My Name is Jeremy, I am a Physiotherapist. I came to NZ on 14 March 22 from Singapore. The process to come to NZ took me about 1 year from applying for registration to the Physio Board to getting here.
The easiest part of the process was getting a visa after getting a job. The most challenging part of the process was getting all the documents required for professional registration and waiting for registration to be done!
My first impressions of NZ when I came to visit in 2018 was that it was drop-dead beautiful! Kiwis are so blessed to have nature right at their doorstep in many areas and to have such gorgeous places to exercise, walk, run, or bike!
I think the best parts of NZ are the people and of course, the nature. Kiwis are such considerate, welcoming, and friendly people and they make the country one that is so respectful, safe and secure to live in. The scenery, how well-preserved the nature is here, and the freshness of the air all speak for themselves.
I plan to visit Queenstown, Dunedin and the various other parts of the South Island to explore the different things the towns/cities have to offer compared to where I live in Christchurch. Christchurch is awesome in that there are various landscapes nearby to suit different “tastes”, you have mountains and beaches within 30 minutes from the city and driving just a few hours away from the city has a complete change in scenery as well. It’s not as busy as Auckland and Wellington so costs and traffic congestion is lower, while still having everything within reach — including the international airport.
What I miss the most is family and friends in Singapore and cheap hawker food! Being able to leave work at work, and to leave work on time or even earlier when there is no patient booked in has been life changing. There is so much more time to exercise, cook, explore, and enjoy life.
I used to work in an outpatient setting in a hospital compared to being in a private clinic currently, the main difference is seeing more acute injuries compared to back home, especially with the ACC system in place. It is taking some time to get used to the way ACC runs here and referrals etc., but it is very well set up. I am so impressed with the documentation and clinic management program Gensolve Practice Manager that does so much in itself compared to the software we used in Singapore.
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is to make sure you have enough for immigration costs, and that you are prepared for the increased cost of living from rent and groceries. Having some extra will be so helpful in easing into the country while you start working a new job! Also start getting used to the local slang and accents — listening to New Zealand radio stations or watching some NZ TV programs before coming would help!
ACCENT and Hayley has been so helpful in guiding me through the processes involved in getting over to New Zealand, in helping to contact employers and setting up interviews and the like. Hayley has been checking in with me throughout the process and every now and then after I’ve started working here, which is really nice. Being linked up with other new arrivals has been cool too, being able to support one another in this journey.
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My name is Remy, I’m an Occupational Therapist, and I came to NZ in July 2021 from San Jose, California, USA. The whole process took me a little over 8 months. The most challenging part of the process was getting my registration paperwork sorted out, mostly in that they ask for a LOT of things, not all of which I had on hand (Syllabi from 10 years ago? Thankfully the university I attended was able to help with that.) But finding a job once I had registration in hand was a breeze, thanks to Prue and her team!
I think the best parts of NZ are the work-life balance and the beautiful scenery everywhere! I haven’t found a boring or ugly spot since I’ve been here! The Hutt is such a wonderfully diverse community with easy access to everything from gorgeous hikes to city life. I miss my family of course, but video chatting makes it much easier than it might have been in the past.
Working at a DHB is miles (kilometres!) different from working for a private company in the US. It’s about maximizing the benefits to the patient, instead of just what we can bill for. It makes it so much easier to be client centered in my practice, even in a similar role to the one I had in the US. I also find that both mentorship and collaboration between disciplines are both more fully realized here than in the US. Interdisciplinary meetings are truly collaborative rather than adversarial and even with 10 years in practice, I was set up with a mentor to help keep me on track with my professional development. Probably most importantly, I can finally leave work at work! My colleagues are so supportive, and I know I can rely on them.
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is to pack light! We had to move around quite a bit between MIQ, Airbnbs and finally our rental when we first arrived. While I was glad we brought enough clothing to manage for a while, Trademe and Op shops got us through with the household items we needed (our shipped items took almost 4 months to arrive due to covid delays). If you’ll need to isolate, be sure to jump on some of the MIQ Facebook groups, they had great advice for getting through a weird time. (Hopefully by the time you’re reading this you won’t need to worry about that).
My name is Jen, and I am an Occupational Therapist. I came to NZ on the 10th of September 2021 from the Philippines.
The process to come to NZ took me approximately 6 months (3 months to gather requirements for my registration with the board and 3 months for the recruitment process with ACCENT, plus preparation for the big move).
Surprisingly, the easiest part of the process was finding a job offer through ACCENT. I was intimidated by the thought at first but when I started speaking to Prudence about the steps in detail and getting guidance from her, it was a breeze! She was incredibly helpful and quick to respond to my queries which gave me the assurance I needed. I was booked for a job interview less than a week after I sent the requirements to ACCENT and got the job offer a week after! To be honest, it did catch me off guard how quick it was, but it was a pleasant surprise for sure.
The most challenging part of the process was probably getting myself registered to the OT board (prior to communicating with ACCENT). I did it independently and had little to no guidance in going through the process except for the information found on the OTBNZ website. Looking back, I’m glad I took the leap of faith and took my chances—it got me here today! It was a nerve-wracking, surreal experience.
I find NZ to be a serene, peaceful place, with fresh air, lots of breath-taking sceneries and friendly people! I noticed how people of ALL ages here love to participate in outdoor leisure activities, which is quite nice and refreshing to watch. Personally, I think the best part of NZ is the people. They’re so kind and welcoming, you wouldn’t feel out of place in a group.
What I miss the most is spending time with family and friends back home and I guess the comforting feeling of familiarity with all the places, faces, and activities in your area. It still feels a bit unreal that I left my hometown of 26 years to come to a drastically different part of the world, but I definitely don’t have regrets! Besides, going out of your comfort zone and exploring an unfamiliar place is part of the adventure.
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is research about the different places and cities and decide which part of NZ you’d want to live in. Believe it or not, each city is different and can have incredibly different climates! I am currently living in the sunny Hawke’s Bay, which is a good area for me considering I come from the sunny Philippines! It takes a lot of adjusting to move to a different country, so take your time getting to know NZ and weigh things up. Once you decide to give it a go, you can contact knowledgeable and experienced people who can help you with your big move, such as the people from ACCENT!
I plan to visit the other areas and cities around NZ, particularly the South Island. I hear a lot of good things about it and can’t wait to have the chance to visit. For now, I’m enjoying my time here in Hawke’s Bay, exploring the different sites and beaches.
The work/life balance here has made a huge difference to my life, as work and rest is very clearly separated, opposite to what I’m used to! Having adequate rest from work is valued highly here, and because of this I feel cared for as a worker. It gives me time to unwind and enjoy my free time, which you don’t get in a lot of other places.
There are major differences between my current role as an OT in NZ and my previous role back in the Philippines; this is probably because I used to handle acute/sub-acute cases then and now dealing with community cases and contracts. It’s a big change, however it’s one that I have always wanted to explore. The things they do here I’ve only read in books back in university, now I get to do them too! It’s great, especially because my workmates have been really helpful and willing to guide me through it.
So far, everything has been fantastic since I’ve moved here, and I owe a lot of it to ACCENT, specifically Prudence, for making the process of moving a million times easier!
“For one minute walk outside, stand there in silence, look up at the sky, and contemplate how amazing life is.” – John Muir
My name is Amanda “Dea” Dauphinee and I am a Physiotherapist. I came to NZ in July 2021 from San Francisco, California, USA. The process to come to NZ took me 12 months and the easiest part of the process was getting a job. The most challenging part of the process was registration with physio board; packing up life and tying loose ends in the US, waiting for shipment to arrive in NZ, resetting up life in NZ.
Upon visiting in 2005 and 2009 my first impressions of New Zealand were amazing nature and adventure opportunities; upon moving here in 2021, my first impressions were that people are incredibly helpful, supportive, and friendly. I think the best parts of NZ are the NATURE!!, accessibility of other NZ locations, (eventually, closeness of Australia and South Pacific nations). What I specifically like about NZ is that many people can relate to travelling and that natural beauty is very nearby. I plan to visit the national parks, “Great” and great walks, mountains, ocean, everywhere in between; Australia; Pacific Islands; Southeast Asia; Singapore. What I miss the most is my friends & family, easiness of routine and knowing how things work, Mexican food and cultural diversity.
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is to remember why you moved to NZ, do those things even if life isn’t quite set up; understand that it takes 6 months or more to start to feel easier; have good strategies for communicating with friends/family at home (if that’s important to you); rely on the kindness of others and say “yes” to invitations and activities. I like the ocean and hills nearby my area that I live in, also the good food, botanic gardens, coffee shops, bike lanes, easy to access nature and the International airport. Working full time doesn’t seem all that different here to working full time in U.S., and lesser pay with higher costs of living makes it difficult to not work full time.
The major difference between my current role in NZ and my previous role in the USA is that the healthcare system is different and takes time to learn; in the US we don’t do much acute injury care, and there is a lot of acute injury care in NZ due to ACC. People’s bodies are pretty much the same everywhere – a shoulder is a shoulder, a back is a back. Acute injury care is done differently in NZ.
The team at Accent has been incredible – through the job search process, to visa decisions, to treat drop offs in MIQ, to support finding a place to live upon arrival. They’ve even sent text and email messages to check in on how we are settling in. So grateful to have found this group to support our relocation journey.
I’m an Occupational Therapist from the UK and came to NZ in August of 2021. The process to come to New Zealand took me three months because I already had state registration.The easiest part of the process was getting a job and a visa with thanks to Accent.The most challenging part of the process was getting a spot in MIQ.My first impressions of New Zealand were everyone here is ‘your mate’, all kind and decent types. The country is so green and beautiful, and I haven’t even seen the scenic parts yet due to lockdown.The best parts of NZ are the people and the land. My teammates are uber professional but super friendly. What I miss the most is friends and family. My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is to ‘just do it’. ’m just so happy to be here and excited to travel to all the beautiful places I keep hearing about. I plan to visit Tararua hills, then Waitomo Caves, Tongariro Crossing and Lake Taupo. Followed by the Pouakai Circuit and Rotorua because I love nature. I look forward to going to South Island at some point which everyone says is stunning. I like where I live because there is lots of green space and beautiful public parks. There is so much that’s different from the UK because everything here is about contracts. It’s so limiting and bureaucratic and hard for the client and the therapist. The essential principles of OT are the same, I love visiting clients in the community and feeling confident that I have the skills to support them to achieve their rehab goals. Thanks for making things so accessible and easy for me! Yours, Grace
My name is Lauren, I’m an Occupational Therapist from the UK and came over to New Zealand in October of 2020. From stating the process of professional registration to landing the process took around 7 months. After gaining registration things went a lot quicker!
The easiest part of the process was securing a job. We were very surprised at how easy this part of the process was, given that it’s usually the part people worry about the most. I was offered a job on my first interview and could not believe it. It was the best feeling ever because so much rides on securing a job offer. Prue from ACCENT helped with everything, from CV to interview and beyond. The interview prep support from Prue made me feel more at ease and working with them just took the pressure off. The second easiest part was deciding to go. It definitely was all systems go. We had our visa through on Friday and booked our flight for the Monday. Looking back now we were just so lucky that everything just came together. We didn’t didn’t find quarantine that unbearable either. It gave us time to get things sorted when we landed and ACCENT looked after us and kept checking in.
The most challenging part of the process was not much but I don’t think you can avoid challenges when you move to the other side of the world. Especially when the world is going through so much. The biggest challenge was lining all our ducks up, knowing which steps to take first. We had to sell our house and at the time we did not know how long that would take in a pandemic. We ended up living in a caravan with 2 children and 2 dogs because we did not want to tie ourselves to a rental. You could say we took ACCENT’s advice to be move ready very seriously. This is where the checklists and advice from ACCENT came in so handy. They ended up being way more to us than recruitment alone. They offered us so much support, an ear when things got tough and encouragement every step. I truly believe we would have found the process 10 times harder and longer without their support.
My first impressions of NZ were so much open space, green, fresh air, dramatic scenery. The best parts of NZ for us is that my two boys can run and explore so many beautiful places. These places are usually free and we feel so lucky that we are surrounded by amazing scenery. We have found people to be so welcoming and friendly and so so generous.
What I miss the most is family and friends. In a strange way we had got used to connecting with them virtually with lockdown. But I don’t think you can prepare yourself for the distance. It’s not so easy to pop back home. We have a feeling though that when things open up again we will have lots of visitors. My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is do your research but remember everyone’s experience is different, your experience is what you make it. Be the most organised you have ever been in your life and listen to ACCENT advice, they will make being organised a whole lot easier.
I am just so thankful that we had the opportunity to come to such an amazing country. I pinch myself every week. We have no regrets.
Not major a major difference between my current role in NZ and my previous but I would say subtle differences. I felt more accountable for everything in the UK. My role in NZ is very open and flexible here. I also don’t work alongside many OTs in my role here but I am in a rural area. Similar assessments, processes and the competencies are basically the same as the UK. The term rural generalist was new to me. Where a professional may go accros all areas such as pediatrics, mental health and physical.
My name is Tanelle, I’m a Physiotherapist from Australia. It took me about 4 months with the process to come to New New Zealand. The easiest part of the process was choosing to come to NZ. The most challenging part of the process was deciding what to pack in my luggage, and the 14 days of quarantine.My first impressions of NZ were that everyone is so damn friendly. I thought Aussies were friendly, but this is next level nice. Also the amazing beauty of the place. The best parts of NZ are that almost every hike I’ve done so far has a waterfall. One main thing I do miss is the warmer weather of Australia. My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is definitely DO IT! If you can, get some contacts in the area that you’re moving to, I feel like this helps with settling in. Take as much time as you can to explore NZ, try to think of it as a working holiday. There is just so much to see and do here. The more I travel, the more I find to do. The lists get longer, not shorter. The major differences between my current role in NZ and my previous is how much physios were asked to see someone because they wanted a walking frame for home (in my old workplace they were encouraged to purchase themselves on discharge). The job was very similar to what I was doing previously, so it was mostly all the new paperwork I had to learn. It was interesting and different to focus more an emphasis on the community here in NZ.
My name is Tanelle, I’m a Physiotherapist from Australia. It took me about 4 months with the process to come to New New Zealand. The easiest part of the process was choosing to come to NZ. The most challenging part of the process was deciding what to pack in my luggage, and the 14 days of quarantine.
My first impressions of NZ were that everyone is so damn friendly. I thought Aussies were friendly, but this is next level nice. Also the amazing beauty of the place. The best parts of NZ are that almost every hike I’ve done so far has a waterfall. One main thing I do miss is the warmer weather of Australia. My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is definitely DO IT! If you can, get some contacts in the area that you’re moving to, I feel like this helps with settling in. Take as much time as you can to explore NZ, try to think of it as a working holiday. There is just so much to see and do here. The more I travel, the more I find to do. The lists get longer, not shorter. The major differences between my current role in NZ and my previous is how much physios were asked to see someone because they wanted a walking frame for home (in my old workplace they were encouraged to purchase themselves on discharge). The job was very similar to what I was doing previously, so it was mostly all the new paperwork I had to learn. It was interesting and different to focus more an emphasis on the community here in NZ.
The easiest part of the process was the management by ACCENT in particular finding me ‘the right fit’ occupational therapy employment role.
The most challenging part of the process were the bits ACCENT could not oversee, re- registering, organizing visa and quarantine.
My first impressions of NZ were a progressive country that has value-centered country. First day out of quarantine I felt emotional experience because I was struck by how friendly everyone is and that reminded me of how things used to be in Ireland growing up in the 1990s before the rise of excessive materialistic culture post Celtic Tiger.
The best parts of NZ I think the emotional intelligence of people. In simple words people are so helpful whenever you need to access services of any kind.
New Zealand reminds me of bygone days growing up in Ireland before people became overly obsessed by materialistic values. New Zealanders are not overly obsessed by appearances and are easy going particularly when challenges arise. I find the NZ workplace setting is values centred where styles of leadership emphasise getting the best out of the team. I look forward to going to work everyday as result.
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is don’t dilly dally just do it, get over here if you can. As New Zealanders might say life’s too short about thinking what if. Take the plunge and ‘get yourself over here, eh!’
The values centred paradigm that is New Zealand’s bicultural approach makes it amenable for an occupational therapist to apply the principles of the profession. The culture here is about supporting people to develop, and sustain sense of purpose. It is easy working as an occupational therapist where the culture supports your role to improve people’s abilities to have purposeful life.
I think New Zealand retains the best of the liberal tradition from its mother country Great Britain. In this context New Zealand culture is able to be reflexive look at what it has done in the past and see how it can improve. As a consequence New Zealand is blazing a trail for the rest of the world where New Zealand is ditching it’s old colonial mask and replacing it with a bicultural revision where Maori culture alongside Pakeha is being valued more and more. This is in contrast to the United Kingdom which is at present is struggling to look at itself coherently. For example, a government- commissioned review into racism has concluded the United Kingdom is not an institutionally racist country, prompting a backlash from critics within United Kingdom.
It helps to speak English fluently. However, I realise if I am to really develop a coherent understanding of bicultural Aotearoa I must learn Maori culture too. I plan to learn Te Reo meantime.
Is there anything specifically done differently in NZ that has interested you and the way you practice your profession? I think bicultural Aotearoa society has a profound impact on occupational therapy practice where Maori culture in particular places equal emphasis on the taha wairua (spiritual), taha whanau ( family), taha hinengaro (mental), and taha tinana (physical) dimensions. Consequently this allows for far greater opportunities to practice holistically as an occupational therapist than in western culture which are materialistic to a fault.
Hi, we are Jonny and Laura. We are both physiotherapists, originally from Norwich, England, now living in Parnell, Auckland. We arrived in NZ in September, 2019, on the ‘Essential Skills Working Visa’, after finding jobs through ACCENT Health Recruitment.
We are both outgoing, enthusiastic individuals who thrive on work life balance, especially experiencing the outdoors. After working in the NHS for 4 years, we were keen to explore and develop ourselves both personally and professionally and felt New Zealand could offer this and more.
It took roughly 1 year from planning to leaving because we had to convert our Physiotherapy registration from the UK to the New Zealand board of Physiotherapy which was a lengthy process. After we had completed this, it took roughly 4-5 months to find jobs, apply and receive the visa. The most stressful part of the process was thinking what else do we needed to do and making sure we have all of the important documents with us when we initially landed. We were guided very helpfully by ACCENT Health Recruitment through the whole process.
We were both very lucky and privileged to both get jobs working in hospitals central to Auckland. We started work quickly after we arrived which helped us settle into the work/life balance and enabled us to meet people quickly. Just over a week in New Zealand we purchased a campervan and have been enjoying exploring what Auckland, North Shore and the Regional Parks have to offer in the evenings and at weekends. We are looking forward to further travels over the upcoming summer months in Delilah, the campervan. We are so far loving the exploring in the campervan, going for walks and runs and everyone we have met so far has made us feel very welcome.
We feel we have more of a work life balance here in New Zealand due to the hours we work (07.30-16.00) allows us to have more of an evening to spend outdoors and at our leisure. Due to the great accessibility to the outdoors it’s easy to boost mindfulness and endorphins in the evenings and at weekends. We walk to work through the Domain, a well-kept area of grassland and forestry surrounding Auckland Museum where we often pass people dog walking, running or cycling. After work we participate in local gyms three times a week and in the other evenings either drive 10minutes to a nearby beach for a walk, or walk around the suburb enjoying the calming sunset. On the weekend we go to the local fruit and vegetable market before heading out in our campervan to spend the night at one of the many regional parks – free access and free day parking!
Our cultural competence and awareness has developed since working and living in New Zealand, something we had not been exposed to much in the UK. Due to New Zealand being a bicultural country, our knowledge, skills and ability regarding culture has greatly improved. We have received great training through our employer to expand on our skills and are daily being positively challenged about culture, its effect in the healthcare system and how we can respect cultural identity in our professional and personal life.
We are very proud of ourselves for moving to the other side of the world, working in a different healthcare system and living in a country we have never been before. We only wish our friends and family from the UK could be here as well!
Our advice to others looking to move to NZ is to be organised – make sure you have your finances sorted, researched roughly which city you want to be in, put yourself out there when you arrive in order to make friends and feel settled. Things will always work out; being open minded about the future and forward planning visas to give you the best option. We have absolutely loved living and working here in New Zealand so far and we have been made to settle in quickly. New Zealand is a stunning country with many wonderful places to visit, stay and explore – we hope to make the most of it!
Accent Health Recruitment > Case Studies > Allied Health > Jonny & Laura – Physios U.K. to Auckland
My Name is Jon and I am a physiotherapist from the UK.
I came to NZ in September 2018 and the process from starting my registration paperwork to arriving in the country took 9 months. I worked on my application fairly regularly but if you persevere then it could be done quicker! The easiest part of the process was getting a job through Accent. The team job searched and applied upon my behalf, and provided interview prep. They also helped sort out a bank account ready for my arrival into the country. Thanks Prudence!
The most challenging part of the process was the registration paperwork! It wasn’t particularly difficult, just extremely time consuming. Make sure you stick at it… it’s definitely worth all the evenings and weekends! I saved a picture of Mount Cook as my phone screensaver so every time I picked it up I was reminded of the end goal!
My first impressions of NZ were just how spacious and uncrowded it is. I have been lucky enough to watch the sunset at the beach with 3 work friends and not another person in sight. I’ve also walked through native forest to a waterfall only to find I’m the only person there. That would never happen in the UK!
The best parts of NZ are how friendly and welcoming the people are and how much there is to do each weekend, regardless of what types of activities interest you. The country is a real melting pot of nationalities and I walked in to work on my first day to a selection of typical NZ treats and a welcome sign on my desk. From skiing, snowboarding and trekking in the mountains to exploring expansive beaches, wine tasting at amazing vineyards and learning about Maori culture, there is so much to do here.
What I miss the most is definitely friends at family. FaceTime, email and text does make staying in touch easy, and it means I still get to see all of my favourite people! The hardest part is actually getting on the plane.
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is really research what kind of life you want to live here. I chose Palmerston North because of its location.
It’s virtually 2-3 hours to most of the bigger and, dare I say it, tourist sites like Wellington, New Plymouth, Napier and Taupo. Plus it isn’t quite as commercial. I’m a 30-60 minute drive to both the beach and mountain ranges.
Currently there are no real differences between my current role in NZ and my previous position in the UK, and I like that. I chose a hospital setting for this very reason as I didn’t want my new job to be something that I had to really get to grips with and fathom out alongside a new currency, Kiwi slang and unfamiliar sights! This really helped make the transition from one country to another easier.
There is a big emphasis on work-life balance here and I’d say that’s a good enough reason to try things out down under!
Hi, my name is Sheila and I am a Physiotherapist from Ireland. I arrived in Wellington, New Zealand in January 2020 – just in time to get settled before the COVID19 lockdown commenced! I’ve spent the lockdown period working in contact tracing for the government, perfecting my baking skills and trying to improve my 5km running time!
The process to come to NZ took me approximately 9 months. The most challenging part of the process was completing the physiotherapy registration. I found it took longer than I anticipated to collate all the required documents. However, once all this is received by the registration board the next stage only took a few weeks. Finding somewhere to live was also difficult as we arrived in Wellington when the university year was commencing hence bigger demand for flats.
The easiest part of the process was booking my flights! Thanks to Kristen at ACCENT, finding a job went much smoother and quicker than I expected. NZ is such a beautiful country and the people are so friendly. The best parts of NZ are being able to explore the gorgeous beaches and mountains that are on your doorstep. And the coffee. I definitely do find it challenging being so far away from my family and friends.
Prior to moving to New Zealand I had been working in a public hospital in Ireland. When I made the move I decided to try out working in a private practice. The biggest difference is that ACC plays a huge role in allowing people to access affordable physiotherapy in New Zealand – this was a new concept for me. My employer was really good in explaining how ACC works and ensured I was supported when learning about ACC processes. The other major difference was not having paper notes – everything is accessible digitally in my new role. I now have the ability to refer patients for x-rays and ultrasounds if needed, which is a big advantage in providing timely and safe interventions. Clinically, I play the same role; the conditions are generally similar and most patients speak English.
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is: be as organised as you can – plan your finances as it can be expensive to get set up initially. Get your registration completed before doing anything else. Do your research as to where you would like to settle, what visa you require and where to look for accommodation.
I am so delighted that I made the decision to move to Wellington. New Zealand is a beautiful country, perfect for outdoor activities and the people have been so friendly. Being based in Wellington makes accessing both the North and South islands really easy (pre COVID 19). I only wish I arrived sooner!
Accent Health Recruitment > Case Studies > Allied Health > Sheila, Irish Physiotherapist working in Wellington New Zealand
My Name is Jo. I am a Speech and Language Therapist working in inpatient acute services.
I came to NZ at the end of December 2018 from the UK after a 6 month long process
The easiest part of the process was getting a job. The most challenging part of the process was applying for registration and visas, particularly pulling together all the evidence required.
In the UK I worked in Secure services for adults with learning disabilities and had 7ish years’ experience. Since moving to NZ I have started a new specialism. It’s been a learning curve, and at times I almost feel like I’m newly qualified again! I’ve been very lucky to have a supportive team around me who have helped me into my new role and learn the ropes. In terms of dysphagia the way it is assessed is very different, what I would have used in the UK is not used in NZ, so I have had to learn the skills for this. That being said, a lot of the skills I had around professionalism, note writing and utilising evidence-based practice are very similar and transferable, so having these skills already honed is very helpful. At the moment I am just enjoying learning a new specialism, I am very lucky to get this opportunity this far into my career.
My first impressions of NZ were that it was a very friendly and relaxed country. On our first day in the country and we were walking through the streets in Auckland and people were saying hello and wishing us a Happy New Year.
The best things about NZ is the amount of things to do. There are so many beautiful places to visit without having to travel too far. So far we have managed without a car to get around and do things in and around Auckland. You don’t have to travel too far out of the city to be in the rainforest and there are so many amazing beaches around the city and suburbs. There are also lots of activities you can do including windsurfing, paddle boarding, kayaking, hiking, climbing . . .You’ll never be bored. We have also made the most of gigs available in the spark arena and shows at the Civic Theatre.
What I miss the most is the English supermarkets and the ease of Amazon! We are slowly getting used to the different names for foods (e.g. Kumara for sweet potato and capsicum for pepper!) and what is available in New Zealand and what’s not. Things that cost us pence in the UK cost a lot more in NZ. I have always been an independent person and quite introverted, i didn’t expect leaving family and friends behind would have such an impact on me. There will be days you feel homesick and lonely, but don’t let that put you off. Skype and Whatsapp are wonderful things. Also going to the beach is a great cure for being homesick.
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is be prepared to have cold feet! There were many occasions that me and my husband were so nervous about the move that we questioned our motives and the benefits of moving. I’ve spoken to other people who have gone through the same process as us, and this seems to be a perfectly normal reaction. Despite everything, we are so happy we have made the move. The quality of life we have now is so much better than we have in the UK, we don’t regret it at all.
Accent Health Recruitment > Case Studies > Allied Health > Jo – Speech Language Therapist
Hi everyone, my name is Karen, I am a Speech Therapist. I came to NZ in April from the UK and the process to come to NZ took me approximately 3 months.
The easiest part of the process was getting a visa and a job. The most challenging part of the process was tying up everything at home in 8 weeks and leaving everyone I know and love.
My first impressions of NZ were all the buildings are very square. And the sea is very blue.
The best parts of NZ are the people are friendly, it’s so easy to make friends, amazing landscapes and lots of culture and festivals going on in Wellington. I’ve met a great bunch of new friends through biking and been out exploring lots with them, and there are SO MANY festivals, events etc that are going on here.
What I miss the most is definitely the people from home and proper cups of tea.
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is it feels a very long way from home, bring a few really cosy warm jumpers for winter time.
Anything else you would like to say? I found it so easy to make friends here but settling in was difficult because of all the things and people I missed from home. Wellington is a great city for new people because there are always things happening and lots of people who want to get involved. Be prepared for some hard days as well as the good ones though!
Questions about your new workplace:
Are there any major differences between your current role in NZ and your previous roles in the UK? The team is a lot smaller than my previous team yet the patients are just as diverse – which means that the whole team has to be a specialist in more areas – so the work is more varied as we see a wider range of patients. It’s really great experience and is helping me brush up on skills I didn’t get much experience in back home.
Also, the systems in the hospital where I work are much better in some ways (access to patient info) but can be quite frustrating in other ways – referrals are still paper and must be taken by hand to the other side of the hospital, lots of administration systems are still paper based which feels very slow compared to electronic systems I have been used to in the UK.
Are there any similarities that have helped you? The patients are still much the same and many of the resources used are the same, but also there are new ones and it’s great to become familiar with those.
Is there anything specifically done differently in NZ that has interested you and the way you practice your profession? Supervision is done very differently – it is much more structured here than what I am used to with therapists traveling to other hospitals and teams for supervision whereas in my previous role it was done with someone I work very closely with. It’s good because it enables you to talk a bit more freely if any difficulties do arise, but does take a lot more time away from clinical work.
There is a lot of multiculturalism here which is one of the things I love, and in our hospital there is a Maori Health service which is specifically to support families of Maori patients who are in hospital. The Maori Health unit support families with translation, big decisions, complex discharges and helps to inform hospital and community staff of any particular needs or wishes of the family. It’s a really good way to make sure all the cultural needs of the patient are met and a service that I’ve never experienced before.
NZ PHOTOS: 1st photo is of me, US Speech Therapist Rachael (you can read her case study as well) and a group of friends at Tukino ski field. 2nd photo is of a group of us biking Redrocks in Wellington – there are people on the hill if you look closely at the middle of the picture – (we’re having snacks) 3rd photo is of me and my friend Rosie at sunrise at Tukino Ski Field.
I am so incredibly thrilled that we decided to make the move here and for all of the pieces to fall into place as they did. I really do love everything about my experience so far and we haven’t even come close to experiencing what NZ has to offer
Hi everyone! My name is Tessa Blake and I am a Speech Language Therapist from the USA. I came to NZ in October with my husband, Ian.
The process to come to NZ took me less than 3 months from FIRST contact with Accent Health Recruitment. The easiest part of the process was it was all so quick and there was amazingly helpful coordination with Accent Health Recruitment. My recruiter acted as the “middle person” between myself and my prospective employer. This took a HUGE weight off my shoulders during the process as there is a lot to think about. She helped keep me on top of every single step in the process and went above and beyond to assist us in having a smooth transition here. She was so incredibly easy to communicate with, understanding, and friendly! Merryl never acted like it was just a “job”, she genuinely wanted everything to be fantastic for us, and it has been!
The most challenging part of the process was… Hmm… Honestly’ it really went very smoothly! I’d say maybe the two more stressful pieces were getting all the visa paperwork completed (there are many i’s to dot and t’s to cross!) and finding a place that suited our needs. We were coming without a car, no furnishings, and a dog (on the way). We needed a place within walking distance of the city centre or convenient bus routes that was in our price range AND allowed dogs. Coordinating getting our dog here actually will probably be the hardest part as the paperwork for dogs is more complicated than for people!
My first impressions of NZ were that it is absolutely magical. We haven’t even been 15 minutes outside of the city yet and the landscape is unlike anything I have ever seen and I have travelled a good bit! It is more beautiful than any photograph I have seen.
The best parts of NZ are: I love so many things, this is going to be a long answer! The outdoor lifestyle and wildlife are fantastic. After only being here for 5 weeks we had already gone hiking, saw rare yellow eyed penguins, got chased by sea lions (yes, believe it or not they run faster than you think!), went running on a number of beautiful scenic tracks and trails, played touch rugby for the first time (now a member of the team!), went to an All Blacks test match, and joined an alpine club that goes on regular climbing trips.
Also, I love the people (most people are SO friendly here) and I feel like there is so much less of a “keeping up with the Jones’s” feeling. Where I came from, it felt like everyone was trying to outdo one another with material things and money. I just don’t feel that way here.
I also love the lack of traffic (when people say “Dunedin rush hour” I chuckle after living in places like Philadelphia and Boston). It is also amazingly clean and fresh here! I rarely see trash!
The local farmer’s market has some of the most amazing local fresh fruits, veggies, meats, cheeses and baked goods offered at really amazing prices! I also LOVE the sweets here, the Cadbury chocolate factory is in the city centre so there is endless amounts of delicious Cadbury chocolate flavours. They have so many different types of baked goods that it will take me a year to try them all (can I say thank goodness for the outdoor lifestyle!) OOHH and who could forget the WINE!!!
What I miss the most is our dog (he is with my parents now, paperwork and shots almost completed), Kale salad (we ate a lot of those delicious greens back home, but we are finding other equally delicious substitutions)
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is – Make sure the friends and family you want to keep in touch with are set up with apps like “Skype” and “Whatsapp” (international free text, audio, video, picture messaging). It has been so incredibly easy to keep touch this way.
Ultimately we wish we could bring all of our friends and family here, however, it has been SO easy to keep in touch through technology and we haven’t missed a beat back home thus far 🙂
I would also recommend starting your visa application as soon as you start getting serious about coming. Even if you don’t have a job offer yet, you can still have most of the paperwork filled out and will know exactly what steps you need to take (i.e. medical exams etc) once you do get the job offer. We were able to get our visa’s sent in and processed in a week’s time as the only piece of paper we were waiting on was the proof of employment.
So far I have been really impressed with the healthcare system here. I have so much more flexibility in my job and it has been easier to access certain materials and devices needed for my speech therapy practice. I really feel like I am able to spend time with my patients and there is no specific “productivity” expectation. Don’t get me wrong, I still work very hard and are expected to perform, but it just seems so much more patient centred. Everyone I have come in contact with who works in the healthcare system seem very satisfied with their job and are genuinely happy to be at work. People seem to LOVE to work here! (Maybe it’s because they get triple the vacation time we do in the States!) There have been a few things to get used to as some of the terminology is not the same, but for the most part, the speech and language therapy practice is almost identical to the states. All of the SLT’s here are very knowledgeable and skilled and I could not be happier to be part of such an amazing team. They made me feel so welcome!
Hi there!
My Name is Rachael, I am a Paediatric Speech Language Pathologist and I came to NZ in February from the United States. The process to come to NZ took me just under four months – but if I needed to I’m sure I could have been three months.
The easiest part of the process was arriving to Wellington and getting all of my initial paperwork done by the end of the first two days. Merryl and Accent Health Recruitment were great with informing me about parts of the process I could start while in the United States and then letting me know where to go to complete the process so that I could get my final HR information in, tax number applied for, and bank account opened. It was nice to get this done so quickly so that I could explore the city and search out a place to live.
The most challenging part of the process was the interview via phone since it was compiled of different case studies that I could encounter on a daily basis based on my new job role.
My first impressions of NZ were just how beautiful the landscape is, especially in Wellington because when I flew in the sky was blue and all of the coastline and water looked beautiful.
Accent Health Recruitment just made the process so simple from setting up the interview, making sure I got the contract, searching for information about different neighbourhoods, and sending links about the documents I would need. I have worked overseas before but this was one of the most efficient experiences I’ve had and even when certain things were taking longer than expected it was nice to have a person at Accent Health Recruitment to contact.
The best parts of NZ are I have to say that right now it has been the weather and getting to enjoy the beach and sun In February (while it is cold and snowing on the East Coast of the states!!!) What I miss the most is my closet!!! I managed to travel with just one 50 pound bag but I am already tired or seeing the same clothes in my closet and dresser
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is to make the most of you time outside of work. I have already started a list of places that I would like to see both in and out of the city and around the country so that I can make the most of my short time here.
Above is a picture of my commute from the City Centre to Lower Hutt – I can’t complain getting on the train and looking outside to see this!
ABOUT MY NEW WORKPLACE:
There are a few major differences between my current role in NZ and my previous roles in the States and China. I am still getting use to the public health system as well as the Ministry of Education so that I can make appropriate referrals and understand the way the system works. One of the biggest differences has been learning about the waiting list, both at the DHB but also for Early Intervention and the Schools as well as who qualifies for services. Sometimes my patients have been on a waiting list for 10 to 11 months, not just for an evaluation but also to get services which is very different from the states. I make sure to keep this in mind so that I make sure to give them the time and quality services that they deserve.
Compared to my last job overseas in Shanghai I would say that there is just more regulation and policies to follow in general with New Zealand- starting with the NZSTA and all of the scheduled in services and workshops. However, the one thing that is similar is that I am part of a therapies department with people from all over the world.
There are some similarities, however, that have helped me transition into my new role. The scope of practice and responsibilities for speech therapist here and at home are similar. It was nice to finally get to assess and work with children and families because that is the same as being in the states- we just have different accents and words for some items.
The reports and dialogue between the professions and families are very family friendly and more “laid back” compared to when I was in the states. I was told that when I write reports and meet with the families that I need to consider the language that I use, as well as the length of the information, so that families are better able to understand not only what my role is/what I am assessing but also the results and recommendations for home.
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