Public hospital healthcare is free or low cost for citizens, residents, and some work visa holders. If you’re on a work visa that’s for less than two years, you’ll need to pay for your healthcare as you require it. Check whether you and your family qualify for free or subsidised healthcare on the Ministry of Health website.

Non-residents can use public and private healthcare services, but you will need to cover costs. If you’re not eligible for subsidised healthcare, comprehensive travel insurance with health cover is strongly recommended.’

Personal doctors, known as general practitioners (GPs), are your first point of contact if you’re unwell and it’s not an emergency. They often work from local medical centres and it’s a good idea to register as soon as possible after you arrive. Visits cost approximately $65. A number of after-hours clinics also provide care for accidents and emergencies, as well as medical care outside normal working hours.

Most costs for injuries arising from accidents are covered by New Zealand’s national, no-fault Accident Compensation Corporation, known as ACC. The compensation scheme covers accidents that happen both in and out of your workplace. Find out whether you’re eligible for ACC, what costs are covered, and what happens if you injure yourself.

Auckland offers more than 1200 early childhood education (ECE) options for children under five years old, including playgroups, kindergartens and daycare centres across the region, making it easy to find one close to home. While ECE is not compulsory, it can provide a smoother transition to primary school, and is one of the easiest ways for children and parents to make new friends.

Set your children up for success in further education and career pathways. Auckland’s primary and intermediate schools (or middle schools) cater for students aged 5 to 12 and secondary schools for students aged 13 to 19. Secondary schools may be co-ed (boys and girls) or single sex. Most are state-owned but there are also private schools you may be able to enrol your children in.

Auckland is home to three exceptional universities, offering internationally recognised qualifications ranging from diplomas and bachelor’s degrees to doctoral studies, across diverse areas of learning. As well as impressive global rankings, Auckland’s universities are also deeply involved in research, with close ties to other universities and research programmes across the world.

Auckland’s private training establishments offer qualifications in specialist industries, while vocational training (hands-on and industry-specific) and applied education courses at our numerous state-owned institutes of technology and polytechnics align with national academic standards, providing many qualifications for graduates that are equivalent in merit to a university course.