Filipino nurses warned: No job openings in New Zealand right now

Nursing students of Centro Escolar University wait for the start of the capping and pinning ceremony at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. The country has a shortage of about 106,000 nurses, according to the Department of Health, as health workers migrate abroad for better opportunities. INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino nurses seeking employment in New Zealand have been urged to exercise caution as the country currently lacks employment opportunities for foreign nurses or Internationally Qualified Nurses (IQNs).

The warning came from the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Wellington, New Zealand, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement on Saturday.

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The embassy said it is aware of individuals and agencies offering to facilitate the hiring of foreign nurses by arranging their travel to New Zealand on visitor visas to take the Comprehensive Assessment Program (CAP) or Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) for nurses and subsequently apply for registration by the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ).

While taking the CAP or OSCE and being registered by the NCNZ is a legitimate means to practice nursing in New Zealand, it does not guarantee employment, the DFA noted.

“Employment of IQNs in New Zealand is dependent on a variety of factors outside the CAP, OSCE and the NCNZ, including local demand and the ability of employers in the New Zealand Health Sector to hire IQNs,” the DFA said.

The embassy has also received reports that due to the current lack of job opportunities, IQNs who traveled to New Zealand on visitor visas were forced to leave the country when their visas expired.

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“The Embassy encourages Filipino nurses to ensure that there is ready employment for them before leaving the Philippines, which includes obtaining a legitimate job offer with verified contract from an accredited employer and a proper working visa issued by Immigration New Zealand,” the DFA also said.