Overseas doctors
Two initiatives are targeted at qualified overseas doctors, making it easy for them to apply for roles, get registered and relocate to New Zealand.
Pātiki and Waharua Kōpito patterns
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NZREX Bridging Programme
This programme was focused on hospital training and prepares candidates for entry into the two-year pre-vocational training programme for full registration in New Zealand.
The initial pilot had 10 candidates and ran as a four and a half month bridging programme in the Northern Region (based in Auckland). It was completed in July 2023 with all 10 candidates now working in Auckland based hospitals.
If you have any questions related to this programme, please email workforce@tas.health.nz
NZREX Primary Care pathway
This pilot programme is a pathway to full registration for doctors where training is based in general practice.
Training is largely focused on practice in the community based primary care settings, with the first six-months in hospital-based training. The initial pilot of 10 candidates commenced in January 2023 and it is expected that nine candidates will graduate in December 2024 and one candidate will graduate in June 2025.
Health NZ is very supportive of the NZREX Primary Care Pathway and acknowledge the exemplary job Waikato District have done in supporting and managing the programme and the registrars throughout the pilot.
More information
Registration to work as a doctor in New Zealand and NZREX processes - Medical Council of New Zealand
Relocation funding to support the international recruitment of rural General Practitioners
Between 1 September 2023 and 30 June 2024, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora provided relocation funding to support the international recruitment of General Practitioners (GPs) to work in rural primary care practices that are having difficulty attracting and recruiting GPs.
This initiative enabled rural primary care practices to be better positioned to attract and retain internationally-recruited GPs, while we invested in growing more sustainable domestic GP workforce supply pathways. Supporting and strengthening rural primary care will enable rural communities to have better and more equitable access to health care in their local communities to help them stay well.