New Zealand is renowned for its work-life balance and relaxed pace of life and was ranked 13th out of 187 countries in the 2017 UN Human Development Index (HDI). It is easy to see why New Zealand is popular with Psychologists keen to immerse themselves into the New Zealand way of life whilst having the opportunity to broaden their professional experience.
We have had the pleasure of working with a number of Psychologists and Clinical Psychologists over the past few months and our clients are continuing to recruit across these areas in 2022.
If you are a Psychologist considering New Zealand as an option in 2022, I have provided some information on the process and how we are able to assist through the recruitment, registration and immigration process.
Eligibility Criteria
To gain registration with the New Zealand Psychology Board, applicants should possess qualifications and experience from a ‘prescribed country’, where training and regulations are similar to New Zealand. Currently, the prescribed countries include the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Canada, South Africa and the United States of America.
Scopes of practice:
Our opportunities are largely within General Psychology or Clinical Psychology and the New Zealand Psychology Board will assess applications based on experience and qualifications. Other factors taken into consideration are the area of science and learning and tasks commonly undertaken. The educational requirements are as follows:
‘Psychologist’ scope of practice
A minimum of a Master’s degree in Psychology from an accredited educational organisation, or an equivalent qualification. Eligibility for a general scope of practice requires a Board approved practicum or internship involving 1500 hours of supervised practice.
‘Clinical Psychologist’ scope of practice
A minimum of a Master’s degree in Psychology from an accredited educational organisation and an accredited Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology, or equivalent qualification. Eligibility for a Clinical Psychologist scope of practice shall require a Board approved practicum or internship involving 1500 hours of supervised practice.
Process
Once an offer of employment is issued, Head Medical’s in-house Regulatory and Migration team will work with you and manage your New Zealand Psychology Board application. Applications take an average of 3-4 months to process, and we are currently advising 4-5 months to take into account the current quarantine requirements.
Next Steps
If you are considering New Zealand and would like to know more about the process and our current vacancies, please get in touch!
New Job, New Lifestyle, New Zealand