Els(39)

After my divorce I was on my own with my daughter Lotte, aged seven. I worked as a nurse at Deventer Hospital — part-time, because full-time wasn't compatible with having a child and no support network. The salary was tight, rent was high and the waiting list for a house to buy was endless. When a colleague who had emigrated to New Zealand told me about the opportunities for nurses, I started dreaming.

The plan was ambitious: emigrating alone with a child to the other side of the world. But the Green List made it realistic. Nurses get fast-tracked residence through the Straight to Residence pathway. I started the NCNZ registration, passed my IELTS (7.0 per component — the reading section took me two attempts) and applied to hospitals outside the expensive cities. Nelson Hospital offered me a contract.

Lotte's visa was linked to mine as a dependent child. INZ required her father's consent for emigration — that was the hardest conversation of my life. Eventually he agreed, on condition that Lotte flies to the Netherlands twice a year. Those flight tickets are a major expense (NZ$2,000-2,500 return), but it's worth it for the father-daughter relationship.

Nelson is the perfect city for a single parent. It's small enough to be safe, but large enough for good schools and facilities. Lotte goes to a decile-8 school within walking distance of our house. After-school care (OSCAR — Out of School Care and Recreation) costs NZ$15 per session, subsidized by the government. Working for Families Tax Credits give me NZ$180 per week extra as a single parent.

My salary as a nurse in Nelson is NZ$78,000 per year. The rent for our two-bedroom house with garden is NZ$420 per week. It's tight but manageable, especially with the Working for Families supplement. The community here has embraced us — neighbors bring casseroles, the school organizes parent networks and there's a strong Facebook group of expat mothers in Nelson.

My advice to single parents considering emigration: it's scary but it can be done. Start with your professional registration, choose an affordable city and research the financial support available — Working for Families, Accommodation Supplement, childcare subsidies. New Zealand has a strong social safety net. Lotte is thriving here — she plays outside, has friends and already speaks better English than me. It was the bravest thing I've ever done, and the best.