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Healthcare professionals wishing to emigrate to New Zealand and find work in the sector will need to gain New Zealand registration in a specific field of practice before applying for jobs in the country. The rule applies to doctors, nurses and midwives as well as to workers in specialised fields such as anaesthetists, pharmacists, psychologists, radiographers and dentists.

New Zealand professional organisations who grant registration include the Medical Council of New Zealand for doctors, the Nursing Regulation Council, the Midwifery Council, the Anaesthetic Technicians Society, the Pharmacy Council, the New Zealand Psychologists Board, the Medical Radiation Technologists Board and the Dental Council. Registration with these bodies is essential for permission to work in healthcare in the country.

Permanent vacancies for doctors, nurses, midwives, allied health providers and health technicians are available in both public and private hospital facilities across both islands, although applicants must have completed at least a year's experience in their speciality before being considered. Competence in the English language including medical terminology is also essential. Temporary contracts are also offered in the Auckland region.

Auckland hospitals in particular are offering nursing jobs in the general surgical and theatre nursing sector as well as in the mental health sector, with Dunedin and Wellington also good locations to start your search. Anaesthetic technicians are required in Wellington, and Gisborne City is in need of midwives. Recently, Psychiatric Registrars and consultants in Orthopaedics, Radiology and Anaesthetics were required in several cities on North Island, with international candidates considered.

Medical officers from the UK and Ireland are required for positions on both North and South Islands, and a hospital on South Island recently advertised for a Cardiothoracic Registrar and a Consultant Paediatrician, both permanent positions open to international applicants. A permanent position as a psychiatrist working with adults, including those with addiction problems, included benefits such as a relocation package and temporary accommodation.

Generally, hospitals and other medical facilities in New Zealand welcome applications from abroad, particularly for those with specialist skills and qualifications. Most positions are permanent and there is a good choice of locations, from the two major cities, Auckland and Wellington to smaller towns in more remote, stunningly beautiful locations. The usual requirements include relevant degree-level passes, with post-graduate Master's degrees required for higher-level surgical and specialist positions, plus experience in the field in the applicant's country of origin.