From Canada to New Zealand: How I Rebuilt My Career as a Product Designer

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I used to live in Toronto.

On paper, my life looked fine. I was working as a product designer at a mid-sized tech company, designing B2B SaaS dashboards. The salary was decent. The team was smart. My LinkedIn profile looked “progressive.”

But if I’m being honest, I felt like I was running in place.

Toronto’s tech scene was competitive, but it was also crowded. I was one of many designers trying to move from mid-level to senior. Promotions felt political. The winters felt longer every year. And I kept wondering what it would be like to live somewhere smaller, somewhere calmer.

New Zealand wasn’t an obvious choice. It wasn’t the UK. It wasn’t the US. It wasn’t “big tech.”

But that was part of the appeal.

Why I Considered New Zealand

At first, it wasn’t a bold decision. It was curiosity.

I had visited Auckland once during a long trip through the Pacific. I remember noticing how close everything felt — beaches, city, hiking trails. People left the office at 5pm. Conversations didn’t revolve around funding rounds.

Professionally, I started researching the tech ecosystem in New Zealand. It was smaller, yes. But there were growing SaaS companies, fintech startups, and product-led businesses in Auckland and Wellington.

More importantly, I saw something that mattered long-term: a clearer pathway to residency compared to Canada’s saturated immigration streams at the time.

I began reading about the Accredited Employer Work Visa. The idea was simple in theory — secure a job offer from an accredited employer, and you could work legally in New Zealand. From there, there were potential residency pathways.

It sounded straightforward.

It wasn’t.

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The First Few Months: Silence

I kept my Canadian job while applying remotely.

At the beginning, I sent out applications the way I would in Canada — polished portfolio, tailored cover letters, thoughtful case studies.

Most of them disappeared into silence.

New Zealand companies are small. Hiring budgets are tighter. Many prefer candidates who already have work rights. I underestimated that.

There were nights when I refreshed my email at 11pm Toronto time, calculating Auckland’s business hours in my head.

Nothing.

What I eventually realised was that my portfolio — while strong — was framed for North American scale. I talked about “millions of users” and “large cross-functional pods.” But many NZ companies were smaller, scrappier. They wanted designers comfortable wearing multiple hats.

So I rewrote my case studies. I emphasised:

• End-to-end ownership
• Working directly with founders
• Shipping quickly with limited resources
• Cross-functional collaboration in lean teams

That shift mattered.

Interviews and Self-Doubt

When I finally got interviews, a new problem surfaced.

My first interview with an Auckland-based SaaS startup went badly.

The hiring manager asked, “Why New Zealand?”

I gave a vague answer about lifestyle and work-life balance.

It sounded naive — like I was shopping for scenery.

After that call, I realised something important: moving countries for lifestyle alone isn’t a strong professional narrative. Companies need to believe you’re committed to building here.

In later interviews, I shifted my framing. I talked about:

• Wanting to work in a smaller, product-focused ecosystem
• Being closer to end users
• Contributing to growing SaaS companies in the APAC region

It wasn’t scripted. It was just clearer.

The Visa Reality

When I received an offer from an Auckland company, relief lasted about 24 hours.

Then the visa paperwork started.

The company was accredited, but there were salary thresholds, role justifications, and documentation requirements under the Accredited Employer Work Visa. I had to provide detailed employment history, proof of qualifications, police certificates, medical checks.

Waiting for visa approval was the most anxious period of the entire move.

You can’t fully resign.
You can’t fully plan.
You can’t fully celebrate.

You just wait.

When approval finally came through, it wasn’t cinematic. It was quiet. I refreshed the immigration portal and saw “Approved.”

That was it.

Landing in Auckland

Moving to Auckland felt smaller than Canada — in geography, in tech community, in pace.

At first, that scared me.

Fewer companies means fewer backup options. If things don’t work out, you don’t have 200 other tech firms across the street.

But something else happened.

I had more visibility.

In a smaller ecosystem, people know each other. Designers talk. Product managers move between startups. Within months, I was attending meetups, having coffee chats, getting introduced to founders.

In Toronto, I was one designer among thousands.

In Auckland, I became part of a network.

What Actually Helped Me Get the Job

Looking back, a few practical things made the difference:

I stopped applying broadly and focused on companies already accredited to sponsor visas.

I rewrote my CV to highlight impact, not just responsibilities.

I adjusted my portfolio to reflect lean environments.

And I prepared clear answers about long-term commitment to New Zealand.

None of it was dramatic. It was strategic.

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Where I Am Now

I’ve been in Auckland for three years now, working as a senior product designer at a SaaS company serving APAC markets.

Life feels slower, but not stagnant.

I leave work and can be at the beach in 20 minutes. My career growth isn’t explosive, but it’s steady. I’ve moved into more product strategy conversations, mentoring junior designers, and influencing roadmap decisions.

Compared to Canada, I feel less like I’m competing and more like I’m contributing.

What I’d Tell You If You’re Considering It

If you’re a product designer thinking about moving from Canada to New Zealand, here’s the honest version:

It’s possible — but it’s not quick.

The market is smaller.
Salaries are generally lower than Canada.
Visa processes require patience.

But if you’re intentional — about your narrative, your positioning, and your long-term plan — it can work.

Don’t romanticise the move.

Research the visa pathway carefully.
Understand salary expectations.
Adapt your portfolio for a lean market.

And most importantly, ask yourself why you want to go.

If your answer is thoughtful and grounded, you’ll communicate it better — and that matters more than you think.

It’s not an overnight transformation.

But it is a real one.

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