New assessment process for overseas nurses seeking to work in New Zealand

The Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) has overhauled its competence assessment process for internationally qualified nurses, effective from 4 December 2023. This change impacts all overseas nurses who are seeking to come to New Zealand and attain registration with the NCNZ in order to practice as registered nurses here.

The existing Competence Assessment Programme (CAP) course has been replaced by a two-part competency examination. Applicants will be issued an eligibility letter by the NCNZ and will have 18 months to complete the competence examination in full. The examinations of competence include:

1. An online theoretical exam, which is a 180-minute, multiple choice exam that tests nursing knowledge, taken at an accredited exam centre overseas or in New Zealand. IQNs will have three attempts in total to pass the exam before the application is closed.

2. A two-day orientation and preparation course followed by a clinical examination known as an OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) which tests clinical and professional skills. Applicants will have three attempts to pass the OSCE. The orientation/preparation course takes two days and can only be taken in New Zealand, while the OSCE will be completed at a designated facility and takes half a day. Applicants will be responsible for managing their bookings of the orientation/preparation course and OSCE directly with the designated facility.

It is estimated that overseas nurses travelling to New Zealand may need at least 10 days to complete the course and OSCE on their first attempt. If an applicant fails the first OSCE, there will likely be a buffer of at least six weeks before they can re-sit, depending on the scheduling and booking availability of the OSCE. As such, applicants will need to be issued a 3-month Occupational Registration visitor visa in order to allow them to make arrangements.

Transition from existing to new CAP

NCNZ is predicting that there will be an 18-month transition period from the existing CAP to the new competency examination process, during which both processes will be available. Applicants who have already enrolled in a CAP course or have an open invitation to do so can continue with that process, however they will be given the opportunity to transfer to the new examination if desired. The existing CAP will continue to run in parallel with the new CAP until 25 June 2024.

Applicants who wish to complete an existing CAP course may apply for a General Visitor Visa in order to do so; applicants applying under the new examination will need to apply for a 3-month Occupational Registration visitor visa.

Contact one of our team today if you’d like to know more or discuss how these changes may affect you or your plan to obtain a visa in New Zealand.