STEP BY STEP PROCESS TO BECOME RN IN NEW ZEALAND:

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Step by step process TO BECOME A REGISTERED NURSE IN New Zealand:

Nursing Council of New Zealand : www.nursingcouncil.org.nz–website 

STEPS:

Step 1: Arrange all documents needed for the process.

Step 2: Pass English proficiency test-Ielts/oet

Step 3: Apply to CGFNS international verification

Step 4: Request CGFNS to send your verification report to NZ nursing council

Step 5: Apply to nursing council and make payment

Step 6:  Assessment of your application by NZ nursing council

Step 7:  Decision on your application by Nursing council– -CAP offer letter

Step 8: Visa application process

Step 9: complete a Competence Assessment Programme (CAP) in NZ

Step 10: Do medical

Step 11: send CAP assessment report to nursing council

Step12: Obtain Annual practicing certificate from nursing council

Congratulations now you are a registered nurse in new Zealand.

Lets begin,

Step 1: Arrange all documents needed for the process.

General Requirement for Registered nurses from outside New Zealand must have:

1. Educational document:

Bsc nursing/msc nursing/post bsc nursing-registered nurse: equivalent to or as satisfactory as a bachelor’s degree programme in nursing at Level 7 on the New Zealand Qualifications

• Diploma nurse—can apply for enrolled nurses not as registered nurses. That also decided by council after verifying your docuemnts.
• If any diploma nurses who has experience in uk, australia, and other European countries there is a chance to get Registered nurse license, depends on your case manager who is dealing your files.

• License /Registration:

Current valid registration from nursing council from your education country license and last working country license -initial registration and renewed license.

3. Experience: two years’ post-registration experience  as a  registered nurse with at least 2,500 hours within the five years immediately preceding the date of the application.

New updates for 2024:

1 year experience they will consider with in 5 years.

Step 2: Pass English proficiency test-Ielts/oet

OET /IELTS score sheets

Language proficiency:

Clubbing is possible, however the required score must be met within 12 months of the first sitting of the test and met within three years of your CGFNS report being transmitted to Nursing Council.

Exemption for language proficiency:

• Your education that led to registration as a nurse was taught and examined in English in the United Kingdom, Singapore, Ireland, Canada, or the United States of America.
  The Council may require you to provide evidence that you completed your nursing education in English, for example, a transcript from your education provider.
• You have current nursing registration in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, or the United States of America that required you to pass an English language test. The Council may require you to provide evidence of this.

IQNs who meet one or more of the above criteria will be invited to apply for an alternate English language evidence pathway electronically.

CGFNS will submit this request to NCNZ with the CVS-NCNZ program report and NCNZ will approve or decline the request.

Note: If CGFNS does not receive evidence that you have passed English Proficiency Testing within a year of your application and you are not eligible to apply for an alternate English evidence pathway, your order will expire.

Step 3: Apply to CGFNS international verification:

1. International passport
2. Clear recent passport size photo
3. Name change document if any applicable

Employment History:

worked as a nurse for at least two years (2500 hours) during the last five years. For experience letter either HR or nursing admin can fill out the form.

Education:

• Entry-level nursing education (e.g. Associates Degree in Nursing, Diploma in Nursing, Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, post graduate qualification leading to registration).
• Post-entry level nursing education if initial qualification is not at degree level (e.g. RN to BSN programs).

Your educational institution should send to CGFNS:

• The completed nursing education form (which you will download from the Applicant Portal and send to them).
• A full academic transcript, which CGFNS defines as a record of an applicant’s courses taken, along with credit hours that the applicant received for each course.
  • Transcripts from certain countries/jurisdictions also require supplemental documentation such as:
    • Related Learning Experience (Philippines).
    • School and university mark sheets (India).
    • Diploma supplement (European Union countries).
    • Evidence of your clinical experience hours (United States).

License:

CGFNS requires documentation of all nursing licenses held by you in the last five years. These must be provided to CGFNS by the relevant license issuing authority.

The fee for CVS-NCNZ is $300 (USD)

• Once CGFNS has received and reviewed all required documents from all authroities, you will receive a completed Credentials Verification Report within 1 month.
• You have 30 days from the date you received the report to approve it and authorize CGFNS to send the report to the NCNZ.
• Do not send the report to the NCNZ yourself.
• If you do not approve the report within 30 days, your order will expire.
•  If your order expires, you will not be able to apply to the NCNZ for registration without reapplying to CGFNS and completing the process again.
• Cgfns file will be valid for 1 year only.

Step 4: Request CGFNS to send your verification report to NZ nursing council:

• Once you have received your report, you need to request CGFNS to send it to the Nursing Council.
• CGFNS report will be sent to nursing council with in 3-7 working days

Step 5: Apply to nursing council and make payment:

• You will then receive an email inviting you to complete the application process for registration in nursing council nz
• Apply and Pay the registration fee in the site around 485 NZ$.
• Within 30 business days documents will be reviewed by case manager.

Step 6:  Assessment of your application by NZ nursing council:

• The Nursing Council will assess your application against the seven registration standards and make a decision regarding your registration.
• You will be asked to make a declaration for fitness for registration and to complete a criminal history check.
• Fitness to practice:  International criminal record check: Any country you lived more than 6 months from past 7 years, you have to get clearance from all these countries. In my case I stayed in Saudia, UAE and in India past 7 years. So I have to get criminal check done from these 3 countries.

Step 7:  Decision on your application by Nursing council– -CAP offer letter:

• You will receive CAP offer letter. Offer letter is valid for 2 years .always be in mind the expiry of OET. My personal suggestion, you have to keep enough budget before starting process.
• Exemption from CAP: Nurses registered in Australia, USA, Canada, Ireland , Singapore,UK or  caneda.(submit license from this country).
• In CAP offer letter -list of CAP providers will be there .
• Apply for all providers (4 schools atleast)

Step 8: Visa application process:

• Once you get a CAP offer letter, apply a visitor visa-resident critical worker .Attending CAP is a critical purpose .Bring family as dependent
• Occupational registration visitor visa is common
• Better this time you can seek help of an agency for visa process.
• Accredited employer work visa –newzeland immigration website -you can check in website.-after getting an employer.-

Requirements :

• Offer letter from accredited employer atleats 30 hrs/week
• Your employer must pay you at least the nz median wage unless your occupation is exempt
• You must have necessary skills and qualifictaion for the jon
• Meet health and character requirement

But if you need to apply by yourself here are the steps.

Emigration invitation from new Zealand needed

• Request for travel to NZ(45 Nzd)
• After a week will get invitation to accept for a visit visa
• Visa application lodged(375 NZD)
• After 5 days visit visa received-critical purpose visit visa
• Flight ticket -depends on your country check fare.
• Show money : According to website you must have at least 1000Nzd /month  /person or 400 /month if you already paid for your accommodation
• So you must have 1000 NZD/person , show for 6 month at least. IF you are total 3 members total will be 3000 NZD /month, that means 18thousand nzd for 6 month you have to show. It is around 9 lakhs INR. Or 41thousand AED.
• Gold loan you cant show as show money, either you can sell your gold and that amount you can show.  
• No need to show fixed deposit , you can show your saving account, investments, personal loans, mutual funds investment which mention that you can break at any time.
• Fixed deposit means how you can break the deposit, there is maturity period is there right. I don’t think any bank will allow you to break fixed deposit.
• So in an emergency to transfer money to NZ from your country , you have to show the proof how you got that  money. So as per experts until you get employment visa keep those amounts in bank and don’t withdraw amount. Anything more than 50 thousand you have to shwo proof of the amount to transfer money to nz.

Evidence of cash:

• Proof of accommodation pre payment , like hotel prepaid vouchers, bank statements, credit card statements , bank fdraft, travellers cheques etc
• A sponsorship form for temporary entry completed by an acceptable sponsor
• Sponsor should provide -recent bank statement, pay slip , employment agreement, accommodation

*if you are preganant additional requirement paying for maternity care

Keep in hand some amount to spend while you don’t have job

(15000 aed you can keep in your hand)

CRITICAL PURPOSE VISIT VISA GUIDE: TRAVEL TO NEW ZELAND WHILE BORDER IS  CLOSED:

2 RESONS,

-YOU HAVE A CRITICAL PURPOSE TO TRAVEL TO nz

-YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED BY inz

Check list of critical purpose reasons to travel (immigration.govt.nz)

Critical health workers-CAP nurses select

To get ITA(Invitation to accept ) fro residency.

Submit request to travel to NZ

Search google-request for travel to NZ

Fees to request entry to NZ is NZD-45 for each person

Request for travel-select reason for travel as critical health worker

And you can give description about travel: I am internationally qualified nurse invited to come to NZ by the nursing council of NZ and I will be attending a competency .Assessment programme at (your school name ) which will start on (date)

Fill following details:

• Who is your employer-name of your school
• What health service will you be delivering?-nurse who are internationally qualified
• Are you currently registered in NZ or in process of gaining registration—yes
• What is the start date of employment-start date of CAP
• How long do you plan to work in NZ-leave blank
• Next you have to enter passport details , contact details, admission details-blank

Secondary applicant details(partner/child):

• If  more than 1 dependent child, you must give information for each of them
• Do you have a partner, son  or daughter travelling with you-yes
• Secondary applicant detail –fill
• Character details -fill
• Health details declaration
• Declaration – submit application

While waiting for ITA(Invitation to apply ) for residency , prepare for further documents:

• Passport style photo for visa
• Passport copy
• Critical purpose evidence file -CAP offer letter, offer letter from school, receipt of payment for CAP, welcome booklet from school, support letter from school= merge all pdf and attach
• Evidence of sufficient funds file(1000 NZD /person/month), bank statement for 6 months, bank certificate, CC statement for 6months,Air bnb listing-property titles= merge to 1 file
• Police certificate less than 6 months agao
• Additional docuemnts (optional)
• Cover letter (reason for application -write all details )
• Record of previous travel
• Evidence of English language
• Academic transcript
• Birth certificate
• Certificate of employment
• Travel insurance-check—Orbit protect -3 months -100 NZD
• MIQ voucher and flight ticket

Dependents documents:

• Passport style photograph
• Passport copy
• Police certificate
• Visitor visa declaration form(INZ 1224) from the website of immigration NZ
• Evidence of relationship-marriage certificate, birth certificate, photo time line  (you can take photos from face book to show time line of your relation ship or any platform where you posted publicly)

Insurance beneficiary, joint bank account details

Live together for 1 year -house contract, utility bills etc,

All documents should be in English.

Realme (Newzeland Immigration):

• Login -immigration online
• Visitor visa application-fill details
• Start my application
• Identity contact part fill it
• Declaration -agree
• Payment 281 NZD
• Mail passport to nearest visa application centre for scanning (check google for centre)
• Together with passport mail the following forms:

-thank you form -at the end of online application fee

Cc authorization forms for visa center fee and courier return fee for passport-small amount will be there

Will get visa 1-2 month duration .

—work visa application-495 NZD

3month after receiving in voice (payment due date)

Step 9: complete a Competence Assessment Programme (CAP) in NZ:

3 parts in CAP:

foundation or theory course -2 days (online also):

• Code of ethics, infection control, guidelines for safety, code of health and disability, culture and safety, medication management, treating of Waitangi and maori health in nursing education and practice
• Nursing care plan-5 steps nursing process. Submit online assessment .SBAR communication to tutor through zoom application.

ISBAR in our communication:

• Introduction in our communication
• Situation
• Background
• Assessment
• Request/recommend

OSCE:

• Written exam about medication administration, universal formula, IV fluid formula.
• 4 stations:
  • vital signs
  • blood glucose and urine dipstick testing
  • medication administration
  • delivering  ISBAR (through phone)

OSCE proper:

Give one scenario.

• Based on condition do it.
• Check scenario is emergency or not
• Pretend with real patient with maniquene

Medication administration scenario:

• Delegation of care by a registered nurse  to health car eworker
• OSCE is recorded full exam duration and events

Clinical placement.

• After pass OSCE-4 weeks clinical placement
• Aged care facility, hospital, school
• 8 hours /day-5 days /week to get familiar with hospitals , patients etc
• Your tutor will visit your hospital and ask for follow up
• Write at the end of clinical practice competence assessment form for the registered nurse scope of practice.

Internationally qualified nurses CAP fund

How to apply for the fund

To register your interest in the fund, you first need:

• confirmation from the Nursing Council of New Zealand that you need to complete a CAP course
• confirmation of a CAP provider
• a start date for the course.

You’ll need this information before you fill out the form.

When your form is complete, send it to [email protected]

Reimbursement of costs will be considered when IQNs have completed their course and can provide evidence of the following:

• Successful completion of a Competence Assessment Programme (CAP) offered by a provider accredited by the NCNZ.
• Registration from the NCNZ.
• A confirmed offer of employment in a direct patient-facing role, such as in hospitals, aged care, GP practices or mental health and addictions.
• Required work visa to work in New Zealand.

What funding is provided

The Internationally Qualified Nurses CAP Fund will provide financial assistance to reduce the costs of a CAP offered by providers accredited by NCNZ. The fund applies to CAPs that begin from 1 August 2022. 

The maximum amount this fund provides is up to NZ$10,000 per applicant. Funding will be prioritised for nurses who have secured full-time employment. Nurses intending to work part-time will receive pro-rated financial assistance based on how many hours they are working. For example, if an overseas nurse undertakes a CAP at the cost of NZ $8,000 and is working 20 hours a week, the amount they can claim is NZ$4,000.

International nurses seeking employment in other areas of nursing, such as policy, education/training, corporate or administration, would not be eligible to a

Important updates about CAP  in 2024.

Major changes are going to happen in the beginning of 2024 that is closure of CAP.  They will start online exam , ozse , small eductaion modules which is similar to uk and australia programmes.

I am assuming that may be it can be nclex exma or similar to nclex an online exam which can be written from your country . and after reaching NZ there will be 1 day exam fro OSCE. OSCE pre exam training you will get from NZ. Regarding new changes there si not much updates in websites.

Step 10: Do medical:

Check in site:

Find a physician -general medical physician -find a doctor near you-approved pannel physician in newzeland-type country search with your place.

Medical examination fees -540 Nzd

Step 11: send CAP assessment report to nursing council:

• To nursing council of new Zealand: report for competence assessment programme for internationally qualified nurse registration .(eg: of scenario, competency results). This report will be sent to nursing council for registration.

Step12: Obtain Annual practicing certificate from nursing council:

Once you are registered, you will be asked to apply for an Annual Practising Certificate. This entitles you to practise as a nurse in New Zealand.

Annual practicing certificate cost you 130NZD

Step 13: Seek for Employer:

You can seek for employer with your Annual practicing certificate issued by nursing council of nz.

Well we completed now all steps. Now finally do you wish to know how much it cost for you.

How to find job sponsors/job search websites.

• Seek-seek.co.nz
• Trademe-trademe.co.nz
• Adzuna(new zealnad)
• Jora(new zealand)
• Indeed (new zealnd)
• Linked in -jobs (new zealnd)

How to know accredited employers-can see in immigration website -all work visas in nz

Search in google accredited employer with Immigration nz

Fees for whole process:

IELTS Academic fee—175 -195 pound depending on location

Or OET-587 AUD-1 month

CGFNS credentials verification service fee: 300 (USD)

All university and licensing council verification fee depends on your council  around :300 USD

Nursing Council application and processing fee- $485 (NZD) 

The CAP fee –8000-12000 NZD

International Criminal History Check fee: $149 (AUD)

Medical examination fees –540 Nzd

work visa application-495 NZD

Other related costs (set by each provider) may include:

• Translation of original documents into English (if required)
• Competence Assessment Programme fees (if required)-
• Police clearance certificates from each country where you lived differs individually.
• Visa process fees depends on your dependents count, area where you selected, hotel booking fee, accommodation fee and all.
• Show money in bank
• Travel expense to reach to CAP centre
• Daily living expense once you reached NZ(15000 Aed  you can keep in hand -can be used until you get job)
• Air ticket for you and your family -ticket fare.

I hope I covered almost all part. If any information is wrong or to be added to this kindly comment here.

If you found this deep drive blog super helpful, write  your love in the comments to let me know .

For new zealand process documentation assistance please feel free to contact nursing manthra.