Looking to immigrate to NZ

Djuna · Mar 6, 2007

Hi

I am an RN from New Zealand and while I agree it is a beautiful country there are a couple of things you need to be aware of;

First you will earn a lot less money than in the US and the cost of living is high, especially in the bigger cities such as Auckland and Wellington. Jobs are fairly easy to get depending on your specialty area.

Secondly our politics are such that there is a certain anti-American feeling. This is purely subjective of course and in reality you may never find a single person who is rude to you and denigrates your country. I certainly hope not anyway. Generally NZers love foreigners coming to our country.

If you have any other questions, feel free to email me or leave me a message. I have lived in Auckland all my life, worked in most of the large hospitals there and I have also lived for a year in Rotorua so I can give you a brief overview of at least one smaller hospital.

All the best

Debbie

PS I am about to marry a New Englander from Maine so I love Americans :heartbeat

adboehnen · Mar 7, 2007

Thank you for your advise. It has been my dream to live in NZ for a while now. I would hope that no one would dislike me for being an American. The reason I want to live in NZ is b/c I feel the need to experience a culture richer than the current culture that I feel is lacking in the US. Although I feel it is short sighted to judge others based on their place of birth, I cannot blame many people living outside of the US for questioning America's positions on global, political, and medical issues. I feel saddened by the current state of our affairs.

I will be staying in the US for at least another year. Currently I am working as a mobile nurse, and I float to all of the critical care units at a hospital in Wisconsin. It is good experience, and I hope that it will give me the opportunity to take on future jobs in critical care positions abroad.

Is there a large nursing shortage in NZ? Do you know if I would have to prove my nursing competencies by taking an exam? When you describe the cost of living as being high in the cities, how much would you venture to guess an apartment would cost to rent monthly? Is there good public transportation?

Congradulations on your upcoming marriage! I wish you the best of weddings!

Thanks for being so kind to respond with honesty. It is much appreciated :)

Best wishes!!!

RavenRaving · Mar 20, 2007

I am a U.S. R.N. who is emigrating to NZ. Although nurses are listed on the needed jobs list, it does depend on what area both of the country and specialty you are looking in. The hospital in Dunedin told me they have a stable population of R.N.'s, and job openings are relatively scarce. And here's the biggie: In spite of experience in MICU, CCU,ER, and general medicine, NZ wouldn't accept my 2 year nursing degree! They don't have a 2 year degree, and wanted me to work for 6 months with supervision before they would okay my credentials.

I just received my passport with NZ visa attached TODAY! But we are going over on my husband's job, not mine.

Djuna · Mar 22, 2007

NZ has had 3 year nursing training for many years now. I did a Diploma in Comprehensive Nursing in 1990 and the 3 year degree was introduced in 1994.

We used to have Enrolled Nurses but their training was 18 months. We have never to my knowledge had a 2 year training.

Good luck for your travels to NZ.

Scififan · Mar 22, 2007

Hi, I am an RN in PACU in small city in the north island, we and hospitals like us are always looking for nurses, the shortage is well and alive here also. I have to disagree with the anti-american sentiment. As a country we certainly don't agree with the USA's foreign policy but I do not believe that sentiment is directed to individuals at all!

The cost of living can be expensive in the bigger cities but in the smaller areas it is very reasonable, in my area to rent a 3 bedroomed house will cost you about $200 NZ per week which is probably about $100 -130 US. The price of petrol has caused food prices etc to go up but not to a crazy level.

I earn approx $55,000 per year bit more depending on the shifts and overtime I do, and that allows me to have a relatively comfortable lifestyle, I am certainly not rich but I'm not on the street starving either!

I would encourage you to come, I don't think you have to sit an exam but you will have to meet Nursing Councils requirements, their website is http://www.nursingcouncil.org.nz through that site you should be able to find out what you need to do or at least who to contact.

Good luck, any more info you require just yell!

Sabby_NC · Mar 22, 2007

Adboehnen good luck with your plans to relocate to NZ for continuation of your nursing career.

I have nursed in Tasmania Australia, my roots where I was born and now work in NC what a difference but one that I am thankful I made.

I would be interested to read a post from you once you are working in NZ to see your perspective on it all.

Cheers :)

ANnot4me · Mar 24, 2007

Hi there! I am a US nurse and live/work in Auckland. I started in Dunedin. There are job vacancies there, but they would be on the wards. I was an ICU nurse before coming here, but took a ward job. I hated it as it was quite menial and there was a lot of pill pushing, bed making and tidying. The practice of nursing here is very different and it is a cultural shock. The only place you will get an ICU job as a new hire is probably Auckland.

The pay is very low compared with every other comparable country and the cost of living is very high. Food is expensive, real estate is bubbled and at an all time high and things like books and clothing can be unbelievably expensive from an American point of view. But as previously stated, it is lower in smaller towns and a public hospital nurse makes the same anywhere in the country. There are private hospitals and they are very focused on physicians (IOW, you need to be good at keeping your mouth shut and doing what you are told).

NZ is a beautiful country and the lifestyle is nice, but it is no Utopia. You will need to take it as it comes. I live here because I believe in a national health system and I believe in a more liberal and socialistic government. I have learned the difference between want and need.

Bring warm clothes and forget about central heating, window screens and consumerism....

Best to you

rossario · Apr 13, 2007

Hi there! I am a US nurse and live/work in Auckland. I started in Dunedin. There are job vacancies there, but they would be on the wards. I was an ICU nurse before coming here, but took a ward job. I hated it as it was quite menial and there was a lot of pill pushing, bed making and tidying. The practice of nursing here is very different and it is a cultural shock. The only place you will get an ICU job as a new hire is probably Auckland.
The pay is very low compared with every other comparable country and the cost of living is very high. Food is expensive, real estate is bubbled and at an all time high and things like books and clothing can be unbelievably expensive from an American point of view. But as previously stated, it is lower in smaller towns and a public hospital nurse makes the same anywhere in the country. There are private hospitals and they are very focused on physicians (IOW, you need to be good at keeping your mouth shut and doing what you are told).
NZ is a beautiful country and the lifestyle is nice, but it is no Utopia. You will need to take it as it comes. I live here because I believe in a national health system and I believe in a more liberal and socialistic government. I have learned the difference between want and need.
Bring warm clothes and forget about central heating, window screens and consumerism....
Best to you

Hi Chigap!!! I am thinking of working in NZ while waiting for my immigrant petition in the US, most of my friends in the US told me that the working condition in NZ is far better than in the US. Do you have any ideas about Atlanta Solutions Agency which is based in Auckland and Wellington? I saw on the internet that they deploy nurses from the Philippines, but when I emailed them 3 days ago, they are not responding. Can anyone in this forum comment on what I have written? :uhoh3:

KimmbaFNP, MSN, APRN, NP · May 19, 2007

Hi all,

I'm going to add to the questions, as we will be moving to NZ eventually (not for several years, though) and am wondering about the realities of Advance practice nursing there.

I'm finishing a nurse practitioner program and have the option of adding nurse midwifery if I want. From what I could find on the NZ organizational websites, both Nurse practitioners and Nurse midwives practice there, but I couldn't really get a sense of what practicing there would be like.

Are NP's respected in NZ and what level of autonomy do they have? Can you set up in private practice like you would in the U.S. or are you obligated to work with a physician? Which are more respected, have more autonomy and better pay - a NP or midwife? And what do you think the opportunities are for those positions in NZ? (South island - Nelson to Christchurch areas)

I appreciate the more realistic information this forum can provide - Thanks! :)