🇳🇿 Destination · New Zealand

Build your healthcare career in New Zealand.

New Zealand puts registered nurses, doctors and midwives on the Green List’s top tier — a direct route to residence — and actively recruits internationally qualified health staff from the Philippines, UK and Ireland.

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Retro travel postcard illustration of New Zealand
Tier 1
straight-to-residence
for registered nurses
NZD $75k–$106k
typical registered
nurse salary
3+ roles
nurses, doctors & allied
health in shortage
The country

Why healthcare professionals choose New Zealand

New Zealand’s public health system relies heavily on overseas talent, with chronic shortages across hospitals, aged residential care and community services. Nearly all core health occupations sit in the Green List’s top tier — which is what makes NZ distinctive: qualified nurses and doctors can often apply for residence from day one rather than working for years first.

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Straight to residence
Registered nurses, GPs, midwives and many specialists are Green List Tier 1 — eligible to apply for residence directly with a job offer.
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Established routes
Well-worn NCNZ pathways for Filipino, UK and Irish nurses; accredited employers handle the sponsorship.
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Quality of life
Consistently ranked among the best countries for lifestyle, safety and environment — a major draw for long-term settlers.
Visa pathways

How the migration system works

New Zealand recruits through accredited employers and the Green List. The route that fits you depends on your occupation’s tier and meeting the wage threshold.

Straight to residence

Green List — Tier 1

The most in-demand roles (including registered nurses, GPs and midwives) can apply for residence immediately with a job offer from an accredited employer, meeting registration and wage requirements.

Work then residence

Green List — Tier 2

Other shortage roles work on an Accredited Employer Work Visa for two years, then apply for residence.

Employer-sponsored

Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

The main work visa: a job offer from an INZ-accredited employer that passes a Job Check and meets the wage threshold (generally around NZD $29.66–$35 per hour).

Please note: Green List tiers, wage thresholds and visa rules change regularly, and eligibility depends on your circumstances. Figures are indicative (in NZD) and vary by employer, region and experience. Always confirm current requirements with Immigration New Zealand and the Nursing Council of New Zealand — our guides are kept up to date. Amber is not a migration agent and does not provide immigration advice.
Jobs & pay by role

What each profession can expect

Registration, visa route, demand and indicative pay for the four professions we source into New Zealand.

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Nurses & Midwives
NZD $75k–$106k
Indicative RN salary
Register with
NCNZ — Nursing Council of New Zealand; a Competence Assessment Programme (CAP) may apply. English via OET (B) or IELTS Academic 7.0.
Pathway
Green List Tier 1 — apply for residence directly with an accredited-employer job offer and NCNZ registration.
Visa route
Straight to Residence (Tier 1), or arrive on an AEWV and move to residence.
Demand
Nursing is a critical, ongoing shortage nationwide, across hospitals and aged residential care.
NCNZ registrationGreen List straight-to-residenceSalary: NZ vs Australia
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Doctors & IMGs
Varies by grade
GPs & specialists earn most
Register with
Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ); the route depends on where you trained and your scope of practice.
Pathway
GPs and many specialists are Green List Tier 1 — a direct route to residence with a job offer.
Visa route
Straight to Residence (Tier 1) or Accredited Employer Work Visa.
Demand
Persistent GP and specialist shortages, especially outside the main centres.
In-depth IMG guides for New Zealand are on the way. Register free and your Journey Advisor will map the right route.
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Care Workers
Wage-threshold based
via employer sponsorship
Route
Care and support work is generally not Green List Tier 1, so the pathway is the Accredited Employer Work Visa where the role meets the median wage threshold — employer-sponsored rather than straight-to-residence.
Requirements
A job offer from an accredited employer, relevant experience, and pay at or above the applicable wage threshold.
To residence
Possible over time through the general residence routes — slower than the Tier 1 nursing pathway.
Demand
Real demand in aged residential and home care, though the visa route is more conditional than for nurses.
We’re honest about this one: New Zealand’s fast Green List route is for nurses and doctors, not care workers. If a care role abroad is your goal, Australia and Ireland currently offer more direct sponsored routes.
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Allied Health
Profession-dependent
varies by role
Register with
The relevant NZ authority (e.g. Physiotherapy Board of NZ, Occupational Therapy Board of NZ, the Medical Radiation Technologists Board).
Pathway
Many allied health roles are on the Green List (Tier 1 or 2), with residence or work-to-residence routes.
Visa route
Green List (tier depends on the role) or Accredited Employer Work Visa.
Demand
Ongoing shortages across physiotherapy, medical imaging and other allied fields.
Allied-health guides for New Zealand are on the way. Register free to get matched to the right board and route.
New Zealand guides

Go deeper

Detailed, honest walkthroughs of the registration and visa steps above — kept current for 2026.

NCNZ registration for Filipino nursesThe Green List straight-to-residence pathwayNurse pay: New Zealand vs Australia

Start your New Zealand journey

Register free to build your verified profile, follow the Green List route for your role, and get matched with accredited employers. Upgrade to Premium for destination training, a readiness interview and a named Journey Advisor.

Register free → See membership
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