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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Health New Zealand is strengthening primary and rural care, so all New Zealanders receive timely access to quality health care when they need it.
On Monday 3 March, the Minister of Health announced a more streamlined process that will allow 100 more overseas trained doctors to undertake prevocational training in primary care settings over 2025 and 2026. An Expression of Interest is now open for overseas trained doctors.
Check back for further updates on this initiative.
NZREX Bridging Programme
This programme is 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.
We are currently considering further programme. This page will be updated as information becomes available.
NZREX Primary Care Pathway
This is a pathway to full registration for doctors where training is predominantly based in general practice. The first six-months of training is hospital-based and the following 18 months is in community-based primary care settings.
Following the Minister of Health's announcement (external link) on 5 March 2025, an Expression of Interest (EOI) is now open for overseas doctors to complete if they are interested in participating in the programme. The EOI will be available until 31 May 2025.
Overseas trained doctors - Expression of Interest (external link)
Health NZ is very supportive of the NZREX Primary Care Pathway and acknowledge the exemplary job Waikato District did in supporting and managing the programme and the registrars throughout the pilot.
More information
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.