Nursing Council of New Zealand Registration for Internationally Qualified Nurses (OSCE)

What Nursing Council registration is (and what it is not)

To work as a nurse in New Zealand, you must be registered with the Nursing Council of New Zealand (Te Kaunihera Tapuhi o Aotearoa) and hold a current annual practising certificate. Registration confirms that your qualification, competence and English are at the standard expected of a nurse practising in New Zealand — it is a professional licence to practise, granted by the Council under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act.

Registration is a completely separate process from immigration. Being registered does not by itself give you the right to live or work in New Zealand, and holding a visa does not make you registered. You typically need both, and they are handled by different bodies.

This guide explains the registration route for internationally qualified nurses (IQNs) at a structural level. It does not state fees or exact scores, because the Council updates these — always confirm the current detail on the official Nursing Council website before you rely on it.

• Registration to practise = Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ).
• The right to live and work in New Zealand = Immigration New Zealand (a separate application).
• You generally need both; one does not replace the other.

Which scope you register in: Registered Nurse or Enrolled Nurse

The Council registers internationally qualified nurses into one of two scopes of practice, and the scope you apply for depends on the qualification and registration you already hold in your home country.

• Registered Nurse (RN): you generally need a Bachelor of Nursing degree (or equivalent) or a Master's degree in nursing that led to your registration.
• Enrolled Nurse (EN): you generally need a Diploma in Enrolled Nursing or a comparable qualification.
• Your home-country registration must be current and in good standing.
• Requirements for internationally qualified enrolled nurses have been updated — check the current post-registration practice-hours rule on the NCNZ website.

The competence assessment: theory exam + OSCE

For many internationally qualified nurses, the Council requires a competence assessment to confirm you can practise safely in the New Zealand context. Under the model the Council opened in December 2023, this is delivered as two parts rather than the older on-the-job programme.

The first part is a theoretical examination — an online multiple-choice exam that tests nursing knowledge at the level of a New Zealand registered nurse or enrolled nurse. It is delivered through designated Pearson VUE test centres, which can be sat overseas or in New Zealand.

The second part is the clinical examination, known as the OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination). It follows a short orientation and preparation course and is sat in person in New Zealand at an accredited centre. The OSCE assesses whether you can apply clinical and professional skills safely in practice. Confirm the current structure, number of attempts, duration and where each part is held on the official site.

• Theory exam: online multiple-choice, at Pearson VUE centres (overseas or in NZ).
• OSCE: in-person clinical exam in New Zealand at an accredited centre, after a preparation/orientation course.
• The scope you sit (RN or EN) matches the scope you are applying to register in.

From CAP to the new competence model (a currency point)

If you have read older guidance or agent material, you may have seen the term Competence Assessment Programme (CAP) — a workplace-based programme at an approved education provider. This is an important currency point for anyone planning now.

The Council opened its new competence assessment process (the theory exam plus OSCE described above) in December 2023. Nurses who apply under the new process are assessed through the exam-and-OSCE model, while nurses who had already begun a CAP could continue under existing arrangements during a transition period.

In practice, that means new applicants should plan around the theory-exam-and-OSCE model, not a CAP placement. Because transition arrangements and provider details change, verify the current pathway that applies to your application on the Nursing Council website before booking anything.

• CAP = the older workplace-based programme (now closed to new applicants).
• New model (theory exam + OSCE) opened in December 2023.
• New applicants plan for the exam + OSCE route — confirm current detail on the official site.

English language competence

All internationally qualified nurses must meet the Council's English language competence requirement. The Council accepts recognised tests — the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and the Occupational English Test (OET) — sat at an approved test centre.

At the time of writing, the published minimums are IELTS Academic 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking with 6.5 in writing, or OET at grade B (350) in reading, listening and speaking with 300 in writing. The Council does not accept fully online / at-home versions of these tests, and there are limited exemptions or evidence-based pathways in some cases.

Scores, accepted tests and exemption rules are exactly the kind of detail that changes, so treat the figures above as a guide and confirm the current English language policy on the official Nursing Council website.

• Accepted tests: IELTS Academic or OET, at an approved centre (not the online/at-home versions).
• Illustrative minimums: IELTS 7.0 (6.5 writing); OET 350 (300 writing) — verify the current policy.
• Some applicants may qualify for an exemption or alternative evidence — check eligibility on the official site.

How to apply, step by step

The registration journey runs roughly in the order below. Gather documents early, because verification of your qualification and registration through the Council's identity and credential checks is often the slowest step.

• Confirm your scope (RN or EN) and check the requirements on the NCNZ website.
• Meet the English language requirement (or confirm you qualify for an exemption).
• Submit your registration application with certified documents (identity, qualification, registration history, good-standing/conduct evidence).
• Complete the competence assessment if required — theory exam, then OSCE in New Zealand.
• Receive registration, then apply for your annual practising certificate before you can work.
• Arrange your immigration status separately with Immigration New Zealand.

Registration and your visa are separate

This is general information, not immigration advice. Your right to enter, live and work in New Zealand is decided by Immigration New Zealand under its own rules, which are separate from Nursing Council registration. Health and character requirements, work rights and any skilled or sector-specific pathways all sit with Immigration New Zealand.

Visa rules and lists change frequently. Verify the current requirements on the official Immigration New Zealand website (immigration.govt.nz) before making plans, and for your individual circumstances consider a licensed immigration adviser.

Sequencing matters: many nurses need to be in New Zealand to sit the OSCE, so plan your registration and immigration steps together and confirm the current order on both official sites.

• Immigration is decided by Immigration New Zealand, not the Nursing Council.
• Verify current visa rules at immigration.govt.nz; a licensed immigration adviser can help with individual cases.
• Plan registration and immigration together — the OSCE is sat in New Zealand.