Hey this message is on behalf of one of our members who is looking at going back to New Zealand to retire.

As part of this she wants to know about leaving Sweden where she has been living and working [paying tax] for over 25 years.

If any one knows about a following issues, or has some advice of a kiwi returning home please reply.

pensions (swe)

pensions (NZ)

tax issues, both countries

Keeping property in Sweden

transferring funds to NZ

finding a reputable moving company

de-registration with tax and civil authorities

e.t.c

Or just generally how to rejoin the New Zealand society smoothly...

looking forward to the advice

Hejsan,

I lived in Sweden for 23 years and returned to NZ ... I would advise you not to make a drastic step. NZ has changed a lot and there is something missing in this country. I will return to Sweden as NZ isn't the place one knew. Sweden offers a broad sense of understanding and I have found the NZ'ers very Capitalistic, arrogant and respectlos.

Cheers

I have just lost my partner to sickness in nz.
This is NOT The right place to be when you get sick!
2 years of sickness and no försäkringskassa and no income when sick.
Drugs needed were expensive, long travel to hospital, some days 300km, me still forced to work full time and also look after partner.No frills no benefits no social wellfare, no nothing.
No help from anywhere!
I just want to return.

Both the above post are so true much to my disappointment

we just spent 6 months in New Zealand we are a couple with a child under one

If you have a small family forget about going back to New Zealand unless you want to be broke (if your a average income earner)

you pay per child between 30 to 50 nzd a day to have them in daycare
so it ends up being that one of the parents stays home to save the cost of child or children into day care,on top of that food has gone up in price and owning a house is a struggle!

there is no help from the government if your a small family if your a pensioner

this is just my option on what I have experienced i am sad to see New Zealand go the way it has gone but unfortunately the divide between rich and poor has become bigger in the last five years and to be happy and comfortable you must be on 50 to 100k plus
the rich have just got a new tax relief just to make that divide even bigger

Mini pay is 12 dollars an hour, full grown men earn just 12 dollars an hour!
How long time do you have to work in sweden to get a meal at McD?
Three time that in NZ.
You loose buy power-massive!
The house you rent has no insulation and no heating and it is +10 only during may-august.Your landlord inspects the house once every month.
When the company you work for does a bellie up there are no statliga fonder that gives you your pay, you just walk out the dooor with no money even if it is pay day.
There is no a-kassa.
There is only 5 days paid sick leave and if you get long term sick they sack you with no pay at all.
There is no sjukkassa.
If you get a baby it is 3 month pay only.
When you retire you get money that does only cover basic food and you have to get totally flat broke and shift to a council flat where you are not allowed pets.
People do not see the dentist since they can not afford to.
There is a BIG difference living in S or NZ.
Sunshine and the beach does not help when you are sick or old.
If you have money - fine! lovely nature.

All kiwis do think they live a good life and they do not know about things like a-kassa, sjukkassa, pension, barnledighet, socialbidrag.