Home > Careers in Health
Careers in Health
Across Aotearoa New Zealand, you’ll find a dedicated range of both clinical health professionals and support roles. We're all working to ensure the delivery of a service truly close to the hearts of New Zealanders, their whānau (family) and our communities. Wherever you are in your career journey, we have a role for you.
Please beware of recruitment scams. Health New Zealand's recruitment processes do not ask candidates for money at any stage.
Photo location: Abel Tasman National Park - Credit: Miles Holden
Medical
Midwifery & Nursing
Allied Health
Scientific & Technical
Multidisciplinary teams
Corporate & support careers
Still searching for your role?
It's easier than ever to come to Aotearoa to work in Healthcare
Getting Registered to Practice
Your profession may require New Zealand registration and an Annual Practicing Certificate. If so, this will be needed before you can start work and will also be required for your visa application.
In New Zealand, some health professionals are also registered health practitioners under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act (HPCAA). Not all health professions are regulated under the Act although this does not imply that a profession lacks professional standards. Some are not regulated because they pose little risk of harm to the public; some are not regulated because they work under the supervision of a regulated profession; some are regulated in other ways. For example, they may be regulated through their employer or self-regulated by their profession.
Processing times for registration applications can vary so check the processing times directly with your registration board and plan ahead.
Links to New Zealand Registration Bodies
- Chiropractic Board
- Dental Council
- Dietitians Board
- Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand
- Medical Radiation Technologists Board
- Medical Council of New Zealand
- Midwifery Council
- Nursing Council of New Zealand
- Occupational Therapy Board
- Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board
- Osteopathic Council
- Paramedic Council
- Pharmacy Council
- Physiotherapy Board
- Podiatrists Board
- Psychologists Board
- Psychotherapists Board
Internationally qualified nurses may be required to complete a Competency Assessment Programme in order to gain their New Zealand registration. Find more information on the Pathway for health professionals to nursing jobs in New Zealand.
Financial Support
For certain Health New Zealand roles, we offer a relocation package that covers the cost of:
- Payment of costs for shipping of household goods
- One-way economy travel fare, plus one night's accommodation for a layover for you, your partner, and any children under the age of 19 who will live with you.*
- Airport transfers to your accommodation on arrival in New Zealand.
- Up to 4 weeks paid temporary accommodation while we help you find a place to live
- Up to 4 weeks of car rental costs.
For an individual to be eligible for relocation assistance, all of the following criteria must be met:
- You currently live outside of New Zealand.
- You have been offered employment after 21 November 2022.
- This direction does not replace existing contractual arrangements that the employee might be entitled to (e.g. RMOs coming to New Zealand from an Australian placement as part of an approved Australasian training programme).
- You are to be employed in a full time permanent position or to a full time fixed-term contract of no less than 12 months duration.
- A bond agreement is entered into at the time of employment.
* The cost of one night’s accommodation for a layover will be covered if your flights require a layover to reach New Zealand, and one flight is longer than 12 hours.
If someone leaves Health New Zealand before completing 12 months of employment, they are required to pay all relocation costs back, regardless of the amount of time they have worked.
Funding for Nurses
IQN CAP Fund - You can get up to $10,000 NZD in funding if you need to take a Competency Assessment Programme to become registered to practice in New Zealand. Learn more here.
Return to Nursing Workforce Support Fund - If you are an Internationally Qualified Nurse that's currently working in New Zealand as a Health Care Assistant, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 to get your Annual Practising Certificate. Learn more here.
Visa Pathways
All health professionals are in high demand and there are several visa pathways available. For an overview of visa pathways for health professionals and their families, visit the Immigration NZ website.
To find out if the role you want to work in is on the Green List, use Immigration NZ's Green List tool for more information.
To learn more about what other visa options are available to you, visit Immigration NZ's Visa Options page.
We also offer free immigration advice for health professionals with complex visa needs - feel free to talk to our team directly, and we can help.
Job Title Glossary
Job hunting can be difficult if your role is called something different over here, which is why we've pulled together a glossary of names for certain types of roles, and their ANZCO codes to more easily identify them.
ANZSCO code | ANZSCO Title | Other title(s) |
411112 | Ambulance Paramedic (NZ) | Intensive Care Ambulance Paramedic Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) |
233913 | Biomedical Engineer | Clinical Engineer |
311212 | Cardiac Technician | Cardiac Physiologist |
272311 | Clinical Psychologist | Forensic Psychologist Health Psychologist Neuropsychologist |
411711 | Community Worker | Community Development Officer Community Support Worker Housing Officer |
272199 | Counsellors (not elsewhere classified) | Gambling Counsellor Grief Counsellor Life Coach Sexual Assault Counsellor (Aus) / Sexual Abuse Counsellor (NZ) Trauma Counsellor |
423211 | Dental Assistant | Dental Chairside Assistant Dental Nurse |
411214 | Dental Therapist | Oral Health Therapist |
252312 | Dentist | Endodontist Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Oral Pathologist Orthodontist Paedodontist Periodontist Prosthodontist |
411311 | Diversional Therapist | Recreational Therapist |
411411 | Enrolled Nurse | Nursing Assistant (NZ) Medical Assistant (Defence) |
272113 | Family and Marriage Counsellor | Family Court Counsellor |
134299 | Health and Welfare Services Managers (not elsewhere classified) | Director of Pharmacy Director of Physiotherapy Services Director of Speech Pathology Manager of Allied Health Services Medical Corps Officer (Army) |
423311 | Hospital Orderly | Patient Services Assistant Wards person |
411512 | Kaiawhina (Hauora) | Māori Health Assistant |
134211 | Medical Administrator (Aus) / Medical Superintendent (NZ) | Medical Manager |
251211 | Medical Diagnostic Radiographer | Medical Imaging Technologist Magnetic Resonance Technologist |
311213 | Medical Laboratory Technician | Medical Laboratory Technical Officer |
253999 | Medical Practitioners (not elsewhere classified) | Nuclear Medicine Physician Sports Physician |
251212 | Medical Radiation Therapist | Medical Radiation Technician |
311299 | Medical Technicians (not elsewhere classified) | Audiometrist Dialysis Technician Electroencephalographic Technician Mortuary Technician Neurophysiological Technician Ophthalmic Technician Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician Perfusionist Renal Technician |
254111 | Midwife |
Community Midwife |
254311 | Nurse Manager | Charge Nurse Nurse Supervisor Nurse Unit Manager |
134212 | Nursing Clinical Director | Director of Nursing, Senior Nurse Manager |
423312 | Nursing Support Worker | Assistant in Nursing Nurses' Aide (NZ) Paramedical Aide Health Assistant |
311216 | Pathology Collector / Phlebotomist | Specimen Collector |
423313 | Personal Care Assistant | Home care Assistant, Health Care Assistant |
311215 | Pharmacy Technician | Dispensary Technician |
234914 | Physicist | Medical physicist |
252511 | Physiotherapist | Physical Therapist Aquatic Physiotherapist Cardiothoracic Physiotherapist Continence and Women's Health Physiotherapist Gerontological Physiotherapist Māori Physiotherapist (NZ) Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist Neurological Physiotherapist Occupational Health Physiotherapist Paediatric Physiotherapist Sports Physiotherapist |
252611 | Podiatrist | Podiatric Surgeon |
253411 | Psychiatrist | Adolescent Psychiatrist Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Child Psychiatrist Forensic Psychiatrist Geriatric Psychiatrist Medical Psychotherapist |
272399 | Psychologists (not elsewhere classified) | Counselling Psychologist Sport Psychologist |
272314 | Psychotherapist | Art Psychotherapist/ Therapist |
254415 | Registered Nurse (Critical Care & Emergency) | Registered Nurse (Acute Care) Registered Nurse (Emergency/Trauma) Registered Nurse (High Dependency) Registered Nurse (Neonatal Intensive Care) Registered Nurse (Paediatric Intensive Care) |
254421 | Registered Nurse (Medical Practice) | Practice Nurse Primary Health Care Nurse (NZ) |
254422 | Registered Nurse (Mental Health) | Psychiatric Nurse Psychopaedic Nurse (NZ) Registered Nurse (Child and Adolescence Mental Health) Registered Nurse (Drug and Alcohol) Registered Nurse (Psychiatric Rehabilitation) Registered Nurse (Psychogeriatric Care) |
254423 | Registered Nurse (Perioperative) | Registered Nurse (Anaesthetic) Registered Nurse (Operating Room) Registered Nurse (Recovery) |
254499 | Registered Nurses (not elsewhere classified) | Flight Nurse Nursing Officer (Defence Forces) Registered Nurse (Infection Control) Registered Nurse (Remote or Rural Area) |
253112 | Resident Medical Officer | RMO |
311217 | Respiratory Technician | Sleep Technician Neurophysiological Technician |
251214 | Sonographer | Cardiac Sonographer Ultrasonographer |
253399 | Specialist Physicians (not elsewhere classified) | Clinical Allergist Clinical Geneticist Clinical Immunologist Clinical Pharmacologist Geriatrician Infectious Diseases Physician Musculoskeletal Physician (NZ) Occupational Medicine Physician Palliative Medicine Physician Public Health Physician Rehabilitation Medicine Physician Sexual Health Physician Sleep Medicine Physician |
252712 | Speech Language Therapist | Speech Pathologist (Aus) |
423314 | Therapy Aide | Therapist's Assistant Diversional Therapist's Assistant Occupational Therapist's Assistant Physiotherapist's Assistant |
253518 | Urologist | Gynaecological Oncologist Reproductive Endocrinologist Urogynaecologist |
411716 | Youth Worker | Youth Officer Youth Support Worker Juvenile Justice Officer Youth Accommodation Support Worker Youth Liaison Officer |
Before You Fly
Before you fly
There’s a broad range of locations in Aotearoa New Zealand to call home. If you haven’t already, use our interactive map to find an area of the country you’d like to live in.
Once you’ve chosen a location, you may want to check out a list of schools, accommodation and transport options in your preferred locations.
We have some further information for you to help with the decision.
Cost of living
Immigration NZ has a cost of living calculator that can help you get an idea of what your income and expenses could be.
Shipping of belongings
We have strict rules about what can be brought into Aotearoa New Zealand. The government provides advice about how to avoid problems with border clearance.
Pets
Aotearoa New Zealand requires that all pets comply with the Ministry of Primary Industries standards. If you want to bring your pet with you on your trip, you must check the specific requirements relating to imports from your country of origin. Please also note that not all rental properties accept pets.
Insurance
Moving to a new country can be stressful and costly. You may wish to look into you insurance options to cover yourself for the unexpected.
Buying or renting a house
House ownership: Use the “Help us assess if you can buy a house to live in“ tool to determine if you can buy a house in Aotearoa New Zealand.
How to rent a house: The rental market in Aotearoa New Zealand is regulated by the government under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. If you are renting for the first time you will need to sign an agreement with the landlord and pay a bond for up to four weeks rent in advance. The bond is lodged with the governments Tenancy Services. At the end of the tenancy, you will receive your bond back minus any damage's costs or unpaid rent. Aotearoa protects long term tenancies. Rules about changing the terms of the tenancy agreement are available on tenancy.govt.nz's changes to notice periods page.
Banking
You can open a bank account here before you travel but will need to visit a branch to activate it once you arrive – this can be done with through most major banks in Aotearoa New Zealand.
You need a visa that allows you to stay in the country for some time such as a work, residence, or student visa. You may wish to provide the bank with a reference letter from your current bank which incudes a credit score or rating. Health New Zealand can provide you with a letter of a confirmed work address to speed up the process.
To open a bank account you will need the following:
- An identify document – NZ ID or passport
- Proof of address – could be your current overseas address but will need to provide a permanent address in Aotearoa
- A NZ IRD (Internal Revenue Department) number – if you don’t have one yet, you can use your tax number or tax declaration
from your country of origin - Proof of your visa – could be work, residence, or student visa
Tax
All personal income is taxed. If you are a New Zealand tax resident, you will need to pay income tax on all income you receive from New Zealand and overseas. You can use a calculator to work out what tax you will pay in Aotearoa. You will need to have an IRD number before you can start.
KiwiSaver is a savings scheme, administered by the NZ government, to help people save for their retirement. KiwiSaver is currently only available to NZ residents, permanent residents or citizens, but if you are eligible, Health New Zealand will make deductions to the IRD who pass your contribution to the KiwiSaver provider.
When You Arrive
IRD Numbers
You can apply for an IRD number as soon as you arrive – this is similar to a Social Security, SIN, or National Insurance number. You can easily apply online through the IRD numbers for individuals page on the Inland Revenue website.
Getting connected to phone and internet plans
A variety of companies provide internet and phone connections. Immigration NZ provides advice about how to get connected once you arrive.
Getting a driver’s licence
If you are planning to drive in New Zealand, it’s important to get to know the New Zealand road rules. Driving on your overseas driver’s licence is usually acceptable for the first 12 months, but following this you will need to convert it to a New Zealand driver’s licence. You can find out more information on Waka Kotahi’s Driving in New Zealand page.
Libraries
There is a network of public libraries across Aotearoa. You and your family are welcome to visit in person, or download e-books and audio books online with your membership.
Use of the English language
The English language lexicon has become highly advanced in Aotearoa New Zealand. We suggest becoming familiar with how certain words are used.
Public holidays
There are 12 public holidays each year.
Dental Care
General dental care for people over 18 years is not funded by the government in New Zealand. Basic dental care for eligible school children is free up to 18 years of age.
Dentists are distributed across Aotearoa.
Accident Compensation Corporation
Here in Aotearoa New Zealand we fund healthcare differently. The Accident Compensation Corporation provides comprehensive, no-fault personal injury cover for New Zealanders and visitors. ACC is funded by the government and the NZ public.
As a clinician, you can lodge claims on behalf of your patients. You must check with your manager about how to lodge a claim in Health New Zealand.
ACC provides general information about the scheme for clinicians. ACC provides a series of options for clinicians to learn more about the scheme, and claims. Online learning. Foundational webinars.
Cole’s Medical Practice in NZ gives practical advice to doctors in New Zealand (whether international or NZ medical graduates). The Goodfellow unit has resources about certifying work capacity after injury.
Emergencies
Ambulance and Fire: For emergencies, dial 111
Police: Dial 111 - For emergencies (if something is happening now or has just happened, or if you or someone’s safety is at risk). For non-urgent things that you think the NZ Police should know, dial 105.
Accident and Emergency services: All public hospitals have an emergency department. Accident and emergency centres (urgent care centres) are available for out of hours emergencies in most locations.
Coastguard: For emergencies, dial 111
National Crisis and National Emergency Management: The NZ government has established agencies to lead local teams to deal with disasters and other emergencies.
Support Services
Family support services: The Strengthening Families process connects a family who require assistance with more than one agency or community service when a family needs help. All families need help from time to time. Find support wherever you are living in Aotearoa. The health pages provide links to health services.
Domestic Violence Support: Domestic violence help can be accessed in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Counselling services: The NZ Association of Counsellors provides a list of qualified counsellors. Note that payment may be required. Child Abuse and Youth Services: You can report suspected abuse to Oranga Tamariki. Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) is a government department. If you need help phone 0508 326 459 or email contact@ot.govt.nz. If you or someone else is in immediate danger call POLICE on 111. Kidshealth provides a list of various helplines for individuals and families.
Services for people with disabilities: An acceptable standard of health is required whether moving to Aotearoa temporarily or as a resident. There are a variety of providers of services for people with disabilities. Te Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People’s website contains useful links for people with disabilities.
Enrolling children at school
You can enrol your child in school before they’re 5, though they won’t start until they turn 5 and must have started by the time they are 6. Children must stay at school until they turn 16 years of age. Parents may apply to educate children at home.
If you have children, and have a school in mind, you may need to live within the school zone for them to be able to successfully enroll.
Childcare
Early childhood education (ECE) provides education and care for children before they are old enough to go to primary school. It is not compulsory. For three- to four-year-olds, the first 20 hours per week are fully funded by the government. Most children in Aotearoa (95%) get some form of early childhood education, usually for 20-22 hours a week. The Ministry of Education provides practical information about education for parents and carers.
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