[halfer53]

OP here, Yeha I did study in Waikato.

NZ is a very small market compared to the rest of the world, so there is a lot less opportunities here in NZ in terms of number of startups and number of tech firms. The salary is also lower compared to other developed countries. Any software engineer in NZ can easily get a 30-50% salary raise by going to Australia. A lot of talents ran away from NZ because of this.

There are still some exiting companies, for instance, Serko whom I am currently working for is expanding into the international market to seize the post-pandemic opportunities. But overall it's bit stagnant compared to other OECD countries.

[solarengineer]

Given that many want to work remote, the good things we hear about New Zealand, how difficult it is to get in, and that Billionaires are reserving space to prepare for Climate change related risks elsewhere, I was under the impression that people would want to get to NZ and stay put there. This is the sentiment among some of the people I talk to.

[bibabaloo]

It's a beautiful country but because of the small population there's a lack of opportunities, especially compared to the US or even Australia. The time zone makes remote work difficult too.

[ZephyrBlu]

If I had already established a career and wanted to settle down I'd probably like NZ more, but I feel like I'm missing out by being in NZ compared to somewhere more populous like the US or Europe.

How old are the people you're talking to? For reference, I'm 23 and just started my career.

[halfer53]

True, agree NZ is a great place to work. In fact, I quite enjoy my lockdown-free life in NZ.

[fm2606]

This was my thought as well.

[quickthrower2]

Wow and with Auckland house prices so high why not move to Australia or even better USA for a better salary and lifestyle