How to Become a Nurse in New Zealand as a U.S. RN

Written By Rachel DeNoyer

Raglan Beach, North Island

Wondering how to do nursing in New Zealand from the U.S.? The process of licensing and getting a New Zealand work visa may seem tedious however I’m hoping this guide will help anyone who is attempting this process. I started my application for my nursing license in February of 2023 and officially got a job in July of 2024, however, the process can be expedited if you are looking to go sooner.

It is such a privilege to be able to work as an RN in another country that is safe, beautiful, and offers a good quality of life, and New Zealand covers all of those categories!

Please note the pricing reflects the cost from 2023-2024 as there may have been increases to these requirements. As of August 2024, there have been budget allocations that may not allow for reimbursements.

What are the requirements to work as a nurse in New Zealand?

In order to become a RN in New Zealand you need to have these bare minimum qualifications

  • Proper Identification and an unencumbered nursing license(Valid Passport and ID)

  • Nursing qualification equivalent to NZ qualifications (a U.S. RN degree is equivalent, ADN or BSN is okay)

  • Provide nursing-related work history from the last 10 years

  • Evidence of English language proficiency (if English is not the first language an exam may be required)

  • 1,800 hours of post-registration nursing experience (equivalent to 1 year of full-time 36hours/week)

Process Breakdown of Obtaining a New Zealand Nursing License as a U.S. RN

  • CGFNS ($ 300 USD) - you must verify and authenticate your documents with this organization BEFORE applying to the New Zealand Nursing Council.

    • This will be the most tedious and time-consuming aspect of this process due to all the various documents you need to provide (transcripts, work history, verification from the Board of Nursing you are licensed in, official identification documents)

    • TRANSCRIPTS - You may not be required to provide transcripts as they have been more lenient with waiving documents however if you do, here are a few things to keep in mind: When processing my application, I was required to send paper transcripts directly to the CGFNS organization (their address is in the U.S. so you are avoiding international mailing fees). There was a document that my school was to fill out which I was able to attach in my order. Every school is different and this may require you to call or email someone in charge of credentialing. The paper transcripts should not be sent from you, the school should be able to send the transcripts and form they have filled out directly to CGFNS.

    • WORK HISTORY - CFGNS requires that applicants provide all of their work history. Still, if that list is extensive (I worked at 9 hospitals using 5 different travel nursing companies for 5 years YIKES) I would request a “waiver” for the short-term contracts from a long time ago. I did have to provide a reason for waiving certain documents which I provided them with a short response such as “short travel nurse contract, the manager no longer works here”. If you have been traveling with the same company you can provide them as your “employer” to avoid having to obtain multiple contacts and references from previous hospitals.

    • VERIFICATION from any Board of Nursing you are licensed in. As a travel nurse, I had 6 state nursing licenses, 4 of which I waived throughout this process. When providing my reasoning I responded “license has expired as I no longer work in that state” and I had no issue waiving those state licenses. Each state has its own way of providing verification and this will require some extra research. Just know you will not be using Nursys because you are not verifying your license to another state but to this specific organization (CGNFS).

    • VALID ID verification is required by making an appointment with a notary. I had to have the notary sign the specific document provided by CGFNS, including the notary making copies of my passport and ID with stamps. Be sure to upload these documents into your CGFNS portal after.

    • Here is a resource that provides in-depth questions and answers for submitting documents through CGFNS

    • Once everything is submitted and accepted through CGFNS, they will generate a report that they will submit to the Nursing Council of New Zealand. You will then receive an email with an invitation to apply for registration. They will provide you with a link and instructions on creating a portal.

  • MyIQN ($485 USD)

    • This process was fairly easy and a matter of paying an application fee and completing 2 free cultural competency modules provided by the nursing council. The modules took me less than 1 hour to complete and were an overview of culturally safe nursing practice in New Zealand.

    • At the time of completing my application, the nursing council was experiencing delays in processing applications. I submitted for my licensure in October 2023 and did not receive it until May 2024, however, I was still able to apply for jobs and obtain interviews without having my official license in hand. The most important part is completing CGFNS before interviewing!

Process Breakdown of Applying for Jobs

  • Applying for Jobs

    • I used a recruiter at Accent Health Recruitment, which made the process much smoother. She helped me navigate CGFNS and connected me to job pages and hospital systems. I did try to look for nursing jobs on my own but having no connections in New Zealand made it more difficult. The recruiter is free of cost to you, however, the hospital will have to pay a recruitment fee when hiring. We started applying for jobs roughly 3 months before our anticipated start date and my application was still being processed through MyIQN (NZ Nursing Council). You can email my recruiter Hayley to get you started with the job process.

  • Fit2Work Police Check ($109 USD)

    • This general background check is sent to the Nursing Council, and your future employers may need a copy.

  • Fingerprints ($20 USD)

    • Can be completed at USPS

  • Visa ($505 USD)

    • You will not be granted your work visa until AFTER you have been given a formal job offer. Once we were given our job offer or “token” we took that to New Zealand Immigration and applied for the Accredited Employer Work Visa. This visa was valid for 60 months, had a minimum pay rate and the holder is required to work a minimum 30 hours per week. We received a response within a few days of our online application

    • PARTNER VISA - Your family and dependents can live and work under your visa with this option. Additionally, your committed partner may join you if you can provide evidence of a healthy and stable relationship for 1 year even if you are not legally married. This visa may take longer and you may need to email immigration to expedite this process. You will need to provide extensive proof of a legitimate relationship through lease documents, utility bills, photos, letters of support from family and friends, a timeline of the relationship, evidence of shared expenses, genuine and stable partnership evidence, and possibly more.

Mount Eden Boardwalk, Auckland

FAQ

How much do nurses get paid in New Zealand compared to the U.S.?

The salary of a nurse in New Zealand is a standardized tier system based on years of experience. Nursing Salaries in New Zealand range from 60,000 NZD to 125,000 NZD which is equivalent to 37,400 USD to 77,833. In my experience, the pay is relatively equivalent to staff nursing pay in the U.S., however, benefits seem to be more valuable and there is a greater emphasis on work-life balance.

CGFNS Contact

Wondering how to contact CGFNS? You can submit a request through your account for something minor but if you are looking for a phone number here are a few options

CGFNS Contact Numbers

From New Zealand: 0800-85-47-59 (toll-free)

From United States: 844-948-0117 (toll-free)

From outside New Zealand and US: +1 267-845-4521

Rachel DeNoyer