New Zealand is a beautiful country known for its picturesque landscape, vast green meadows, and gorgeous beaches. People immigrating from busy and underdeveloped countries find the natural beauty an excellent boost for their mood and mental health. It explains why many expatriates choose New Zealand as their home away from home.
New Zealand ranks second among the most popular countries for expats. If a business is planning to tap into this colossal expat market, it is best to understand the behaviors and needs of that population. Read on ahead to know more about the expat market in New Zealand.
What is an expat?
An expatriate or expat is someone temporarily or permanently residing somewhere other than their native country. They can be of any nationality, background, and economic stature, and they usually migrate for employment, education, health care, and business.
Behaviours of Expats in New Zealand
Like in every other country, the expats in New Zealand behave differently from the locals. They have different needs, preferences, beliefs, and priorities. This variation can make it challenging for a business to pin down the demands of an expat market. Here are some commonly observed behaviors among expats; a business can use these to develop a solid customer base:
1. Where do they live?
Auckland is the biggest expat market in New Zealand. According to the world migration report, more than 39% of the total population of Auckland were immigrants–a number that has increased in the following years.
Other than Auckland, expats also prefer to live in Christchurch and the capital city of New Zealand, Wellington.
2. Housing
In most countries, buying a house isn’t that difficult for immigrants. However, New Zealand laws are a bit stringent in this regard, making it harder for expats to purchase a home. This, combined with the inflated property prices, is why most expats either live in rental arrangements or choose to lease a property.
3. Income
The expats are doing a variety of jobs in New Zealand, and they come from all walks of life. According to New Zealand Shores, the average income for expats is around $NZ 56,000 per year, more than various other nations.
The higher income means expats have a high buying capacity, meaning the expat market can be attractive even for high-end businesses.
4. Cost of Living
New Zealand is one of the most expensive countries to settle. According to Mercer’s 2021 survey of expatriate living costs, Auckland is the world’s 70th most expensive city, while Wellington is the 94th.
This high cost of living means businesses that can offer expats a good value for their money will be more successful in attracting them.
What Do Expats Do
Expatriates in New Zealand are not limited to certain professions. They work in various sectors, including finance and banking, teaching, IT, medical, and service industry.
They can do all sorts of work, be it skilled or unskilled. Also, many expatriates come to New Zealand under their spouse visa, which means they are already qualified and experienced in a particular field.
Channels used by expats in New Zealand
The following also serve as marketing channels to reach expats:
1. Facebook
Facebook ranks number one among expats in New Zealand. They use it to connect with friends and family back home, follow news and events in New Zealand, and look for jobs and accommodation.
As of Nov 2021, more than 77% of the entire New Zealand population uses Facebook. Businesses can tap into this vast expat market by running Facebook ads and setting up pages.
2. LinkedIn
At number two is LinkedIn. Career-oriented New Zealanders in their late 20s and early 30s frequently use this platform.
They use LinkedIn to connect with other professionals, look for jobs, and learn about business opportunities in New Zealand. As of Nov 2021, more than 47% of the entire New Zealand population uses LinkedIn.
3. Instagram
Almost 40% of New Zealanders are active on Instagram, so it is safe to say that expats frequent this platform too. It should be important to note that women in the 25-34 age bracket made the bulk of Instagram’s user base in New Zealand.
Using Instagram influencer marketing is one of the surefire ways to tap into the expat market. This is because social influencers tend to have a considerable expat following, and they can help businesses reach their target markets.
4. Blogs
Blogging is another way that expats in New Zealand use to connect with other people. They use blogs to share their experiences of living in New Zealand, provide information about living in the country, and offer advice to other expats. Some of the blogs are Albom Adventures, Going NZ, and others. Businesses can use these blogs to run ads, connect with expats, and get insights into the expat market.
Expat Communities in New Zealand
It is always a good idea to live with people who share the same culture and language. That is why expats have formed closely-knit communities in various parts of New Zealand.
These communities include people from the same country who came to New Zealand for a better life. They organize events and gatherings to enjoy their native culture. Here are some places where expat communities thrive in New Zealand:
1. Auckland
About 30% of the total population of Aukland comprises of expats. This means it’s possible to reach an expat market consisting of a whopping 450,000 people from as many as 138 different ethnicities.
2. Wellington
The capital of New Zealand is home to many expats. The city has a great community life with various international events taking place regularly.
3. Christchurch
Christchurch is another very diverse city of New Zealand. It is home to people from all over the world, making it a great place for expats to connect. Not only does this city offers employment opportunities for expats, but it also has an excellent educational system.
4. Dunedin
Dunedin has Scottish heritage and is one of the most beautiful cities in New Zealand. This city is known for its universities, and most expats go to this city for studies.
How to target expats in New Zealand
All expatriates living in New Zealand belong to different demography, so businesses should tailor marketing efforts to appeal to most of them, if not all. The marketing agencies need to identify their target expat market and gear all marketing efforts towards that group.
It is important to remember that the expat market is always on the lookout for better opportunities, so businesses should constantly keep their marketing message fresh and enticing.
Targeting social media is also an effective way of tapping into the expat market. For instance, if a company wants to target an audience between 25 to 34 years, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn should help them do so.
How Moovaz Can Help
With the growing opportunities in the New Zealand expatriate market, enhancing your customer experience and targeting your clients accurately is more important than ever.
Moovaz is an end-to-end relocation platform that eases the mobility of global citizens. Partner with us today to increase your reach to the expat community!
