Indian doctors can train and work in New Zealand. There is no residency match to apply into, though. India is not on New Zealand's list of comparable health systems. Most Indian MBBS graduates pass a prerequisite exam first: PLAB, AMC MCQ, USMLE, or MCCQE. Then they sit NZREX Clinical, which has a five-year average pass rate of about 66%.
After the exam, you need a PGY1 job at an accredited provider. Only then does the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) register you. Two years of prevocational training follow and then you can apply for registrar training.
The exam is not the hardest step. PGY1 jobs are limited and local graduates get priority. Budget about NZ$5,800 for NZREX fees. Your pass lasts five years, so plan around that clock.
How do Indian doctors get registered in New Zealand?
Indian doctors register in six steps. Each step is a gate and you cannot skip one.
3
Verify your papers. Complete EPIC primary source verification and pass an English test.
4
Pass NZREX Clinical. The exam runs in Auckland.
5
Win a PGY1 offer. Then apply for provisional general registration.
6
Finish PGY1 and PGY2. Then apply for registrar training or general practice.
Plan for two to four years from your first exam to registration. That is an estimate. Exam seats and hiring rounds move it either way.
Two things need early planning. Exam seats fill fast and your pass lasts only five years. Start verification first, because MCNZ cannot register you until it arrives.
Doctors with recent work in a comparable country may skip NZREX. MCNZ registers more than 1,500 new doctors each year and over 40 percent trained overseas.
What does residency mean in New Zealand?
New Zealand calls the first two hospital years prevocational training. The national match covers only New Zealand and Australian graduates. NZREX doctors apply to hospital jobs directly.
| NZ term |
What it means |
Closest term in India |
| PGY1 (house officer) |
First supervised hospital year |
Compulsory rotating internship |
| PGY2 |
Second prevocational year |
Junior residency |
| RMO |
Any resident medical officer |
Resident doctor |
| Registrar |
Specialty trainee |
Senior resident on an MD/MS-style track |
| Vocational scope |
Specialist registration |
Consultant status |
Interns hold a provisional general scope. Specialists hold a vocational scope. MCNZ also uses a special purpose scope for short, specific roles.
Residency means training. Residence means your visa and permanent status. Search results blur the two, so this page covers both.
Which registration pathway fits an Indian graduate?
Most Indian MBBS graduates use the Examinations pathway. India is not among the 29 countries on the comparable health system list, so work experience in India does not open the faster routes.
| Pathway |
Fits you if |
Note |
| Examinations (NZREX, PLAB 1 and 2, or AMC MCQ and Clinical) |
You hold an Indian MBBS |
Pass within the last five years |
| Comparable health system |
You worked recently in one of the 29 listed countries |
About 33 months of practice in the last 48, plus a job offer at the same level |
| UK and Ireland competent authority |
You hold a UK or Irish degree and internship |
No NZREX needed |
| Specialist routes (VOC3 and VOC4) |
You finished overseas specialty training |
Covered under specialty training below |
An Indian degree with a UK internship does not qualify for competent authority. That route needs both the degree and the internship from the UK or Ireland.
NZREX vs PLAB vs AMC: which exam should you take?
- PLAB 1 and AMC MCQ count as prerequisites for NZREX.
- PLAB 1 and 2 together, or AMC MCQ and Clinical together, can replace NZREX. MCNZ now accepts the AMC Clinical Examination as an alternative.
- Choose AMC if you also want the option to work in Australia.
- Choose NZREX if New Zealand is your only target.
The work-abroad-first route
Some Indian doctors work 33 months in a comparable country, such as the UK or Ireland. Then they apply through the similar health system pathway. This route is long. It also needs a New Zealand job offer in the same type of role as your earlier work.
Run the MCNZ self-assessment tool before you book any exam. It gives the official answer. Application fees are non-refundable, so check eligibility first.
What is NZREX Clinical?
NZREX Clinical is New Zealand's registration exam for doctors who cannot register through another pathway. It is an OSCE with 12 stations over three hours, held in Auckland.
| Item |
Detail |
| Format |
OSCE, 12 stations, 3 hours |
| Location |
Auckland |
| Pass rate |
About 66% (five-year average) |
| Pass validity |
5 years |
| Next sittings |
6 March 2027 and 4 September 2027 |
| English test |
IELTS Academic about 7.0 per band, or OET Medicine 350 per component, valid two years at exam date |
| Verification |
EPIC through MyIntealth, completed before you apply |
Who can sit it
- You hold a recognized primary medical qualification from a school in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
- You passed PLAB 1, AMC MCQ, MCCQE Part I, or USMLE Steps 1 and 2 CK within five years of your exam date.
- You meet an English requirement.
- USMLE candidates ask the Federation of State Medical Boards to send a transcript straight to MCNZ.
- MCNZ suggests one year of postgraduate practice first. It is a recommendation, not a rule.
What the exam tests
Examiners score communication, history taking, professionalism, cultural safety, physical examination, clinical reasoning and management. All stations weigh the same. MCNZ publishes a candidate handbook, sample questions and a reading list. Use them.
Results arrive by email within 10 working days. If you fail, MCNZ sends feedback on your weak areas. If you pass, you do not need to meet the English rule again while your pass is valid.
Seats
MCNZ raised capacity to 180 places in 2025. Only two sittings are listed for 2027 and seats fill fast. Apply as soon as your documents clear.
What happens if you pass NZREX but have no PGY1 job?
You cannot register. MCNZ requires a PGY1 job offer through an accredited training provider first. MCNZ also says the limited number of PGY1 roles is outside its control.
That is the real wall. Local graduates get priority and hospitals need senior staff to supervise every new house officer. Reports in 2023 and 2024 counted roughly 30 doctors who had passed NZREX and still had no job. Some applied more than 100 times. The wait wears people down and the five-year clock keeps ticking.
Treat the exam as step one of two. Do not resign from a stable job in India until a PGY1 offer is in writing.
What helps
- Run the job search while you prepare. Apply to every district, not only the big cities.
- Seek an observership. Some accredited providers organize them and they teach you the system.
- Build clinical time first. One year of postgraduate practice helps the exam and the interview.
- Time your sitting. Make sure your five-year window covers several hiring rounds.
- Know the primary care pathway. Health NZ funds up to 100 overseas-trained doctors for a two-year route and 69 had started by July 2026. It targets doctors already living in New Zealand, so it will not help you from India.
If the window closes
Your pass expires after five years. You would need to sit the exam again.
Check the live MCNZ NZREX dashboard for current pass and registration numbers before you commit.
How much does it cost?
Budget about NZ$5,800 for the NZREX exam itself and roughly NZ$13,500 in MCNZ and visa fees for the full route. Flights and living costs come on top.
| Item |
Approx. cost |
| NZREX application and exam |
About NZ$5,800 |
| Provisional general registration |
About NZ$390 |
| Annual practising certificate |
About NZ$1,000 |
| Straight to Residence visa |
Roughly NZ$6,500 |
| Prerequisite exam, English test, EPIC, flights, stay in Auckland |
Varies. Check each provider |
MCNZ fees include 15% GST. You can get part of the exam fee back if you withdraw six or more weeks early. Withdraw within 19 working days and you get nothing, except in rare cases such as sudden illness.
Can Indian doctors get permanent residence in New Zealand?
Yes and the route is fast. Resident Medical Officer and General Practitioner sit on Tier 1 of the Green List. That opens the Straight to Residence visa, which has no waiting period in New Zealand. Tier 2 roles need 24 months of work first. Resident doctors do not face that wait.
The order matters:
01
Get MCNZ registration, or an MCNZ letter of eligibility.
02
Get a job offer from an accredited employer, paid at or above the median wage.
03
Apply for the residence visa.
You must be 55 or younger when you apply. There are also health and character requirements to be met. The fee starts at roughly NZ$6,500.
For an NZREX candidate, the PGY1 offer sets the whole visa timeline. Your employer must hold Immigration NZ accreditation, so ask before you accept. The Green List changes over time, so check Immigration NZ for current pay thresholds and fees.
What are the hours, pay and work-life balance?
A contract caps your hours. The RMO agreement sets a 60-hour weekly average over four weeks, a 72-hour limit in any seven days and 16 hours in any one day. Emergency and ICU RMOs get tighter limits: a 50-hour average and 60 hours in any week.
- House officers get at least 3 hours of protected teaching each week.
- Union rules limit long days to two in seven.
- Night shifts on ED and ICU rosters are capped at 30 percent.
The salary for house officers is approximately NZ$95,000 to NZ$130,000. That depends on the run and additional working hours. Specialists are paid around NZ$185,000 to NZ$268,000 on the Health NZ scale. The agreement was under renegotiation in 2026, so treat every figure as a guide.
Better hours do not mean easy hours. Nights, long days and on-call duty still exist. The difference is that a contract limits them and a union enforces them.
After PGY2: specialty training and Indian MD/MS
Registrar posts are competitive. You apply through recruitment rounds after PGY2.
- New Zealand recognizes 36 vocational scopes, nine of them surgical.
- Specialty colleges run selection and each sets its own entry rules.
- Doctors with an overseas specialist qualification use VOC3 or VOC4. Colleges advise MCNZ and MCNZ decides.
- The provisional vocational application costs about NZ$4,650. A vocational practice assessment, if required, costs about NZ$20,300.
- MCNZ targets decisions within about three months. Expect roughly 6 to 18 months of supervised practice afterward.
- An Indian MD or MS gets reviewed case by case. No automatic recognition exists.
Pick your direction before PGY2 ends. Choose your runs with a registrar application in mind.
FAQs
Almost always. Indian graduates fall outside the comparable health system and competent authority routes. PLAB 1 and 2, or AMC MCQ and Clinical, can replace it. Every route still ends in a PGY1 job.
About two in three candidates pass, based on MCNZ’s five-year average of 66%. The exam rewards communication and cultural safety as much as medical knowledge. Practice stations out loud with a partner.
No. PLAB 1 or AMC MCQ alone only makes you eligible to sit NZREX. PLAB 1 and 2 together, or AMC MCQ and Clinical together, count as the exam. You still need a PGY1 job.
Plan for roughly two to four years from your first exam to registration. Exam seats, verification and the PGY1 search set the pace. The job search is the least predictable part.
No. You need the job after you pass. MCNZ registers you only once you hold a PGY1 offer, so start applying early.
You can sit it again if you meet the eligibility rules each time. MCNZ sends feedback on weak areas and you apply for a later sitting.
Roughly NZ$95,000 to NZ$130,000 as a house officer and about NZ$185,000 to NZ$268,000 as a specialist. Figures are approximate and pay agreements change.
