Northland Age
  • Northland Age home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
  • Opinion
  • Kaitaia weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northland Age

Immigration adds registered nurses to skills list

By Peter Jackson
Northland Age·
15 May, 2019 08:35 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The Switzer Home can provide hospital-level care for 51 residents.

The Switzer Home can provide hospital-level care for 51 residents.

The New Zealand Aged Care Association has applauded the government's decision to add aged care nurses to the long-term skills shortage list as a positive step towards addressing chronic nursing shortages.

Chief executive Simon Wallace said Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway's decision would allow rest home providers to more efficiently recruit overseas nurses as a time when they were struggling to retain their nurse workforce.

"We have lobbied hard for this over the last 18 months with the valued support of DHBs, Health Workforce New Zealand and the Nursing Governance Group, among others. The government has listened to our voice, responded responsibly, and we welcome that," Mr Wallace said.

The long term skills shortage list (LTSSL) identifies skilled occupations where there is a sustained and ongoing shortage of workers, in New Zealand and globally. Those employed in one of those occupations may apply for residence after two years working in a LTSSL occupation under specific criteria.

Mr Wallace said the previous government's decision to remove aged care nurses from the LTSSL had exacerbated ongoing shortages, removing pathways to residency, leaving overseas nurses uncertain about their future in New Zealand and feeling undervalued, despite their important contribution to New Zealand's industry and society.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Our members rely heavily on being able to recruit and retain overseas nurses to be able to provide the highest-quality care for our most vulnerable older people, but there are simply not enough registered nurses available, and at a time when we are now losing nurses to DHBs in the wake of last year's pay settlement, this decision is a lifeline," he said.

Meanwhile the Minister said skills shortages lists were now more regionalised, to reflect what skills were needed where, and to show New Zealanders and temporary migrants where there were opportunities are for work in the provinces.

Early childhood, primary and secondary teaching had been added to the lists in all regions, with aged care (registered) nurses added to the long-term list and 'building associate' added to the construction skills shortage list.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Discover more

Funding doesn't cover rest home care costs

13 May 08:31 PM

Editorial: Senior politicians do Kaitaia no favours

13 May 08:49 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northland Age

Northland Age

School lunch programme saves $130m, student satisfaction rises, Govt says

10 Jul 02:00 AM
Northland Age

Changing times: Kiwibank's new model prompts mixed reactions

10 Jul 02:00 AM
Northland Age

Far North approves 10.95% rates rise, slightly lower than forecast

09 Jul 06:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northland Age

School lunch programme saves $130m, student satisfaction rises, Govt says

School lunch programme saves $130m, student satisfaction rises, Govt says

10 Jul 02:00 AM

Associate Education Minister David Seymour says complaints have fallen by 92%.

Changing times: Kiwibank's new model prompts mixed reactions

Changing times: Kiwibank's new model prompts mixed reactions

10 Jul 02:00 AM
Far North approves 10.95% rates rise, slightly lower than forecast

Far North approves 10.95% rates rise, slightly lower than forecast

09 Jul 06:00 PM
Far North news in brief: FNDC reviews rates policy, Toastie Takeover

Far North news in brief: FNDC reviews rates policy, Toastie Takeover

09 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northland Age e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to The Northland Age
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northland Age
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP