fbpx
Provide All Relevant Information - Submit Query
immigration lawyer nz

A Complete Guide to Start a Nursing Career in New Zealand 2025

A Complete Guide to Starting Your Nursing Career in New Zealand

There is a noticeable shortage of nurses in many countries today. Nursing is a high-demand profession in New Zealand in 2025, particularly in speciality areas such as emergency department, mental health, and addiction. Like many developed countries, New Zealand is facing an ageing population that will require increased medical care. Also, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation has estimated that half of the country’s nurses will retire by 2035.

To maintain quality healthcare and tackle the shortage of nurses, the Government of New Zealand has added several registered nurse roles to Tier 1 of the Green List Roles. This allows overseas-registered nurses to apply directly for the Straight to Residence Visa.

To work as a Registered Nurse in New Zealand, you must register with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and obtain a practising certificate from the council. Let’s talk about the steps involved in the registration process.

Registration as an Internationally Qualified Nurse

For nurses who are currently registered with an overseas regulatory authority, the following are the steps to get registered with the Nursing Council of New Zealand.

Step 1: Documents Verification with CGFNS

The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) is used by the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) to verify and authenticate the credentials of Internationally Qualified Nurses (IQN). The following documents must be submitted to CGFNS for verification and authentication:

  • Identity Documents
  • Employment History (with a minimum of 1,800 hours of post-registration nursing experience)
  • Education History (the nursing qualification that made you eligible to obtain registration as a nurse. This education must be equivalent to New Zealand qualification.)
  • Licence Validation (current registration (s) held in the last 10 years)
  • Language Proficiency (A minimum score on the Occupational English Test (OET) or IELTS, as specified by the CGFNS. There are two English Language Evidence Pathways that may not require an OET or IELTS score)

Once all the documents have been verified, CGFNS will send the report to NCNZ after you have reviewed and authorised it. For detailed information regarding documents and requirements, visit the official CGFNS website.

Step 2: Completion of Online Courses

As an IQN, you must complete two free online courses on culturally safe nursing practice in New Zealand. A certificate of completion will be issued for each course, and you must submit them to the NCNZ.

Step 3: Fitness to Practise

Fitness to Practise requires every IQN applicant to go through a criminal history check. This check is done for all the countries that an applicant has lived in for more than 12 months in the last seven years. An authorised agency performs this check on behalf of the NCNZ. If you have lived in New Zealand for 6 months or more, you must also go through a criminal history check through the Ministry of Justice.

Step 4: Competent to Practise in New Zealand

Once you have completed all the above steps, NCNZ may want to assess your competence to practise as a registered nurse in New Zealand. This includes passing a theoretical exam and a clinical exam.

The theoretical exam assesses the nursing knowledge of IQNs and is conducted online. It is conducted at an accredited exam centre, either in New Zealand or overseas. The clinical exam, known as the Objective Structured Clinical Examination, has to be taken after a two-day orientation and preparation course. The duration of the clinical exam is three hours. It is important to note that the clinical exam, and orientation and preparation course must be taken in person and at an accredited centre in New Zealand.

Internationally Qualified Nurses whose nursing education, which led to their registration, was completed in the UK, Ireland, Ontario, British Columbia, Singapore or the USA may be exempted from the above competence exams. However, the decision to exempt is taken by the NCNZ after reviewing every applicant’s documents.

For detailed information about registering as an Internationally Qualified Nurse in New Zealand, we highly recommend visiting the official website of NCNZ.

Under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997, nurses with a current registration and a current practising certificate in Australia do not have to follow the above steps to receive a nursing registration in New Zealand.

Fees and Processing Time

The registration process includes multiple fees associated with different steps. The NCNZ fee for processing the application is NZD 485. For verifying and authenticating documents, CGFNS charges USD 380. As discussed earlier, the NCNZ uses an external agency to conduct criminal history checks. This agency, Fit2Work, charges AUS $159 per country you have lived in (for more than 12 months in the last seven years).

If you’ve lived in New Zealand for more than 6 months, you must check the fee charged by the Ministry of Justice New Zealand for a criminal history check. The cost for the theoretical competence exam is NZ $140. You must pay NZ $500 for the orientation and preparation course, and NZ $3000 for the Objective Structured Clinical Examination.

The processing time for an application depends on many factors such as time taken to complete the competency examinations, submitting additional requested documents, and completion of online courses. The NCNZ takes at least five months to process an application not including time taken by the CGFNS for verification and authentication. Also, applicants are given 12 months (from the time of receiving the invitation email) to apply for registration and complete all the registration requirements. Failing to do so will result in the closing of the registration application.

Demand for Nurses in New Zealand in 2025

As mentioned earlier, a career in nursing can help overseas-trained nurses get the Straight to Residence Visa in New Zealand. Registered Nurse (RN) roles included in Tier 1 of the Green List Roles are RN (aged care), RN (child and family health), RN (community health), RN (critical care and emergency), RN (developmental disability), RN (disability and rehabilitation), RN (medical practice), RN (medical), RN (mental health), RN (paediatrics), RN (perioperative), RN (surgical), and registered nurses nec.

According to the NCNZ Quarterly Data Report for September 2024, 38,667 of 83,591 nurses with practising certificates in New Zealand, are Internationally Qualified Nurses. In other words, nearly half (46.25%) of all nurses in New Zealand are IQNs. This shows the demand and opportunities available to overseas-trained nurses in New Zealand.

Salaries of Registered Nurses in New Zealand

Registered Nurses in New Zealand typically earn between NZD 82,000 and NZD 107,000 per year. Senior registered nurses earn between NZD 114,000 and NZD 163,000 annually. Also, Nurse Practitioners can earn between NZD 137,000 and NZD 163,000 annually.

Becoming a registered nurse in New Zealand is a rewarding career with numerous growth opportunities. It’s essential to understand all the requirements to become a practising nurse. If you’ve any queries about nursing in New Zealand, please contact us.

Author Details

immigration consultant hamilton

Vandana Rai

(LIA 201400900)
Director

Vandana Rai is a Senior Licensed Immigration Adviser and has built a reputation around her rare set of skills, which could be considered ideal for her legal profession.

Student Visa

Profile Check Form

Click Here ×
S
T
U
D
E
N
T

V
I
S
A