---
page_version: 680e5e2a8053fc9c4a54b5a993bf3143
content_date: 2026-10-16
entity_id: profession:nurse:nz
entity_type: profession_country
name: Nurse in New Zealand: recognition and shortage status
canonical_url: https://immigrationdb.com/move-as/nurse/new-zealand/
json_url: https://immigrationdb.com/data/move-as/nurse/new-zealand.json
markdown_url: https://immigrationdb.com/data/move-as/nurse/new-zealand.md
snapshot_id: approved-static-48d32b636f07abc8
generated_at: 2026-10-25
last_verified: 2026-10-15
citation_schema: immigrationdb-citation-v1
citation_canonical_url: https://immigrationdb.com/move-as/nurse/new-zealand/
citation_title: Nurse in New Zealand: recognition and shortage status
citation_author: ImmigrationDB
citation_publisher: ImmigrationDB
citation_snapshot_id: approved-static-48d32b636f07abc8
citation_version: "680e5e2a8053fc9c4a54b5a993bf3143"
citation_retrieval_date: "2026-10-16"
citation_build_date: "2026-10-16"
citation_license_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
license_url: https://immigrationdb.com/about/copyright/
---

# Working as a nurse in New Zealand

Nurse is a regulated profession in New Zealand. Foreign qualifications go through: Apply to the Nursing Council under the overseas-qualified route for the exact nursing title; education and competence are assessed, and route-specific competence steps may follow. Midwives apply separately to the Midwifery Council. In New Zealand, nurses are listed on the Appendix 13 Green List.

- Regulation: Regulated
- Recognition route: Apply to the Nursing Council under the overseas-qualified route for the exact nursing title; education and competence are assessed, and route-specific competence steps may follow. Midwives apply separately to the Midwifery Council.
- Recognition authority: Nursing Council of New Zealand for nurse/enrolled-nurse registrations and Midwifery Council for midwife registration; authority follows the exact title.
- Language requirement: For internationally qualified nurse registration, accepted evidence includes IELTS Academic at least 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking and 6.5 in writing, or the Council's OET standard. Midwives in the frozen family have a separate Midwifery Council IELTS/OET route; exemptions and alternatives are route-specific.
- Shortage list: Appendix 13 Green List

## Sources

Nursing and midwifery titles require registration; the frozen family also includes enrolled/nursing-associate occupations and does not map to one blanket title. — https://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/80506.htm
Appendix 13 Green List occupation: Registered Nurse; ANZSCO 254499 — https://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/89117.htm

## Cite

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately.

### APA

ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Nurse in New Zealand: recognition and shortage status [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 680e5e2a8053fc9c4a54b5a993bf3143]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/move-as/nurse/new-zealand/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

### BibTeX

```bibtex
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_nurse-in-new-zealand-recognition-and-shortage-status_afe7b2575c03,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Nurse in New Zealand: recognition and shortage status},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {680e5e2a8053fc9c4a54b5a993bf3143},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/move-as/nurse/new-zealand/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
```

### Markdown

[Nurse in New Zealand: recognition and shortage status](https://immigrationdb.com/move-as/nurse/new-zealand/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 680e5e2a8053fc9c4a54b5a993bf3143; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

- Citation schema: `immigrationdb-citation-v1`
- Canonical URL: https://immigrationdb.com/move-as/nurse/new-zealand/
- Title: Nurse in New Zealand: recognition and shortage status
- Author: ImmigrationDB
- Publisher: ImmigrationDB
- Snapshot: `approved-static-48d32b636f07abc8`
- Version: `680e5e2a8053fc9c4a54b5a993bf3143`
- Retrieved: 2026-10-16
- Built: 2026-10-16
- Compilation license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

## Boundary

This is reference information, not legal advice. Verify current requirements with the linked authority.