Update on Immigration New Zealand’s “June 50” vets announcement
This week (week beginning Monday 21st June) a bit more information has been released detailing the requirements / process for overseas-qualified veterinarians planning to live / work in New Zealand.
We’re referring to this cohort as the “June 50” veterinarians – as distinct from the “September 30” Large / Mixed Animal veterinarians approved for entry to New Zealand in 2020.
The Exception Criteria
VCNZ Registration
Veterinarians must be registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand (VCNZ).
Please note that not all veterinary qualifications are recognised by VCNZ. If your university is not on the Council’s list of Recognised Institutions, then you’ll need to qualify through sitting specific exams (eg, RCVS).
If you are already MRCVS but you didn’t sit the exam, you may not be eligible for VCNZ registration as country reciprocity doesn’t always apply.
How to check whether you’re eligible for VCNZ registration
The Veterinary Council of New Zealand has published a list of Recognised Institutions.
This link should take you to a page on the VCNZ website detailing different types of registration, together with different country’s recognised institutions + information on which exams also qualify.
Minimum Salary and experience
You must have a bone fide job offer confirming a salary >NZ$85,000 per annum (exclusive of other payments like after hours, on call allowances, etc).
You must have a minimum of 3-5 years post-grad experience. All veterinarians of all disciplines are eligible to apply (eg, companion, large, mixed animal and equine veterinarians).
How VetStaff can help
VetStaff is already working with overseas-qualified veterinarians who meet these criteria.
If you would like us to help you find you the job of your dreams in your dream location, then you’ll need to appoint us as your New Zealand agent. This is easy to do and doesn’t cost you a cent.
We act as the ‘bridge’ between the clinic and the vet. We line up all the interviews, check all the paperwork, help with immigration consultant liaison (if required), assist with accommodation and schooling (if required). If you’re a VetStaff vet, we’ll meet you (without wearing masks) after you’ve completed your two weeks mandatory isolation quarantine requirements and celebrate your arrival in Godzone Aotearoa New Zealand.
Offer of Employment Needs to Meet all Immigration New Zealand / Employment Law Thresholds
You’ll need to make sure that your Offer of Employment via your Individual Employment Agreement (IEA) meets all NZ employment laws.
Because checking and double-checking IEAs is just another day in the office for VetStaff, we know what the latest employment law is and what to look for.
The applications for the “June 50” we submit to the NZVA for consideration will meet all INZs thresholds.
For example, we already work with multiple immigration consultants and will (if required) ensure your visa application is ‘as it should be’ prior to formal submission to Immigration NZ as part of this “June 50” process.
Here at VetStaff we believe it’s important you work with a reputable New Zealand specialist veterinary recruitment agency. An agency that’s on the ground in New Zealand. One that has contacts nationwide. An agency that knows NZ employment law and that works with respectable and highly regarded immigration consultants.
Prior to Covid-19 closing the world down, it wasn’t always necessary for veterinarians to work with a licensed immigration consultant. However, border closures and INZ’s constant changing of the rules has made it more complicated than it ever was before.
Our professional opinion is for veterinarians to be open to the possibility of investing in the professional advice of an immigration consultant to make sure they have everything correct to start with.
The June 50 Application Process
Firstly, “spots” need to be “secured” – we can help you with this.
Securing a ‘spot’ as part of the “June 50”
The steps prior to securing a spot are:
- Obtain a bone fide job offer from a New Zealand veterinary clinic that meets the above criteria – VetStaff can help you with this at no cost to you.
- Veterinarians must be registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand (as above) – we can help you with this too.
- VetStaff will double check all your paperwork (including dependents, other family members and partners) before forwarding it to the vet association for MPI consideration / approval. All VetStaff jobs will have already met the ‘bone fide’ test we apply.
- MPI then approves applicants and others associated with each application before forwarding to INZ.
- The clinic (employer) / veterinarian then lodges an expression of interest (EO) for “an approved class of worker” with INZ.
- INZ and MPI will ensure each organisation’s paperwork matches.
It’s critical to keep in mind this process must be followed for the “June 50” veterinary visas.
Individual Employment Agreements
It’s not unheard of for us (VetStaff) to receive an SOS call from a veterinarian who’s discovered (too late) that the clinic they’ve been working with doesn’t know what they’re doing or has deliberately misled them. When we receive SOS calls like this we refer these veterinarians onto an employment lawyer.
Not all clinics set out to deliberately mislead a new employee. Instead, they’ve attempted to do their own recruitment (to save money) but perhaps don’t know what they’re doing or meant to be doing. They’re completely oblivious to the fact (for example) their IEAs are out of date, incomplete or contrary to NZ employment law.
If you choose to work direct with a veterinary clinic and you aren’t familiar with various New Zealand laws (eg, the Employment Relations Act, the Privacy Act, the Immigration Act) you run the risk of signing an IEA that’s contrary to NZ law and thus will require a lawyer to help you fix it.
Something else it’s important for overseas veterinarians to be aware of is that (sadly) not all clinics in New Zealand have a veterinarian’s best interests at heart. We are constantly amazed every time a new-to New Zealand veterinarian calls us asking for help because they’ve been seduced by what they thought was an amazing employment offer.
Sadly, there are clinics who make very attractive verbal offers but fail to deliver when the vet arrives to work for them.
VetStaff knows which clinics are great employers and look after their staff and those that have a very high turnover and constant employment relationship struggles.
Yes – we have a vested interest in representing overseas-qualified veterinarians and being your agent – after all, recruitment is how we earn our living. In saying this, we’re extremely proud of our excellent reputation. It would be very difficult to stay in business in a country as small as New Zealand if we weren’t trusted the way we are.
Other long term critical work visas
In addition to the above, any employer can still apply for a long-term critical work visa.
This visa is available to all veterinarians (including companion animal) earning a minimum salary of NZ$106,080. There is talk that this threshold will be increased in July. Immigration consultants are expecting this to increase to around NZ$112,000 so it’s important you stay abreast of any changes that take place.
These applications can be made directly through INZ.
There’s no need for you to to gain pre-approval from MPI.
Please keep in mind that in New Zealand, only Licensed Immigration Consultants are legally authorised to provide advice on immigration matters. It’s unlawful for anyone else to do this so please keep your eyes and ears open for people who offer such a service and caveat emptor.
Managed Isolation Quarantine (MIQ) is still required
Everyone entering New Zealand (except through approved Travel Bubble Countries) is still required to complete two weeks in Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) on arrival into New Zealand.
