Thousands of overseas-trained professionals are using New Zealand as a pathway to gain employment and, in some cases, citizenship in Australia. This process leverages the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA), allowing workers who register in New Zealand to automatically apply for equivalent jobs in Australia.
Concerns Regarding Standards
Critics suggest this system enables individuals who may not meet Australia's direct minimum professional standards to bypass stricter regulatory requirements. Data indicates that for several professions, three times as many overseas workers are registered via New Zealand than through direct applications from the rest of the world combined.
Adjunct Professor Kim Lovegrove, chair of the International Building Quality Centre, stated that mutual recognition should support competence, not circumvent standards. He advocates for nationally agreed and consistently applied minimum qualification and experience criteria.
Impact on Various Professions
- Teachers: The number of teachers registering in New Zealand and then transferring to Victoria has more than doubled in three years (from 196 to 520). Victoria's minimum standards for teaching degrees and supervised classroom experience are higher than New Zealand's. The Victorian Institute of Teaching is reportedly engaging with New Zealand authorities on these issues.
- Nurses: Registrations for internationally qualified nurses via TTMRA increased tenfold over four years (from 1,268 to 12,037). Nine out of ten NZ-registered nurses arriving in Australia last year did not train in New Zealand but used the pathway to expedite Australian registration, which can cut application times, red tape, and costs. The Nursing Council of New Zealand has acknowledged the country is a "stepping stone."
- Building Surveyors: In Victoria, a degree and statutory registration are required, whereas New Zealand does not mandate a degree or registration as licensed building practitioners.
- Other Health Professions: Over 80% of overseas-trained Chinese medicine practitioners registered in Australia over the past two years came via New Zealand. Similarly, 90 out of 103 paramedics registered in Australia during the same period transferred using TTMRA. Double the number of overseas-trained physiotherapists registered via New Zealand, often due to lower application fees, dramatically shorter wait times, and the potential to avoid skills assessments.
- Trades and Aviation: The number of builders, plumbers, aircraft engineers, commercial aircraft pilots, and flight instructors registering via New Zealand has also seen increases, particularly in recent years.
Broader Implications
The situation has raised concerns about the