Policy Statement

The Medical Council of New Zealand will register a doctor within a scope of practice, to practise medicine in New Zealand:
on receipt of:

• a completed application form, and
• correct documentation, and
• payment of a gazetted fee, and

if the doctor:

• meets fitness for registration requirements as set out in section 16 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCAA), and
• holds one or more prescribed qualifications as set by the Medical Council under section 12 of the HPCAA, and
• satisfies the competence requirements to practise within the specified scope of practice.

To ensure the doctor is competent to practise in New Zealand the Council will initially grant registration within a provisional scope of practice, with conditions as allowed in section 22 of the HPCAA. The exception to this is for graduates from New Zealand or Australian university medical schools who have completed their internships in New Zealand or Australia, who will be granted registration in the general scope, and a vocational scope if appropriate.

Before registration is granted, the Council requires all doctors to demonstrate that they intend to practise medicine in New Zealand. 

Application requirements

To be considered for registration, applicants must apply on the correct form, provide the required documentation and pay an application fee. Incomplete applications will not be considered.  

Fitness for registration

No applicant for registration may be registered if, under section 16 of the HPCAA:

• he or she does not satisfy the Council that he or she is able to communicate effectively within the scope of practice in which he or she is applying to be registered; or
• he or she does not satisfy the Council that his or her ability to communicate in and comprehend English is sufficient to protect the health and safety of the public; or
• he or she has been convicted by any court in New Zealand or elsewhere of any offence punishable by imprisonment for a term of three months or longer, and he or she does not satisfy the Council that the offence does not reflect adversely on his or her fitness to practise; or
• the Council considers that the applicant is unable to practise medicine in the scope applied for because of a mental or physical condition; or
• he or she is under investigation in respect of any matter that may be the subject of professional disciplinary proceedings in New Zealand or in another country, and the Council believes that those proceedings reflect adversely on his or her fitness to practise medicine; or
• he or she is subject to an order of a professional disciplinary tribunal (whether in New Zealand or in another country) or to an order of an educational institution accredited under section 12(2)(a) of the HPCAA, or to an order of an authority or of a similar body in another country; and does not satisfy the Council that that order does not reflect adversely on his or her fitness to practise medicine; or
• the Council has reason to believe that the applicant may endanger the health or safety of members of the public.      

Registration in
a provisional scope of
practice to confirm competence

The Council may require a doctor to pass an examination or assessment before registration in a provisional scope is granted, or before authorising a change to an applicant’s existing scope of practice.

Registration will initially be granted in a provisional general or provisional vocational scope of practice for up to two years and may be subject to conditions as set out in section 22(3) of the HPCAA.

These conditions may include that:

• the applicant practise under supervision
• the applicant practise under oversight
• the applicant not perform certain tasks, or that those tasks are only performed under certain circumstances
• the applicant practise only in a stated capacity, for example as an employee or a nominated person or a person of a stated class
• the applicant practise in association with one or more nominated persons or persons of a stated class
• the applicant practises only for a specified period
• the applicant attain one or more further stated qualifications or attain further experience of a stated kind
• the applicant complies with any condition that the authority believes on reasonable grounds to be necessary to protect the safety of the public.

Intention to practise medicine in
New Zealand  

Registration to work within a provisional general or provisional vocational scope of practice will only be granted to a doctor who is intending to practise medicine in New Zealand.

The doctor must attend a registration interview with a Medical Council agent, and show evidence of a confirmed job offer. The only exception to this requirement is a New Zealand graduate who is registered immediately after completing their medical degree course.

The doctor must not start work until an annual practising certificate has been issued.