To work as a nurse in New Zealand, start here

The first thing you need to do is register with the Nursing Council of New Zealand.For registration, you’ll need to provide evidence that you:

• Have an equivalent international nursing qualification
• Are competent to practise within your scope of practice
• Are fit for registration, which includes your ability to communicate effectively in English for the purpose of practising nursing.

The time it takes for an application to be completed varies considerably. The Nursing Council of New Zealand strongly recommends that you do NOT make plans to move to New Zealand until you have completed the registration process.

FAQs

What do I need to provide for registration?

You’ll need certified copies of your:

• Nursing registration certificate
• Passport
• Marriage certificate or evidence of change of name (when applicable)
• Two professional references
• One character reference
• Police certificate
• English language certificate.

You can find more details of all these, and the application form online at www.nursingcouncil.org.nz.

How much does registration cost?

The total application fee for registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand is NZ $485.00.

Finding a job in New Zealand

To start, we suggest you simply have a look at our map.  We’ve listed employers in both the public and private sector in each region.

For each that interests you can contact that employer or recruiter directly.

Is there anything else I should do?

We recommend attending job fairs so you can find out more about life and nursing in New Zealand; each year we are made aware of New Zealand based employers attending job fairs for the purposes of identifying great talent. We will endeavour to keep you posted on the events.

Also, according to several New Zealand top recruiters, these six tips can help enhance your opportunities for finding a job. They’ll help you get inside the head of a potential employer. And with a country of just 4 million – and a workforce of half that – knowing the mindset of the people interviewing you may be your passport to success.

• One: Relationships are everything. In the workforce, employers are looking for people to fit their company culture. So they will worry about your cultural fit, even if the question is never asked. It may be one of those issues you should be pro-active in and address in a positive way.
   
• Two: It's about people. Employment law prohibits New Zealanders from asking you personal questions, but they will be looking for reassurance that you'll add to their team. Perhaps if you are forthcoming with certain types of information about yourself, even if you are not asked – things that motivate you, inspire your commitment and so on – you’ll  add lustre to your star.
   
• Three: Kiwis will help you. Even if you don't fit the job, if you ask for help, New Zealanders will usually try to be of assistance. They may offer you the name of colleagues in another company, or advice about other skills you have that while not appropriate for them may be useful to others.
   
• Four: See each contact in New Zealand as a networking opportunity. When someone is helpful to you, consider them as someone you want to stay in touch with. Contact them every two to four weeks and ask if they've heard of any job that might be right for you. A short email will suffice. Kiwis will pass along your name to others when they believe you offer something their industry needs
  
  • Ask them who else they would recommend you speak to.
  • Ask who else is hiring.
     
• Five: Encourage frankness. Kiwis are reticent by nature and do not like to be negative. So if you ask, "what are my chances?" and hear, "jobs for people with your skills come up a few times a year", stay in touch.
   
• Six: Be humble while tooting your own horn. Local employers need to know about your accomplishments, but it's how you state them that will make you attractive – or not. Put achievements in context. For example, "I was employee of the month out of 300 employees – twice.”