Physio Abroad – New Zealand
New Zealand – full of beauty, outdoor activities and friendly companies to work for!
Physios are in high demand in NZ and we have lots of opportunities available in locations throughout NZ.
Our team will help you with the registration process, inform you about the popular locations/visas, organise interviews, introduce you to others and support you with your move.
Physio Roles
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Health Boards (Public System)
Caseload – Health Board roles available in a variety of areas including inpatient, outpatient, community, paeds.
Suggested experience level – 2 years+ is the minimum experience required and at this level, it can be good to be open to other roles or flexible with locations. 3 years+/Band 6/senior level highly preferred.
Locations – positions available throughout NZ (depending on experience)
Private Practice
Caseload – varied MSK caseload in well established private clinics, sports teams links, women’s health, Pilates, hand therapy (optional)
Suggested experience level –
General MSK – all experience levels welcome, we would suggest 1 year+ experience – fully in MSK or at least one MSK rotation
Speciality roles e.g. women’s health/hand therapy – previous relevant experience required
Locations – experienced physios, positions available throughout NZ, junior physios – we have the most roles in Auckland
Community Neuro/Paeds (Private)
Caseload – usually adults or mixed adult/paeds
Adults – Mainly TBI/concussion but also SCI and other complex poly-traumas – most of the work is community based but some roles include residential/clinic work
Paeds – Clinic/schools/home visits: TBI, cerebral palsy, multi-trauma, cognitive and sensory issues, neuro-developmental challenges
Suggested experience level – 2 years+ experience/senior specialist staff
Locations – mainly larger cities e.g. Auckland/Christchurch/Wellington
Car requirement – these roles often require you to buy your own car, occasionally a pool car can be provided
MSK/Rehab Contracts
Caseload – Clinic/Community based – MSK and ACC rehabilitation contracts including TBI/Concussion/VOC Rehab/Pain Management/Functional Independence Training
Suggested experience level – 2 years+ experience – including at least x1 MSK rotation
Locations – positions available across NZ
Steps To Working With Healthcare Abroad
Where We Recruit
Reviews
I had a great experience with Healthcare Abroad.. Securing a job was quick and most importantly no stress with the help of Jon. Not only did they help me secure a role but they were also brilliant in assisting with the next steps. It was always reassuring knowing I had someone to turn to for advice and support.
Eimear
I used Healthcare abroad to facilitate working as a physio in Auckland and would highly recommend anyone thinking of doing the same to reach out to them. They made the whole process as simple as possible.. Couldn’t have moved here without their help.
Liam
Health care abroad have been a pleasure to work with from the very beginning, going above and beyond helping with every aspect of the process. They have made my life a hell of alot easier and I would definitely recommend them to any physio or OT who would like to work abroad!
Kathryn
I got in touch with healthcare abroad to get more information about the processes involved with gaining registration, visas and obtaining employment. Healthcare abroad made the journey of moving to NZ a lot easier which I am very thankful for.
Patricia
Healthcare Abroad were so helpful throughout the whole process of securing job roles and moving to New Zealand. The team managed to secure us all job roles in different clinical areas within the same city and We were linked with other physios out there.
Megan, Sarah, Indre
The guys at healthcare abroad have been absolutely amazing at helping us through the registration process to work as Physio in NZ. Nothing was too much trouble and they have set us up in jobs that we both now love!
Emily
Healthcare Abroad have helped me immensely in getting out here and starting a new journey and I’m sure will continue to do so for many others! I couldn’t recommend them more! The only regret I have is not having done it sooner!
Radha
I would HIGHLY recommend using Healthcare Abroad when moving to Australia and NZ – so helpful, informative and easy .. what more could you want!!!
Abby
Healthcare Abroad first helped me with the registration process, and then helped me find the best job I’ve ever had, here in Christchurch. If you’re considering it, do it! it’s the best decision I’ve ever made, and the fact that Healthcare Abroad helped me do it for free was even better.
Max
I would definitely recommend Healthcare Abroad for making the process of gaining NZ registration, finding and securing jobs and settling in as smooth as possible !
Hannah
Physio FAQs
See General FAQs-
We have partnerships with employers all across NZ!
Once you have your NZ physio registration approved, we can help you choose a location which is a good fit for you – we can also provide you with location guides.
Our team is from the UK and have lived in NZ so we can provide you with honest feedback and help you find the best fit!
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THE PEOPLE! New Zealanders are very welcoming and approachable so you are made to feel at home very quickly.
THE SCENERY! There are lots of amazing travel opportunities from beaches to mountains and everything is very accessible allowing you to explore lots of New Zealand.
THE JOBS! We have really good feedback about the companies/roles in NZ, with friendly management and a great work-life balance. New Zealand would suit those who enjoy a relaxed life and outdoor activities.
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Yes – The main roles for those with less than 2 years experience are in MSK/private practice – we would suggest that you ideally gain some MSK experience before you leave if possible as this will help with employability/the transition but we have placed new graduates in MSK roles!.
For hospital/community roles, we would suggest you have a minimum of 2 years experience.
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If you are applying for an Accredited/Straight to Residency Visa (NZ) children/partners can be added to your visa/they can apply for subsequent visas based on your successful application – conditions apply.
If you are applying for a Working Holiday Visa – these are individual visas.
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We will arrange interviews once your registration has been approved and ideally, maximum 3-4 months before your planned start date – this gives you enough time to hand in your notice/get organised to leave/apply for your visa etc. and also means that the role is not left open for too long for the employer.
We can also organise interviews nearer to your start date depending on which visa you hold/are looking to apply for.
The maximum time we can organise interviews in NZ is 6 months before, but this will depend on the role/location and we feel 3-4 months before gives you more/accurate choices.
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- The most popular visa is the Accredited Employer Work Visa/AEWV, all age groups can apply for this visa and you can stay for up to 5 years. The cost for this visa is NZD $1540 and you will need your NZ Physio registration and a job offer before you can apply.
- The Working Holiday Visa/WHV is also an option for certain age groups/passport holders, this visa allows you to work for 12 months, but it can be less preferred by some employers. The fee for a 12 month WHV is NZD $670, you also need to have NZD $350 in savings for every month you intend to stay and enough money for a return ticket. UK passport holders are eligible for x3 WHV’s.
- As Physio is currently on the Green List, you can also have a look at the Straight to Residency Visa – NZD $6450 (capped at 55 years old) – you will need your NZ Physio registration and a job offer before you can apply.
- Medical/Police Checks may be requested for visas (additional fees apply)
- As employers can have a preference for different visas, we advise you to wait until you have your registration and are at the interview stage to apply for your visa.
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The main fees you need to be aware of are for your Visa (above) and transferring your Physio licence which is NZD $847 + an Annual Fee of NZD $555 (some companies will cover the annual fee)
We will secure you a full-time role for when you arrive which can range from NZD $65-105k.
The service we provide is completely free for those that would like to be placed in a role with one of our partners
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Allowing for around 6 months would be ideal!
The registration process timeframe can vary depending on how long it takes to source the documents required, we would suggest you allow for 3 months (but it could be much quicker!)
Once your registration has been approved, we find 3-4 months is an ideal timeframe for the next steps (securing a role + visa/handing in your notice/getting organised, etc!).
SA trained physios applying for may need to allow to additional time as police/medical checks can take a long time
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If possible, try to have your registration approved and interview in the NZ winter (May-August) as this is when the most jobs are available.
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We work with employers who can offer a relocation allowance (e.g. upfront amount which can be used for flights/accommodation) for those who are moving on a long-term visa.
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