Pulse reports on Working as a GP in New Zealand

Pulse is releasing a report into working as a UK-trained GP in New Zealand, focusing on areas such as visa requirements, pay, the way the health system works and the lifestyle across the two islands.

The 24-page guide, which will be serialised into five parts on Pulse, follows a Pulse survey last year of more than 1,000 GPs found that around one in three had considered relocating to New Zealand, which was only behind Canada and Australia in terms of popularity.  

It looks at the positives and negatives of living and working in New Zealand, comparing pay rates and cost-of-living, taxation and transferring NHS pensions. It also looks at the lifestyle in various parts of the country, from the more energetic, cosmopolitan lifestyle of the cities in the north to the stunning scenery and outdoors lifestyle of the South Island.

This guide follows a January 2025 white paper by Pulse’s publishers Cogora, which showed the extend of the number of GPs who are underemployed in the UK, leading many to look overseas for work. Equally, it comes at a time when New Zealand are in need of GPs themselves.

The paper is supported by Good Together, a New Zealand-based medical recruitment and workforce support organisation, working across primary care and hospital services.

Director Moana Bywater said: We ‘We are pleased to contribute to this guide, as we believe it is important that doctors considering a move to New Zealand have a clear and balanced understanding of what working and living here involves. While New Zealand offers a professionally and personally appealing lifestyle for many, it may not be the right fit for everyone. Our focus is on ensuring doctors are well informed and well supported, so they can make decisions that are right for them.’

You can read the full Working as a GP in New Zealand report here.

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