How to Apply for NCNZ New Zealand Registration Complete Guide for International Nurses

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International nurses register with the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) in two stages: you verify your documents with TruMerit (formerly CGFNS), then you apply to NCNZ. NCNZ's own fee is NZ$485. You need 1,800 hours of post-registration nursing experience, English at IELTS Academic 7 (6.5 in writing) or OET 350 (300 in writing), and some registered nurses must also pass a theory exam and an OSCE in Christchurch.

Last checked against nursingcouncil.org.nz on October 30, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm them with NCNZ before you pay.

What Does NCNZ Require From International Nurses?

Requirement	What NCNZ says
Document verification	TruMerit verifies and authenticates your documents first. You cannot apply to NCNZ directly.
Current registration	Current registration with an overseas regulator, plus every registration you have held in the last 10 years.
Qualification	For registered nurses, a Bachelor of Nursing degree or equivalent, or a master's degree in nursing that led to your registration. NCNZ assesses equivalence and may ask for more information.
Experience	1,800 hours of post-registration nursing experience. NCNZ says nurses with no post-registration experience are not eligible.
English language	OET or IELTS Academic at the scores below, or one of the two non-test pathways.
Welcome programme	Two free online courses on culturally safe practice and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, completed before registration.
Criminal history check	Required for every applicant, completed before registration.
Competence assessment	Required for some registered nurses and all enrolled nurses, at NCNZ's direction. See the section below.

What Are the NCNZ English Language Requirements?

Approved test	Reading	Listening	Speaking	Writing
IELTS Academic	7	7	7	6.5
OET	350	350	350	300

Only OET and IELTS Academic count. NCNZ does not accept PTE, and you cannot mix results from the two tests.
You can reach the scores over more than one sitting if you meet them within 12 months of your first sitting and finish all sittings within three years of your application.
Tests must be taken at a testing centre, on paper or on computer. Fully online tests such as OET@home are not accepted.
Education pathway: no test is needed if the education that led to your first nursing registration was taught and examined in English in the United Kingdom, Singapore, Ireland, Canada or the United States.
Registration pathway: no test is needed if you hold current registration in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada or the United States that required you to pass an English test.

What Is the NCNZ Competence Assessment?

Since 2023, internationally qualified nurses who need a test of competence sit two parts. NCNZ tells you after it assesses your application whether you must take them.

Theory exam: an online multiple-choice exam at a Pearson centre, in two parts (Part A medication safety, Part B nursing knowledge). Registered nurses get 165 minutes. You have three attempts, and if you fail one part you re-sit only that part.
Clinical competence assessment: a two-day orientation course followed by an OSCE of 10 stations, 12 minutes each. Both must be taken in person at the Nurse Maude Simulation and Assessment Centre in Christchurch.
You have 18 months from NCNZ's first invitation to complete the OSCE. If you fail three attempts or the 18 months run out, your application closes.

How Much Does NCNZ Registration Cost?

Item	Amount	Paid to
NCNZ application and processing fee	NZ$485	NCNZ
Document verification	US$380	TruMerit
International criminal history check	A$155 per country	Provider named by NCNZ
Theory exam (Parts A and B)	NZ$140	Pearson (Part A re-sit NZ$32, Part B re-sit NZ$108)
Orientation and preparation course	NZ$500	Nurse Maude, Christchurch
OSCE	NZ$3,000 (re-sit NZ$3,000)	Nurse Maude, Christchurch
Annual practising certificate, 12 months	NZ$130, including a NZ$10 disciplinary levy	NCNZ

If you need the competence assessment, the first-attempt fees add up to NZ$3,640 (140 + 500 + 3,000), before re-sits, travel to Christchurch and your English test. NCNZ's fees are non-refundable if you withdraw. Nurses registered in Australia apply under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act for a separate NZ$340 fee and do not go through the TruMerit step.

How Long Does NCNZ Registration Take?

NCNZ publishes no fixed processing time and says it varies with what your application needs. The order is fixed, though:

TruMerit verifies your documents. TruMerit's own processing page puts the average wait for primary-source documents from schools and regulators at 14 weeks.
NCNZ invites you to apply, then assesses your application.
If NCNZ requires it, you pass the theory exam, then attend the orientation and the OSCE (within 18 months of the first invitation).
You finish the Welcome programme and the criminal history check, and NCNZ registers you.

How Does NEAC Help With NCNZ Registration?

NEAC prepares your TruMerit and NCNZ applications, coordinates document requests with your school and regulator, and tracks each stage with you. For English tests, see our IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and OET application service. For the full route, read Nursing in New Zealand for Filipino Nurses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the NCLEX to register in New Zealand?

No. NCNZ does not use the NCLEX. Nurses who need a test of competence take NCNZ's theory exam and OSCE.

What IELTS score does NCNZ require?

IELTS Academic 7 in reading, listening and speaking and 6.5 in writing. The OET equivalent is 350 in reading, listening and speaking and 300 in writing.

Does NCNZ accept PTE?

No. NCNZ accepts only OET and IELTS Academic.

Can I skip the English test if I studied nursing in English?

Only if your first nursing education was taught and examined in English in the United Kingdom, Singapore, Ireland, Canada or the United States, or if you hold UK, Irish, Canadian or US registration that required an English test. Nursing education in the Philippines does not qualify for the education pathway, so Filipino nurses usually need to pass the OET or IELTS.

How much does NCNZ registration cost?

NCNZ's application fee is NZ$485. TruMerit charges US$380 to verify your documents, and the competence assessment, if you need it, costs NZ$3,640 for a first attempt.

Do all international nurses have to take the exams?

No. NCNZ decides after assessing your application. The competence assessment is required for some registered nurses and all enrolled nurses.

Can nurses registered in Australia register in New Zealand?

Yes, under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act. The application fee is NZ$340, and the process is separate from the TruMerit pathway.

Sources: NCNZ internationally qualified nurses, NCNZ requirements, NCNZ English language competence guidance, NCNZ registration costs, NCNZ competence assessment FAQ, NCNZ clinical competence assessment handbook, NCNZ fees, TruMerit processing times.

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