How to Take up a Nursing Job in New Zealand

How to Take up a Nursing Job in New Zealand

Are you thinking of working as a nurse in New Zealand?  You must have an offer of employment that meets your qualifications in order to apply for a working visa for New Zealand, in a field where there are no qualified New Zealanders available. Registered Nurses and nurse practitioners come into a particular group because of their high demand in New Zealand. Since nursing has been designated as a long-term skill deficit by the government, it is not checked to see if qualified New Zealanders are available. 

You must complete the following in order to work in New Zealand: 

• Get a job offer; communicate with your consultant. 
• Register with the New Zealand Nursing Council. 
• Obtain a police clearance, a medical examination, and, in some situations, a chest x-ray. 
• You should get a New Zealand Nursing Council’s practising certificate.
• Get a work permit. 
• Upon entering the nation, get a work permit on your passport. 

How to acquire a Nursing Registration in New Zealand? 

To be granted a work permit, you must provide proof that you are registered with the New Zealand Nursing Council, or NZNC. 

Every nurse is given a unique evaluation. The procedure takes around 12 weeks for international nurses (as opposed to nurses registered in other Australian states other than Western Australia) (if your paperwork is in order). This cannot be applied in person. The NZNC will send you the application forms for the annual practising certificate after you have enrolled. It takes about 7 to 10 days to process this. The practising certificate application can be made in person. You will receive a receipt, and once the certificate has been printed, it will be sent to you. You can work on obtaining the receipt.

Nursing Qualification Requirements 

If you are an overseas nurse and wish to apply for registration in New Zealand you must have the following prerequisites: 

• Overseas regulatory authority registration AND 
• A corresponding international qualification OR 
• A passing score in an evaluation of the Council competencies for Registered Nurses by an authorized provider AND/OR 
• Successful completion of a programme that the Council has approved for the purpose of evaluating a registered nurse’s competency.  

The Council necessitates proof of your overseas nursing registration via authentication from the regulatory authority where you have a valid registration. This authentication should be sent right from the authority to the Council. You must also submit the original police certificate, which must be no older than six months at the time the council receives it, as proof that you have never been convicted of a crime.

Submitting an application for Nursing Registration or Enrolment 

Before being allowed to practice nursing in New Zealand, nurses who have obtained registration or enrolment in other countries must apply to the Nursing Council of New Zealand for admission to the register or roll. The Nursing Council of New Zealand has assigned a department for international registration that handles requests from countries other than New Zealand. 

Assessments 

Except in cases when an applicant satisfies the provisions of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act, or TTMR Act (1998), the Nursing Council evaluates each application on an individual basis and does not run a system of reciprocal registration or enrolment. Principal factors for registration include: 

• The applicant is capable of meeting the Competencies for Registration/Enrolment and has completed a nursing or midwifery programme that is comparable to the corresponding programme in New Zealand in all specified content and length. 
• The applicant has five years of nursing or midwifery experience. 
• When English is not the applicant’s native language, the applicant has provided the Nursing Council with evidence of his or her competence to speak and write in English that was achieved within the last two years. The accepted tests are CGNFS, IELTS, OET, and as part of a competency program. 

The Department of Nursing within a New Zealand educational institution may require applicants who don’t fulfil the standards for nursing registration to complete additional experience and instruction.  Negotiating the terms of the experience and instruction is the applicant’s responsibility, as is informing the Nursing Council of those plans. 

Medical and Police Clearance 

If you want to work in New Zealand, you must pass a police check in your home country. You may also be required to undergo a medical check-up by some companies; you will be informed of this prior to starting work. 

Getting Registered as a Midwife in New Zealand 

The Midwifery Council of New Zealand requires all licenced midwives who are actively working to register with them and have their names listed on the Register of Midwives. Midwives must apply for an Annual Practicing Certificate (APC) after registering in order to practise. Midwives must show that they are still qualified to practice in order to receive an APC. 

Overseas Applicants 

Western Australia-based and international applicants for registration as midwives will be evaluated in accordance with Midwifery Council policy. The following requirements must be met by candidates in order to register as a midwife in New Zealand: -Competence for registration; -Fitness for registration; Qualifications for registration. You can get comprehensive material, including flowcharts and application forms, from the Midwifery Council of New Zealand website. 

All midwives must possess a practicing certificate in order to practice, and new registrants will get an application. 

Your Work Visa – Applying Offshore 

You should apply for a work visa after you have your registration, and endorsement on your passport to enable you to enter or re-enter New Zealand. To apply for a work visa you will need to complete a few forms which can be downloaded from the New Zealand Immigration Migrant Section on their Website. The NZIS can also be contacted at +64 9 914 4100.

Application to Work in New Zealand 

Supplementary Application Form (supplied by the employer) 

You must submit your passport, proof of New Zealand nurses’ registration, original nursing qualification documentation (such as a diploma or degree certificate), and a work offer that specifies the position, income, and duration of the contract as part of the application process. Depending on your citizenship and the nation from which you are applying, New Zealand’s visa fees differ. Visit the fees calculation section of the New Zealand Immigration Service website to find out how much a work visa will cost you. 

What is the duration of work in New Zealand? 

Your work permit will be valid for the duration of your contract, but it may be extended for a total of three years from the day of your arrival in New Zealand. 

You Work Permit 

Upon arrival in New Zealand, your work permit will be stamped in your passport at the airport. There is no fee involved. 

If you are looking to migrate to New Zealand in order to work, contact our experts at MWT Global Consultancy who will assist you in clearing all your doubts and provide you with up-to-date information.