Don't miss out on the latest NZ news from Mobile Relocation

July 2021

It's winter here in New Zealand, which means celebrating Matariki and travelling during the school holidays. During these chilly and reasonably short winter days, it's encouraging to watch our northern friends enjoy a slightly less restricted summer. If you're hoping to land here before our summer, don't delay in getting in touch to see how we can lighten your load.

This month, we're sharing:

Our exclusive interview with Head of MIQ, Megan Main
Lessons from moving to NZ with a Kiwi partner
How you can stay close with family far away
What it's like to leave overseas quarantine and enter life in NZ
The current situation at the border
Why there's no such thing as bad weather
What's it mean for something to be average or cracker?

Advice from Megan Main, Head of MIQ

Mobile’s founder, Bridget Romanes, recently sat down with the Head of MIQ, Megan Main, to answer your burning questions about managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ). In case you aren’t able to watch the full interview, this is the information and guidance Megan shared.

MIQ BACKGROUND: The MIQ system consists of 4500 rooms in 31 facilities across 5 cities. The experience varies a bit by facility and always includes 3 swabs, daily health checks, meals, regular access to controlled outdoor time, and caring staff who are doing their best to preserve health and safety while maintaining guests’ wellbeing. Everyone entering NZ must isolate for 14 days in an MIQ facility, except for those arriving through quarantine-free travel (QFT) from Australia and the Cook Islands.
ACQUIRING A VOUCHER: Bookmark the MIQ allocation page and check back frequently. Be flexible with your travel dates. Vouchers are released 4 to 6 months in advance, based upon confirmed flight schedules. They are released on a staggered basis, roughly every week or two, at different times and days to accommodate different time zones. More vouchers are released as the date approaches. As of late June, all of July has been released along with some of August, September, and October.
GUEST CHOICE: Because of the logistics of efficiently maximising the system to welcome 6000 people per fortnight, guests are not able to choose the city or facility where they will isolate. For those assigned to cities other than Auckland, they have the option of leaving directly from their hotel at the end of their stay or being transported back to Auckland.
FAMILY SUPPORT: Support for families might include a special welcome pack for young guests and treats like a bubble wand to celebrate each swab. Staff will try to make the experience as comfortable as possible while maintaining strict safety standards. For example, outdoor time for families with young children may be staggered so that children aren’t tempted to play with children outside their family bubble.
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS: Call out any special needs you might have (for example: baby food, particular diet, food allergy accommodation, wheelchair accessible room) when you register in the booking system so that the facility can be made aware as early as possible.
PLANNING FOR CHRISTMAS AND SUMMER: Demand is expected to be high again this year, beginning as early as October. Although QFT has freed up some capacity, demand is still expected to exceed supply of spots. November and December vouchers will soon be released, and flexible dates (such as travelling on Christmas Day) increases the likelihood of securing one.
VACCINATED ISOLATION: NZ’s response to COVID has adapted and will continue to adapt based upon public health advice. While it could change in the future, everyone - regardless of vaccine status - must isolate in an MIQ facility for 14 days upon arrival unless able to travel through QFT, and this is expected to be the case for the foreseeable future, including through Christmas.
TO PREPARE: Getting information ahead of time is the best way to prepare. Visit the MIQ website, where you can download the welcome pack in a variety of languages, access the booking system, and learn about emergency allocation for last minute emergency travel, MIQ exemptions, and fees. You can contact MIQ’s contact centre, and check the website soon for a video walking you through what happens when you arrive at an MIQ facility.

From Quarantine Life to NZ Life

Many aspects of relocation are difficult to anticipate, even more so in the new COVID environment. Emerging from two weeks in MIQ and into New Zealand is a novel experience. We thought it might be useful to share some reflections from clients to help those still offshore to prepare for how they might feel when the time comes to walk out of their MIQ hotel.

Colleagues Marea and Meltem completed MIQ within a few weeks of each other earlier this year. Here's what they noticed most as they emerged into Kiwi life.

Physical stress after a year of limited activity. It's exciting to get out and about if you've been in lockdown in your home country then confined to a hotel in MIQ. What Meltem and Marea hadn't anticipated was how tired they would be after a few hours walking around, and how much their feet and legs would ache. Their advice to others - pace yourself!

Fear about infecting Kiwis. New Zealand's lack of community COVID-transmisison is a drawcard for many people relocating here. But that can also bring a sense of responsibility and guilt, as newcomers may leave MIQ and worry about being 'the one' who inadvertently brings the disease into the country.

Concern about starting in-person working and group proximity. By the time they arrived in New Zealand Meltem and Marea had been remote working for a year. They are not the only Mobile clients to find it quite a sudden shift to a fully staffed New Zealand workplace where there is no requirement for masking or social distancing - let alone going to crowded restaurants or shops. Understandably, it can take some time to get past the instinctive reluctance to be around other people.

A strong need to find a home. Both Marea’s and Meltem's top priority after leaving MIQ was renting a home. One benefit of MIQ is the time to work through jetlag so we generally find our clients are keen to start the househunt ASAP. For Meltem, it was also really important to get her son back into school after the disruption to his education from homeschooling then MIQ, so the house was as important as the school zone.

It was an honour for Bridget and Sandra to guide Marea and Meltem on their journey to getting settled in New Zealand.

No Such Thing as Bad Weather

The phrase “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing” may not originate in New Zealand, but it is certainly practised here. It’s rare for Kiwis to let a little weather get in the way of an outdoor adventure or everyday life.

Given our geographic position in the middle of the Pacific, forecasting is a real challenge and can often change by the hour. You learn to read the clouds and accept that they may shift at any time. No matter if you’re out and about in town or doing one of the Great Walks, it’s a good idea to always be prepared for the improbable.

In summer, you don’t want to be caught out without sunscreen and a hat, even on a day that looks gloomy due to dangerous levels of UV coming through the hole in the ozone layer above NZ.

In the shoulder seasons and winter, you always want to have waterproof clothing and - depending on where you are in the country - an umbrella, even when the rain appears to have cleared. The Blunt umbrella (no affiliation) is hugely popular in NZ, having been designed for our unique climate.

Year around, layers are key to staying safe and comfortable, especially if you’re venturing further afield, and you quickly see why merino clothing is such a staple in the Kiwi wardrobe.

So get some good gear, and then get out and see this beautiful country, whether on the way to your next meeting or across a gorge.