New Zealand’s straight-to-residency visa for nurses has failed to attract international talent, with only 19 nurses from outside the country being granted the visa between mid-December and the end of February. The visa was introduced to alleviate a shortage of nurses in New Zealand, but the majority of those given the visa were already working in the country under different visas such as the accredited employer or special skills visa.
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation had pushed hard to include nurses on the straight-to-residency list of professions, but their efforts were too late. The international job market has since become more competitive, making it challenging to attract international nurses. ‘However, the spokesperson for the Immigration Minister said the visa has helped to make New Zealand a more attractive place to move long-term.
