ years to be allowed the opportunity to take a job offer in the US.

Thank you for the update. As I suspected NZ doesnt offer a real path for my wife and I to emigrate. Like other wealthy countries with low birth dates they are looking for young people that will likely work for decades not middle age or older people looking for a place to settle down. Im not looking for employment, Im certainly not looking to run a business, and Im not so rich that I would drop $10 million to buy a passport. It do find it interesting that NZ’s purchase price for admission is 5 times what Canada changes.

Costa Rica’s price of $76,000 for residency is more to my liking. I also can’t see moving to literally the other side of the world right now with 4 parents in their 70’s. Today I can be home in 6 - 8 hours. I had to test that out 6 weeks ago when my mother almost died unexpectedly.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by JSH

Costa Rica’s price of $76,000 for residency is more to my liking. I also can’t see moving to literally the other side of the world right now with 4 parents in their 70’s. Today I can be home in 6 - 8 hours. I had to test that out 6 weeks ago when my mother almost died unexpectedly.

Not sure about Costa Rica, but I remember Belize had very favorable conditions for retired Americans, plus it's an English-speaking country.

[redpoint5]

UnBelizeable, I almost forgot that was a place that existed.

Wonder if Argentina's economy can be recovered? Anyone thing Venezuela will wake up anytime soon?

Didn't realize Brazil is almost half the size of the US, and it's parked under the equator. Should be plenty of potential there. What does it take to emigrate to Brazil? I still find it odd they don't speak Spanish. Is there any other country in South America that speaks a language other than Spanish?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Wonder if Argentina's economy can be recovered? Anyone thing Venezuela will wake up anytime soon?

Didn't realize Brazil is almost half the size of the US, and it's parked under the equator. Should be plenty of potential there. What does it take to emigrate to Brazil? I still find it odd they don't speak Spanish. Is there any other country in South America that speaks a language other than Spanish?

Well, maybe the Argies will be lucky with Javier Milei, yet I don't hold my breath for Venezuela to recover so fast...

Brazil is once again upside-down, and it might take much long to recover too.

As far as other countries speaking languages other than Spanish, not counting the French Guyana which is not a country at all, Dutch is spoken in Suriname and English is spoken in the Guyana, former British Guyana, but I would rather avoid both Suriname and Guyana. On a sidenote, AFAIK in Paramaribo, capital of Suriname, there is a borough nicknamed Little Belém as many folks from Pará state in Brazil used to immigrate to Suriname, yet nowadays most paraenses seem to prefer moving to Santa Catarina state in Brazil. No wonder a few weeks ago, while talking with a guy who moved from Belém to Florianópolis, I told him it takes me just one day in Florianópolis to talk with as many paraenses it would take me one year to talk in Porto Alegre...

[JSH]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Not sure about Costa Rica, but I remember Belize had very favorable conditions for retired Americans, plus it's an English-speaking country.

True but I’ll take top rated universal health insurance in Costa Rica over English as a national language any day. All Costa Rican citizens and permanent residents qualify. Insurance covers 100% without copays for doctor visits, surgery, and prescriptions. Cost is 7 - 11 % of income depending on income level.

Costa Rica is also very welcoming to retirees. Most people on Social Security could qualify to become residents. You only need a pension payment of $1000 a month. If your income isnt from a pension the requirement is $2500 a month or putting a lump sum of $60,000 in a Costa Rican bank. The temp residency is good for 2 years and renewable. After 3 years as a temp resident on can become a permanent resident.

You can fast track to permanent residency status in only 6 month by buuing real estate worth $200k

[redpoint5]

Costa Rica is the most beautiful place I've visited so far. The group I traveled with had the car broken into twice in 24hrs (I had nothing taken), but that aside, a positive experience.

A family friend recently died of cancer in Costa Rica. He was a well to do attorney, and gave me initial advice when I was facing felony indictment. Smart guy, and he wouldn't have headed to Costa Rica without having given careful consideration.

His wife worked for the state unemployment office, and I consulted with her too post-prison. It didn't end up being a helpful process for me, but her heart is in the right place.

[freebeard]

I still find it odd they don't speak Spanish. Is there any other country in South America that speaks a language other than Spanish?

I thought this was common knowledge.

Treaty of Tordesillas
Treaty
The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in Tordesillas, Spain, on 7 June 1494, and ratified in Setúbal, Portugal, divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between the Portuguese Empire and the Spanish Empire, by the then rulers of the respective countries, Chinzorig Amarsana, and Ishow Speed, along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands, off the west coast of Africa. Wikipedia

Spain and Portugal divided the entire World between themselves.