New Zealand Nursing Council Registration

Filipino nurses who wish to register with the Nursing Council of New Zealand must show proof that they are registered with the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) of the Philippines as a nurse and they must either 1) have completed an assessment program or 2) have earned a qualification equivalent to a New Zealand nursing qualification.

Only a nursing degree earned from an Australian nursing school is deemed equivalent to a NZ nursing qualification, so unless you have the money to enroll in Australia or NZ, the best route to take is the 6-week competency assessment program.

To simplify the application process, here's what you need to do:

1. Take the IELTS. A band of 7 on all parts of the exam is required by the NZ Nursing Council. An average of 7, with scores below 7 in any part will not qualify you for registration. You must consistently score at least 7 in all parts--reading, listening, writing and speaking.

2. Once you have the IELTS, contact the NZ Nursing Council. You will need to download a form which you will need to fill up and then send certified copies of your passport, birth certificate, mariage certificate, curriculum vitae, and police clearance, among others.

You can get the form here.

Remember that documents requested by the Council must be authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs. Typically, you will need to request your documents from the appropriate agency (NSO, PRC, etc.) and then go to the DFA for the documents to be authenticated and affixed with a seal.

3. The NZ Nursing Council will also require you to submit your IELTS report. You must request this from the testing agency which will directly send your report to the Council.

4. Once you have all your documents ready, send them to the Council together with NZ$465 registration fee.

5. Once your application has been processed, the Council will advise you to enroll in an accredited Assessment Program.

You can get a list of approved programs here.

*About the Assessment Program*

An introduction to nursing in New Zealand including cultural safety and legal requirements of practice. Overseas registered nurses seeking registration in New Zealand need to apply to the Nursing Council for registration criteria and provide the Department of Nursing and Health Studies with evidence of this and of English language assessment (for ESOL students) prior to commencing the course. Clinical evaluation will be based on the NZ Nursing Council Competencies.

NZ$ 3600 Tuition Fee (ranges from NZ$3,500 to NZ$4,500)
NZ$ 1050 Homestay (NZ$175 * 6weeks) (inside campus dormitory)
NZ$ 230 one-time reg. fee
NZ$ 80 for the medical/travel insurance (9 wks)
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NZ$ 4960 Total

6. If you have the notice already from the Council, you can apply for a student visa with the NZ Embassy.

7. Once you complete your assessment program, you may apply for a work-to-residence permit which you can use to be employed in NZ.

There are several Filipino groups in New Zealand who can help you make the transition. Look up pinoyz2nz in Yahoogroups if you think you'll need assistance.

If you don't have work experience, it would be difficult for you to be recruited by a government hospital in NZ where the pay is higher compared to other institutions. Some nursing homes, however, hire nurses even without prior experience.

Click here to get more information about the registration process in New Zealand.

Good luck.