Many people living in New Zealand can access publicly funded healthcare and disability services. Eligible groups include New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, eligible Australian citizens and permanent residents, and work visa holders whose visa lets them stay in New Zealand for two years or more. Some services are free, while others are subsidized, and people who are not eligible may need to pay for care.
New Zealand offers meaningful opportunities for healthcare professionals, including doctors, dentists, and nurses. As of December 2025, the Nursing Council of New Zealand reported 82,377 nurses holding annual practicing certificates, including 78,877 registered nurses, 2,526 enrolled nurses, and 974 nurse practitioners. Not all nurses with annual practicing certificates are actively working as nurses, but these figures show the scale of the regulated nursing workforce in the country. Nurses are central to patient care and often serve as the first point of contact for people seeking healthcare services. The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) represents more than 55,000 nurses and health workers and is a leading professional body and nursing union in Aotearoa New Zealand.
New Zealand continues to need qualified nurses, although workforce numbers can change from quarter to quarter. Many locally trained and internationally qualified nurses seek development, comprehensive training, and professional practice in a country that provides structured pathways for healthcare workers. For further information about the nursing workforce and the steps to become a nurse in New Zealand, please read more below.
How to Become a Nurse in New Zealand
Step 1. Get a Language Proficiency Certificate
Applicants must be able to communicate effectively in English to practice nursing safely in New Zealand. For internationally qualified nurses using the test-based pathway, the Nursing Council accepts the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and the Occupational English Test (OET). For IELTS Academic, applicants must achieve at least 7.0 in reading, listening, and speaking, and 6.5 in writing. For OET, applicants must achieve at least 350 in reading, listening, and speaking, and 300 in writing. The Nursing Council does not currently accept PTE. Students applying to a nursing school should also check the institution’s own admissions rules, which may include TOEFL or other tests for admission, even though the Nursing Council’s registration pathway is separate.
Step 2. Complete the Required Nursing Education
Of course, this is a crucial step to becoming a nurse in New Zealand. To become an enrolled nurse or registered nurse, you first need to complete a qualification at an education institution accredited by the Nursing Council. Each nursing scope of practice has a different required level of education.
If you wish to be an enrolled nurse, you must complete an 18-month Diploma in Enrolled Nursing program at Level 5 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF). This must be completed within three years of enrollment in the program. If you would like to become a registered nurse, you must complete either a three-year bachelor’s degree in nursing at Level 7 on the NZQF, which must be completed within six years of enrollment, or a two-year graduate-entry master’s degree at Level 8 on the NZQF, which must be completed within four years of enrollment.
Lastly, if you wish to become a nurse practitioner, you must complete a Nursing Council-accredited master’s degree program made up of structured courses with a clinical focus.
Step 3. Meet the Requirements for Registration of State Final Examination
The State Final Examination is required for entry to the enrolled nurse or registered nurse scope of practice. Candidates must sit the examination within one year of completing their program of study. Nursing program providers supply the Nursing Council with a list of candidates, and when applications open, the Nursing Council emails candidates their login details. First-time registered nurse and enrolled nurse candidates pay a $240 fee, which includes a $165 examination fee and a $75 New Zealand registration fee. Candidates must also meet registration requirements, including referee and criminal record history requirements.
Step 4. Pass the State Final Examination
The State Final Examination is an important step to becoming a nurse in New Zealand. It is designed to assess whether candidates can safely enter the nursing profession. The examination has two parts: medicine calculations, which make up 10% of the questions, and nursing knowledge, which makes up 90% of the questions. The nursing knowledge section is based on the Nursing Council’s standards of nursing competence for the registered nurse and enrolled nurse scopes of practice.
The registered nurse examination consists of 120 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 130 minutes. The enrolled nurse examination consists of 90 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 100 minutes. Each question has four answer choices, with one correct answer. To pass the examination, candidates must achieve an overall mark of 70% across the whole exam.
Step 5. Wait for the Results of the State Final Examination
Examination results are issued on a pass-or-fail basis. Successful candidates who have met all requirements will be emailed their results, confirmation of registration, and a link to apply for an annual practicing certificate online. Successful candidates who have not yet met all requirements will receive their results but must wait for confirmation of registration until the outstanding requirements are completed. Unsuccessful candidates are notified by email and may receive information about re-sit attempts where applicable. They may also apply to the Nursing Council for an analysis of their examination results.
Step 6. Work in New Zealand
After passing the examination and meeting the Nursing Council’s registration requirements, candidates can be registered as nurses in New Zealand. However, registration alone is not enough to practice legally. Nurses must also hold a valid annual practicing certificate before practicing in New Zealand.
Step 7. Apply for Credentials Verification with the Nursing Council of New Zealand (CVS-NCNZ)
If you are an internationally qualified nurse, you must first have your documents verified and authenticated through the Credentials Verification Service for the Nursing Council of New Zealand (CVS-NCNZ), which is now operated by TruMerit. TruMerit verifies and authenticates your required documents and sends a report to the Nursing Council when you authorize it. The Nursing Council then assesses your application and decides on registration. Nurses currently registered in Australia follow a separate pathway.
To be eligible to work as a nurse in New Zealand, you must meet the Nursing Council’s standards and requirements. These requirements may include the following:
- Identity documents
- Nursing qualifications
- Current overseas nursing registration
- English language competence
- A declaration that you have practiced nursing for at least 1,800 hours after registration
- Competence assessment, if required
- Criminal history checks
- Completion of the required Welcome to Aotearoa New Zealand online courses
- Registration application fee
To learn more about the detailed documents you need to prepare, please visit The Credentials Verification Service for the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
Step 8. Apply for a Working Visa
After meeting registration requirements, you should make sure that you have immigration permission to work in New Zealand. Australian citizens and permanent residents can normally live, work, or study in New Zealand without applying for a visa before traveling. Australian permanent residents usually need a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before travel and may receive an Australian Resident Visa on arrival if eligible. Most other migrants need a visa that allows them to work, such as an Accredited Employer Work Visa or another suitable visa. You can learn more about working visas in our New Zealand work visa guide.
Step 9. Get Ready to Work in New Zealand
Once your documents have been verified, your Nursing Council registration has been approved, your annual practicing certificate has been issued, and your work or residence visa has been granted if you need one, you are ready to work and provide services as a professional nurse in New Zealand.
To succeed in New Zealand’s healthcare system, choose the pathway that aligns with your career goals. The country offers the chance to make a difference in people’s lives and join a vibrant healthcare community. Begin your journey today!
We hope you found this article on the steps to becoming a nurse in New Zealand informative and helpful. Check out the Study in New Zealand and Available Programs for International Students pages to learn more about studying abroad.
