Features of working as a doctor in New Zealand
In the past few decades, the government of the island state has been trying to improve the standard of living of the population. The authorities invest huge sums in ensuring the safety of citizens, keeping schools under constant control, and, of course, monitoring the health care system.
Hospitals are regularly funded. The government supports young professionals by offering retraining at its own expense. If you decide to upgrade your qualifications or change your specialization, just write an application to the name of a chief physician.
Doctors work here in comfortable conditions. All offices have the necessary equipment. The specialist can work for his/her pleasure, thinking about patients, and not about the costs.
Since there are few doctors, specialists can choose for themself whether they will take the patient or not. As a result, you will be able to regulate your load.
Who can become a doctor in New Zealand
As already mentioned, being a physician is a very prestigious profession. Doctors earn a lot and work little. However, the prospective healthcare professional will have a long and difficult journey. A good surgeon will have to spend more than 10 years on training!
If you want to treat people, you must:
- Know the language well. You can prove your knowledge of English by passing the IELTS Academic exam. The minimum passing score is 7.0.
- Nostrify your diploma. A potential physician will have to go through several circles of hell, proving the legality of the education received.
- Obtain a doctor’s license. To do this, you need to confirm your qualifications through exams, practices, interviews, and so on.
How to get a doctor’s license
If you decide to work as a doctor in New Zealand, get ready for lengthy confirmation procedures. You can read more about them on the official website of the government, in a special section.
Pre-assessment Result
It is the first step in selecting potential doctors. You need to go to the website and fill out the online registration form. Indicate your education, qualification level, and work experience there. The application is considered for up to 20 working days. You will have to pay a state fee of $ 138.
International Qualifications Assessment Application
It is the second qualifying stage for potential migrants. The application is also completed online, on the NZQA website. You will need to pay the $ 730 state fee again. The application is considered within 30 days.
Attach the following documents to your application:
- certificate;
- diploma and supplement to it;
- certificates of vocational training, advanced training, and so on;
- cover letters and letters of recommendation;
- a photocopy of the internal passport;
- a copy of your university’s curriculum;
- a photocopy of the license issued in the higher country.
The answer will tell you which specialization you can apply for.
Exam
The third stage is passing the exam. First, you need to answer theoretical questions regarding your specialization. You can take it in the USA, neighboring Australia, Great Britain, and other countries.
If you do, go to New Zealand for the practice exam. First, you need to prove your knowledge at the stands. Then – to work out the skills of trained actors or mannequins.
Working as a doctor in New Zealand takes a lot of time: you have to prove that you are worthy of saving other people’s lives. But if you pass all the tests, you can work in a modern hospital with first-class technical equipment. The salaries here are decent: a good doctor can earn up to 20 thousand dollars a month.
Professional immigration to New Zealand
New Zealand needs highly qualified doctors, so they have a special Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa. Applicants are initially assessed using a free Expression of Interest (EI) statement, in which they provide information about themselves, their qualifications, and work experience. The best applications are selected from the pool every two weeks.
Those with the highest scores in their applications are invited to apply for a visa. A feature of this method of immigration is that you can get a visa without a job offer. But, its presence will add some points and increase the chances of immigration. Cost is 530 NZD ($ 383), and selection and evaluation of Expression of Interest take from 5 weeks.
Requirements
- The maximum age is 55;
- From 160 points in the point test (Expression of Interest is evaluated according to these criteria);
- Results IELTS 6.5+, PTE 58+, TOEFL iBT 79+, FCE 176, OET B + or certificate of study in the UK, USA, Australia, Ireland, or New Zealand – 2 years undergraduate or 1-year graduate program.
An approximate list of documents for a visa
- International passport;
- Birth certificate;
- 2 photos;
- Certificate of no criminal record;
- Medical examination result;
- Proof of English proficiency;
- A job offer that requires high qualifications;
- Proof of work experience requiring high qualifications;
- Expression of Interest (EI);
- Visa invitation obtained after EI approval;
- Other documents on request.
Immigration Process for Skilled Employment Category
- Loading Expression of Interest;
- Obtaining an invitation to apply for a visa after a successful EI selection;
- Submission of documents for a visa within 4 months after receiving the invitation;
- Obtaining a visa and moving to New Zealand.