Health New Zealand to Welcome 1800 Graduate Nurses

Health New Zealand has announced that around 1800 graduate registered nurses will begin hospital-based roles, which Health Minister Simeon Brown says will support the health system.

He states that a sustainable health system depends on a consistent flow of New Zealand-trained nurses entering the workforce. He notes that Health New Zealand plans to offer about 1400 hospital-based positions to the 2025 end of year cohort of nursing graduates, with expectations that more than 80 percent of those who pass their exams will secure roles.

When taking into account the more than 400 mid-year graduate positions already offered, Health New Zealand anticipates supporting about 1800 graduate nurses into the workforce during the current financial year. According to the minister, this will assist in strengthening staffing levels and ensuring locally trained nurses can move into frontline roles, enabling hospitals across the country to maintain the personnel required to provide timely and quality care.

Graduate nurses are scheduled to begin receiving offers from Health New Zealand from 1 December. The remaining graduates will be supported into opportunities outside of Health New Zealand, including primary care roles.

The minister highlights that the Government is also investing in graduate placements within primary care. Funding allows primary care employers to take on up to 400 graduate nurses annually, with rural primary and community providers receiving $20,000 for each graduate they employ and urban providers receiving $15,000.

Mr Brown says that increasing graduate opportunities is important for developing a long-term, sustainable workforce. He adds that these roles offer structured support, professional development, and a defined pathway into clinical practice, which helps build a workforce that is resilient and supported.

He notes that around 2000 additional nurses have joined the health system since the Government took office. He says the focus remains on continuing to expand the workforce so New Zealanders can access timely and quality care, and that supporting locally trained nurses is central to this aim.

Mr Brown congratulates all graduating nurses on completing their studies and says he looks forward to welcoming them into the health workforce in the coming months as they begin their careers caring for New Zealanders.