Vincent(55)

I worked 25 years as a civil engineer in the Netherlands, ten of which at a specialized firm for seismic risk assessment. After the earthquakes in Groningen caused by gas extraction, I became an expert in strengthening buildings. But the Dutch market for this specialty is small. Christchurch, devastated by earthquakes in 2010-2011 and still rebuilding, offered a unique opportunity.

An international engineering firm with an office in Christchurch approached me at a conference. They were looking for a senior structural engineer with seismic expertise for their portfolio of government and commercial projects. The salary (NZ$160,000) plus relocation allowance made the move attractive. The AEWV was quickly approved — engineers are in demand in New Zealand.

Christchurch is a city reinventing itself. The CBD has been almost entirely rebuilt with modern, earthquake-resilient architecture. The new buildings use base isolation (buildings on rubber shock absorbers), energy-dissipating connections and the latest NZ Building Code. It's a living laboratory for seismic design. As an engineer it's incredible to contribute to this.

Registration as a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) with Engineering New Zealand was required. My Dutch experience and European qualifications were recognized through the Washington Accord, but I had to complete a practice assessment. This included a portfolio of five projects and an interview with two assessors. It took three months, but my employer fully supported me.

Life in Christchurch at my age is comfortable. The city is spaciously designed, there's little traffic and the facilities are modern. I bought a house in Merivale for NZ$780,000 — a detached house with garden, unthinkable in Arnhem for that price. The Port Hills offer hiking, Sumner beach is a fifteen-minute drive and on weekends I ski at Canterbury's ski fields.

My wife came with me on a Partner visa and works as an interior architect. Our children are adults and stayed in the Netherlands, but they love visiting. My advice to experienced engineers: New Zealand values international expertise, especially in seismic design, water management and infrastructure. Salaries are good, the projects are challenging and quality of life is high. I received my residence after three years through the SMC.