How do you grab lucrative “Nursing” Job opportunities in New Zealand – Here’s how you can!

Recruitment for able Health Staff t for registered nurses for umpteen hospitals across New Zealand is a wide open door, following information gives much of the data that you will require in order to start mixing work with pleasure in wonderful New Zealand, and your consultant is your shadow towards guiding you on the right track.

Procedure

To apply for a Working Visa for New Zealand you need to possess an offer of employment in your qualified area, since suitable New Zealand citizens are a rarity, because of which foreign nurses are high on demand in New Zealand. The Government has approved nursing as a futuristic skill set with high scarcity, thus opening doors for international candidates.

If you are keen to work in New Zealand, you will have to furnish the following –

  • Get an offer of employment – Consult with your consultant.
  • Register with the New Zealand Nursing Council.
  • Gain a police clearance and, in certain situation, may be a medical and chest x-ray.
  • Get a practising certificate from the New Zealand Nursing Council.
  • Avail of a working visa.
  • Get hold of a work permit on your passport once you step into New Zealand.

Availing a Registration for Nursing practice in New Zealand –

One is required to prove that you are already registered with the New Zealand Nursing Council, NZNC, in order to get a valid work permit. The details given below is applicable only to registered nurses. For midwifery registration, kindly view the next segment.

Assessment of nurses are done purely on individual basis.  The process for overseas nurses (excluding nurses registered in all Australian states except Western Australia) takes approximately 3 months (if your documentation is in place). You cannot apply for this across the table. Once you are officially registered, the NZNC will send you application forms for the annual practising certificate. This takes around 10 days to be processed. You are free to apply for the practising certificate across the table. A receipt will be issued to you and the certificate sent out to you after being printed. You are able to work using the receipt.

New Zealand Governing Body of Nursing –

Website: Nursing Council of New Zealand

International Nurses must possess the following Documents in order to Register –

  • Registration with an overseas regulatory authority AND
  • An similar international qualification OR
  • A pass in an assessment of the Council competencies for Registered Nurses by an approved provider AND/OR
  • Successfully completed a programme approved by the Council for the assessment of the ability of Registered Nurses.

The Council requires evidence of your overseas nursing registration by verification from the regulatory authority where you hold registration. This verification must be sent directly from that authority to the Council. The Council also requires you to provide the original of a Police Certificate, no more than 6 months old when received by the Council, as evidence you don’t have any convictions.

Nursing Enrolment Procedure –

Nurses who have been registered in countries other than New Zealand, have to apply to the Nursing Council of New Zealand for admission to the register, prior to practising in New Zealand. The Nursing Council of New Zealand has an international registration department to process applications from the outset of New Zealand. The qualified officials who will help you with inquiries in this area are:

International Registrations Coordinator
Email: oseas@nursingcouncil.org.nz
Telephone: +64 4 385 9589

Evaluation process –

The Nursing Council evaluates each applicant on an individual basis, and does not operate a system of reciprocal registration or enrolment – except if the applicant meets the requirements of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act, TTMR Act (1998). Basic criterion for registration is:

  • The candidate has partaken a nursing or midwifery programme that is similar in all areas and duration compared to the same programme in New Zealand, and can meet the abilities for Registration/Enrolment.
  • The applicant has practised as a nurse or midwife in the last five years.
  • The candidate has furnished the Nursing Council with proof, attained within the past two years, and is qualified to speak and write in the English language, even though English is not his / her first language. Accredited tests are CGNFS, IELTS, OET, or as part of a competency programme.
  • Candidates who do not meet the requirements for nursing registration may be required to undergo further experience through a Department of Nursing of a New Zealand affiliated educational institution. It is the responsibility of the candidate to make necessary arrangements for the experience and instruction and for informing the Nursing Council regarding the required arrangements.

 

Health and Police Green Signals –

Police clearance in your own country is mandatory to get employment in NZ. Some employers also require you to do a medical check up – you will be advised of this prior to starting your job.

Basic Info –                                                                                        

Application forms for registration may be downloaded from the NZNC website. The website also provides answers to FAQ’s and detailed information on the registration process. The Nursing Council of New Zealand does not assist with immigration requirements or employment opportunities. E-mail: oseas@nursingcouncil.org.nz

Application process

The Council / governing body will process and evaluate your application. Ensure payment of the application fee and all required documents to be submitted. Thus the process is cleared

Authorised Testimonial to Work in New Zealand –

Once you have obtained registration in New Zealand, you will need to apply for a practising certificate. All applications for a practising certificate must be on the official Nursing Council of New Zealand application form. These are not available online. For inquiries contact:

NZ Registrations Administrator

Postal address: PO Box 9644, Wellington, New Zealand
Telephone: +64 4 802 0245 or +64 4 802 0235
Fax: +64 4 801 8502
Email: nzreg@nursingcouncil.org.nz

Obtaining Midwifery Registration in New Zealand

If your practising certificate is for part of a year, your fee will be reduced accordingly. Fees must be paid by returning a cheque with your completed practising certificate form or, by providing your credit card details on your completed application form. Please take special care to ensure that you record your credit card numbers correctly, if paying by this method, to avoid any processing delays.

All practicing midwives in New Zealand must be registered with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand and have their name entered on the Register of Midwives. Once registered, midwives will have to apply for an Annual Practising Certificate (APC) in order to practise. In order to obtain an APC midwives will have to demonstrate that they are still competent to practise.

Overseas Applicants

Midwives applying for registration from overseas (and Western Australia), will be assessed according to the Midwifery Council’s policy. In order to register as a midwife in New Zealand applicants must meet the following criteria: – Fitness for registration – Qualifications for registration – Competence for registration. Information details and application forms for foreign midwives may be downloaded from the Midwifery Council of New Zealand website.

It is mandatory that midwives have a practising certificate before they may practise. Also, an application will be sent to all new registrants.

The  MCNZ’s new year starts on the 1st of April. Once all documentation is in order, applicants from Western Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom would require about 2 months for their applications to be processed. For applicants from other countries, other than the ones mentioned above, a time span of around 3 months would be required.

Contact details:

Midwifery Council of New Zealand

Your Work Visa – International application

After you have your registration you should apply for a work visa, and an endorsement on your passport to allow you to enter or re-enter New Zealand. To apply for a work visa you will need to complete the following forms which can be downloaded from the New Zealand Immigration Migrant Section on their Website.

  • Application to Work in New Zealand.
  • Supplementary Application Form (to be provided by your employer)

As part of the application process you are required to submit your passport, proof of New Zealand Nurses Registration, proof of original nursing qualification (e.g. Diploma or Degree Certificate) and employment offer stating position, salary and duration of the contract. Visa costs vary in New Zealand, depending on your citizenship and the country from where you are applying. To know the exact cost of a work visa, you may visit the fees calculation section on the New Zealand Immigration Service website.

What is the time duration up to which one can work in New Zealand?

A  work permit will be issued for the duration of your contract, but this can be extended up to a maximum stay of three years from the day of your arrival in New Zealand.

Work Permit –

Your work permit will be stamped on your passport at the airport upon entry to New Zealand. No extra cost will be incurred by you for this.

Can you bring along your immediate family?

In case you are travelling with a partner or dependants, each member is required to submit a separate visa application (go through the application form; there is a specific section for families/dependants). Your partner may be entitled to work full time in New Zealand and will need to apply for a partnership work permit. They will need to complete only certain sections of the same work visa application form and will need to show proof of the relationship along with a letter from your end. Proof of work would not be required.

Parents should complete visa applications for dependants and submit these along with their application. Dependants are considered as any children up to the age of 18 or up to the age of 21 only if they are enrolled in a full time University course in New Zealand. Schooling for Dependent Children, the spouse and dependent children of Work Visa holders are given Visitor or Student Visas for the similar time period as the Work Visa holder.

Dependent children of Work Visa holders need not pay international student tuition fees until they finish secondary school. Primary or secondary students who are dependants of someone who holds a New Zealand Work Permit will be considered as domestic students.

Tertiary students will require to follow the general criterion as any foreign student, that includes payment of foreign student fees. However, they won’t require to show evidence in order to meet accommodation and living costs, provided the Work Permit holder has the income to cover them or has already cleared  this requirement in their own application. Further information is available from Immigration New Zealand and The Ministry of Education.

What is the time span to receive a valid Permit?

Once all documentation is perfectly over, it takes around 2 months for applications to be processed. It is advised to send applications by express post to save time.

Essential Indicators –

  • You should reach New Zealand within 12 months from the date of issue of the Visa.
  • You are able to enter and leave during your 12 month time span. However, that your permit is valid for 12 months from the initial date of entry, for multiple journeys. The 12 month period is not accumulative.
  • You will not be eligible to return to New Zealand for a further working holiday under the similar scheme.
  • Your return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase one and cover your travelling expenses is absolutely mandatory. You are not entitled to be sponsored by a New Zealand citizen or resident.
  • Kindly do not attempt to make any travel plans / bookings until your passport is returned to you.