UK nurse running off to New Zealand

[suzymcd1988]

Hi all,

First post here. I am a newly qualified nurse working in a London hospital in my first job as an RN. I am looking to emigrate with my partner to New Zealand and wanted to ask about required work experience. Ideally we would like to go next year so I would have at least 12 months experience in a busy GI surgical ward but am not sure if this is enough experience to apply for jobs in NZ. Some websites have told me that many hospitals will happily accept newly qualified whereas others say minimum 2 years. I am more than happy to do bank/locum if a permanent job isn't an option.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I have searched the forum but the posts I found were from a few years back and I wasn't sure how relevant they still are.

Many Thanks!

[YeXinZhi, BSN, RN]

Hi Suzy,

It is always adviseable to gain about 1-2 years experience before applying to immigrate here.

Have you looked at the process of gaining registration as a nurse? A competency assessment program maybe required for some nurses from certain countries, it is a 6-8 week course (theory and practical) that you have to go through before registration is granted. I'm not sure how it is for UK-trained nurses though so it may be worth asking.

Getting 1 year's experience is good, but if it is enough to break the competition is another question. Remember you have a lot of competition from locals, potential immigrants, and Aussies as well (who have unlimited work and right to abode in NZ). Maybe 2 years will make you more competitive.

NZ is a very different place now from when I first moved here in 2006, back then, I had literally no clinical/hospital experience and the only way I made it here was by working at a geriatric hospital (it's like a nursing home but more acute). Only after working there for 2 years (they spent about NZD8,000 getting me to NZ and said I didn't have to pay for it as long as I worked for them for at least 2 years so I stayed). I got a job at the DHB's (District Health Board) main hospital. Nowadays, you probably won't find a single employer willing to sponsor you for your move because, like I said earlier, there is a lot more competition today than there was 10 years ago.

My advice is :

1. Get your 12 months experience.

2. Apply for NZ registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand.

3. Apply for migration as a skilled worker. That way you will look more attractive to employers.

Hope I was helpful.

[jennylee321]

In order to gain registration in NZ you MUST have 2 years post-registration experience in your home country