Looking to work in Aotearoa New Zealand? Check out the video above and our welcome to practice guide here.
Who can apply?
Physiotherapists applying for registration via this pathway must fit at least one of the following eligibility requirements:
- currently hold unrestricted registration as a physiotherapist in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, or South Africa,
OR
- have a physiotherapy qualification from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, or South Africa that is recognised as a pre-registration physiotherapy qualification by the relevant physiotherapy regulator of that country.
Recency of Practise requirements have been removed from this pathway, these are now incorporated in the Annual Practising Certificate application.
What does it cost?
Please refer to our Fees Schedule here. Please note that the application fee is non-refundable.
How long does it take?
Once all required documents are confirmed to have been received and correct, International Express applications are taking on average 1-2 weeks to process. If your application is incomplete or information provided is insufficient/incorrect you will be contacted. Please note these timeframes are subject to change.
To avoid delays in processing your application ensure you include all the required information. Your application may be declined or returned for further work if it is not complete.
What is the process for this application?
Phase 1: Initial Review
After you submit your application, we will review it for completeness. If documents or evidence are missing or we have concerns about your eligibility, we will email you for further information before your application is sent on for processing.
If your application does not meet criteria for any reason, one of the following will occur:
- You are given the opportunity to Withdraw your application.
- Your application is Returned.
- We propose to Decline your application.
If your application meets criteria, it is put forward for Registration.
Phase 2: Registration
Applications deemed to meet the minimum requirement for registration are sent to our Registrar for approval. Once this is completed you will receive an email confirmation.
Required Documents:
- *Passport or Birth Certificate
- *Evidence of Name Change (if applicable)
- *Degree or Academic Transcript for your primary physiotherapy degree
- *†COGS from all regulatory authorities you have or are registered with as a Physiotherapist
- *†Police Certificates from any country you lived in for more than 12 months in the last 10 years since the age of 18
- *Proof of English language proficiency
- Certificates from 2 of the following Cultural Competency courses:
- Foundations in Cultural Competency course offered by Mauri Ora Associates;
- Foundations Course on Healthcare and The Treaty of Waitangi offered by Mauri Ora Associates;
- Ngā Paerewa Te Tiriti eLearning modules One and Two offered by the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
- Note that we require certificates from Module 1 and 2 of this course. This course only counts as ONE of the TWO you are required to complete.
* Document must be certified or sent directly to [email protected] by the issuing authority
† Document must be less than 3 months old on the date you submit your application
Application Resources
Our Registrar James Dunne answers some of the regular questions we get about the express pathway and talks about a couple of the frequent application mistakes to avoid making in your application.
If you have any questions, please see our comprehensive help page or contact us via [email protected].
We can provide advice on the preparation of your application; however, we are not able to advise you on whether or not it will succeed.