The New Zealand Nursing Job Vacancies: No Job for Qualified Foreign Nurses?
(Source: 1News)
Foreign Nurses Face Challenges in the New Zealand Job Market
Auckland, New Zealand – Hundreds of foreign-trained nurses queued for hours outside the Auckland Pullman Hotel on Sat, 17 Aug 2024 in hopes of securing employment at the Healthcare Job Fair. Despite the overwhelming turnout, many qualified nurses left the event discouraged due to limited job opportunities and stringent visa requirements.
The fair, organized by Healthdaq managing director Nathan Cox, attracted a significantly larger number of applicants than anticipated. This surge can be attributed to the reduced demand for nurses from New Zealand employers, as thousands of migrant nurses have arrived in the country in recent months.
Many of the foreign-trained nurses attending the fair are from countries like India (majority), the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Nigeria, etc. While they possess the necessary qualifications, their registration cannot be directly transferred to New Zealand. This requires them to obtain a student visa and undergo assessment before applying for work, making it challenging to find employers willing to sponsor them. Even after the introduction of the aptitude test and OSCE doesn’t seem to have changed the situation to any extend.
Just three of the recruiters at the fair were New Zealand-based, while the rest were from Australia. Australian recruiters expressed a more positive outlook on their job market, with ample opportunities available for nurses seeking work. Western Australia’s Aboriginal Health Council and Limestone Coast mental health director reported having vacancies to fill.
However, the number of available positions is unlikely to meet the demand from the hundreds of nurses who attended the fair. For instance, a registered nurse with six years of experience has been unable to find work in New Zealand despite spending $45,000 to come to the country. With their visa set to expire on September 15, they face the daunting prospect of returning to India without a job.
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Source: https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/08/24/qualified-foreign-nurses-struggling-to-find-work-in-new-zealand/
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