Find out everything you need to know about moving down under in our IMG job market report

There are roles available right across New Zealand. Many (though certainly not all) locum roles are in rural locations and lots of doctors we work with love using this as an opportunity to explore new places. Where the work is also depends on the type of work you’d like to do and what your specialty and experience is. You can search for current roles on our job search page.

AHPRA (Australia) and MCNZ (New Zealand) are the national organisations responsible for doctor registration and accreditation.

Australasian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency Registration (or AHPRA) is what you require to legally practise medicine in Australia.

To practise medicine in New Zealand you must have Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) Registration.

The Competent Authority Pathway is a pathway in which you can gain AHPRA registration (Australia), or MCNZ registration (New Zealand). To be eligible for this pathway, you must have completed your primary medical degree in the UK or Ireland. You are also eligible if you have passed the medical licensing exams in the UK, Canada, USA or NZ and have completed internship equivalent in one of these countries.

The Standard Pathway is for those applying for registration in Australia who don’t meet the Competent Authority Pathway criteria. To be eligible you will have completed a medical degree listed in the WHO directory. You will need to successfully complete the AMC examinations which involve an MCQ and clinical examinations. Then you can apply for provisional registration. You must secure an internship-level role for the first 12 months.

This pathway provides a route to MCNZ registration in New Zealand for doctors who:

• Have a medical degree from a country listed in the WHO directory
• Have worked for 33 months (for at least 30 hours per week) in the 48 months prior to your application within a comparable health system. And in the same area of medicine and same level offered in New Zealand.
• Hold full (or general) registration in the comparable health system in which you meet the above active clinical practice requirements.

The NZREX Clinical Examination provides another pathway to MCNZ registration in New Zealand. You are eligible if you have a degree from a country listed in the WHO directory. You will be required to complete the NZ Registration examinations. Once these are successfully completed you will be eligible for provisional registration. Then you are required to secure an internship level role for the first 12 months.

The Specialist Pathway is a route to registration in Australia. It involves an assessment by the relevant specialist college of your qualifications and experience to see how it compares to that of an Australian trained specialist. The outcome of the assessment will determine your comparability, and what if any further requirements you need to gain full specialist registration.

As a doctor who has trained overseas you must hold Vocational Registration to work as a specialist in New Zealand. This involves full assessment of your overseas qualifications, training and experience to see how it compares. The outcome of the assessment will determine the steps you need to take to be eligible for Vocational Registration.

We cannot assess your eligibility for registration. This is up to the relevant national organisation of the country you’d like to work in.

Medrecruit can help find international doctors a suitable role. Our team can also provide some guidance and advice around moving to Australia and New Zealand.