Understanding New Zealand

This course is your introduction to New Zealand — a friendly, beautiful country that often hires Filipino workers.

What you will learn

• The main cities: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch.
• Climate — mild, four distinct seasons, often wet.
• The New Zealand Dollar (NZD) and how it compares to the AUD and PHP.
• Healthcare — public health is free for most workers on long-term visas.
• Māori culture and the meaning of common words like kia ora (hello).
• The Filipino community in New Zealand.

Course format

• Short reels.
• A short quiz at the end.
• Takes about 20–25 minutes.

How to take it

1. Open the Courses page.
2. Tap Understanding New Zealand.
3. Watch the reels.
4. Take the quiz.

Points and badges

• Earns OES points.
• Counts toward the Country Expert badge.

Helpful things to know

• New Zealand is smaller than Australia — only two main islands.
• The country is very safe, with friendly local people.
• It can rain a lot, especially on the West Coast — bring waterproof jackets.
• The work culture is similar to Australia: punctual, polite, direct.

Tip: Many trade and healthcare jobs in New Zealand pay well and have a clear path to permanent residency. If you are interested, ask your Cirrus contact about NZ-specific roles.

Related help

• Visa & Immigration Basics
• Financial Literacy for Expats
• Overview of the Candidate Readiness Kit