brodie16

HI to all...

I'm new on here and came across the forum while browsing for info on NZ Immigration for myself and my parner, Lisa...

Here is our question:

Lisa is due to finish her UK Degree in General Nursing in September this year and we plan to immigrate to NZ with Lisa as the main applicant and me to apply for a work visa as her spouse. We would like to know if anyone else has applied as a newly qualified nurse and what issues we may come up against. We are both in our mid 40's and would like to do this as painlessly and quickly as possible (if it can be done painlessly!! )

My background is in Facilities Management as a Contract Manager/Service Delivery Manager, so I'm hoping to find suitable work once we get there. My job is not on the Skills Shortage List, hence the reason we need to apply with Lisa as the main applicant.

We have contacted the New Zealand Nursing Council for advice on requirements for registration, but we are still waiting to find out if Lisas degree will be 100% transferable. We have also contacted a couple of hospitals directly to see if they can offer any advice on vacancies and paths into nursing in New Zealand.

All and Any advice would be very much appreciated.

EDIT: incase its relevant, we plan to move to near the Palmerston North or surrounding area due to the fact that we have friends that live just north of that area - don't know if this would be relevant!

Thanks in Advance...

Colin

Persephone

Hi there

I can't answer the nursing questions but someone will come along and help out, there are a few nurses on here.
Just a thought on visas as you mentioned a work visa for yourself. Are you both planning on staying permanently and going for residency in the future? As your wife would need a job offer to get a work visa anyway then she could probably go straight for residency as a skilled migrant [I suspect she will have enough points once you add in a job offer] and you would go on the same application. This does depend on how soon they expect her to start and you may need a work visa to tide you over until you get residency anyway....

I lived in Palmy for a year, it gets a bad press but I would live there again. It does rain a lot though

brodie16

Hi Persephone and thanks for my first reply on the forum.
It's just outside Pammy - its Feilding, about 20 mins north of Pammy, but guessing you'll know it anyway..
The plan would be to get a Work to Residence Permit, if Lisa gets a job offer first (hopefully) lol... Thanks for your input about Pammy too - we have heard mixed reports about the area, but you can't please all of the people all of the time I suppose... Lol - glad it getsa thumbs up from you, having lived there though...
And we are planning on staying for good...

Persephone

I know Feilding, I worked there but lived in Palmy. Used to take 11mins door to door as we lived on the north eastern edge of Palmy and I used to love seeing Ruapehu in the distance on the way in

It's quite a small town but has all the everyday things you'd need and you'd have Palmy to go to for anything else.
I suppose people slate the city because it's not on the coast but apart from that it's not that different to any other similar sized city in NZ. It's also well placed for travelling to just about everywhere in the south and centre of the NI. Plenty of options for a weekend away!
Good luck with the job hunt. Hopefully some nurses will come along and help with the work/job questions you asked.

MrsFychan

the rules on nursing are changing in March and also on another there was chat about the shortage list requirements changing in February so you might what to check this out not sure if this will affect you but saw it on another thread a few weeks back:

New Qualification Prescribed by the Nursing Council for Registered Nurses from Overseas

From 1 March 2013 all overseas applications for registration will be required to meet the new prescribed qualifications which are as follows:


a) Current registration with an overseas regulatory authority; AND


b) Successful completion of a nursing programme that is, in the Nursing Council’s opinion, equivalent to a three year bachelor degree programme in nursing and at level 7 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework; AND


c) Two years post-registration nursing practice as a registered nurse of at least 2,500 hours within the five years immediately preceding the date of the application; AND


d) At the direction of the Nursing Council successful completion of a Nursing Council approved competence assessment programme.


English language requirements remain at a 7 in all bands of IELTS and a B or A in all bands of an OET. The scores can be achieved over a succession of tests within 12 months of first sitting the test.


Applicants who have a diploma qualification only are unlikely to meet educational equivalence and are advised to contact Council staff before submitting an application.


Please note all applications currently held by Nursing Council or received before 1 March 2013 will be considered under existing policy.

lisamct

I was just coming to point out what MrsFychan has just said.
Although Lisa's degree should be directly transferable nursing registration is now going to require 2 years post grad experience so that might be your sticking point.

BEVS

Rats!

We need to get our thinking caps on. I'll move this to the main NZ forum so more nurses will see it.

brodie16

Help - all our plans will be up in the air for another two years then... Is there no way round this? Any advice would be appreciated...

passthevalium

Just a note of caution, I know for a fact that most DHB's are under severe financial constraints and that a lot of jobs are going to be cut, including nurses, so you have to get a job offer first, but it will be increasingly difficult for a few years. But I wish you all the best.

RachelG12

You may need to check out the INZ website as skills shortages have changed, and I think the only nursing staying on the list is Emergncy Department and Elderly care. Again, Lisa will need 2 years post grad experinc.
Occupations get added and removed on a frequent bias, but you're bet checking out Immigtion New Zealand webit.
Hope this helps

BEVS

Just went to check the NZIS shortage list

Currently there are:-

1 - Registered Nurse (Aged Care) (254412)

2 - Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) (254415)

3 - Registered Nurse (Medical) (254418)

4 - Registered Nurse (Perioperative) (254423)

brodie16

Oh boy... Looking as if our dreams of a life in NZ is slipping away - does anyone know what would our situation would be if Lisa got a job offer by a Health Board or with a Private Health Board? Would NZNC give her registration to allow her to work as a nurse in NZ? 3 years of planning and it.seems all our dreams are slipping away...

nero

Even if you were offered a job you unfortunately would still need to meet the New Qualification Prescribed by the Nursing Council for Registered Nurses from Overseas which kicks in from 1 March 2013 meaning that all overseas applications for registration will be required to meet the new prescribed qualifications (as listed above). Without the NZ Nursing Registration you cannot work as a nurse. Unless anyone knows differently.

Sorry

ragdolls2

Hi unfortunately 2 years experience is needed to obtain NZ registration. as already pointed out DHB's are under greater financial pressure and there are recruitment freezes across the country. Have you thought about OZ their nursing registration requirements may be different. It would give your partner an opportunity to gain the experience necessary for NZ registration. Best of luck

brodie16

Oz isn't where we wanted to live - We are both going to be past the age limit for Oz by the time Lisa completes her degree in September this year anyway. She will be 45 in September and I believe that would be past the age limit for Oz. Apart from that, for the past 3 years, our dream has been to live in NZ... We feel as if our hearts have been ripped out with this news. If we were 10 years younger, this wouldn't be such an issue, but we have struggled for the past 3 years to allow Lisa to study for her nursing degree in this country, so that she could do a job she loves once we got to NZ...

What if I received a job offer based on my management experience? If we got there based on me receiving a job offer in writing and me as the main applicant, what would be Lisas possible work situation? Would her past 3 years of study and her degree be worthless because the Nursing Council won't give her Registration to allow her to gain the experience? What about paid or unpaid internships?? Are the rules different for any of these? Any advice would be very much appreciated!!

HELP!!!