Foreign Nurses or Healthcare professionals who want to work in New Zealand must gain registration from the Nursing Council of New Zealand. As a foreign national, you must meet the requirements for nursing registration and the Competence Assessment Programme (CAP) and have an Immigration New Zealand (INZ) visa record.
New Zealand seeks skilled nurses to address the increasing need for qualified nurses. The number of registered nurses has surged in recent years and might reach an estimated 56,650 by 2024. Skilled foreign workers have excellent job prospects for both experienced and aspiring nurses.
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Benefits of working in New Zealand as a Nurse
Here are some benefits of working in New Zealand as a nurse:
- High demand for skilled nurses
- Excellent working conditions
- Diverse culture
- Pathway to residency
Pathways to migrate to New Zealand as a Nurse
There are several visa options for foreign nationals seeking to work in New Zealand. Here are the lists of visas that foreign nurses can choose to migrate:
Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) visa: This visa is a point-based visa that offers residency to skilled workers, including nurses. The points for this visa category are based on factors like age, education, work experience, job offer, and English language proficiency.
Essential Skills work visa: This visa is ideal for nurses who have received a job offer from New Zealand employers. It enables them to work for a specific time period, usually aligned with the duration of the employment contract.
Long-Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) work visa: This visa is similar to the Essential Skills work visa as it is an option for nurses with job offers to focus on occupations with identified long-term skill shortages, including nursing.
Post-study work visa (Employer-Assisted): This visa is for recent graduates who have completed a course in New Zealand. Recent graduates with a job offer from a recognized employer can gain two years of experience and later choose another work visa or residency.
Work to Residency visa: This pathway offers a route to employment and residency. This work to residency depends on the applicant's qualifications and circumstances who will qualify under the Talent (Accredited Employer), Talent (Arts, Culture, and Sports), or Talent (Partner of a New Zealander) categories.
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Eligibility Criteria to apply as a Nurse in New Zealand
Here are the eligibility criteria to apply as a Nurse in New Zealand:
- Education qualification
- Completed Level 5 Diploma of enrolled nursing
- Complete assessment through CAP
- Acquire at least four years of registered nurse experience
- Complete the training period
- Be a registered nurse in New Zealand
Requirements to apply as a Nurse in New Zealand
Here are the requirements to apply as a Nurse in New Zealand:
- Work experience
- Certificate in a specialized area
- Proof of Language proficiency through OET ( at least 350)or IELTS (at least 7)
- Letter from NCNZ that must confirm that you have completed your CAP
- Job offer from a New Zealand employer
- Payment receipt, if applicable
- Health and character certificate
- Police clearance certificate
Steps to apply as a Nurse in New Zealand
Below are the steps to apply as a Nurse in New Zealand:
Step 1: Check your eligibility
Step 2: Registered as a Nurse in New Zealand
Step 3: Sort out the requirements
Step 4: Apply for the visa
Step 5: Wait for the decision
Step 6: Migrate to New Zealand
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