Vietnamese Health Workers: Why Is New Zealand's South Island Short of Staff?

News · 2026-08-31 · 3 min read

Are you a nurse, doctor or allied health worker in Vietnam? Do you think about working in New Zealand? Then this story may help you. A new internal review looked at the health system in the South Island. It shows staff are very busy. But the proof is not a long list of jobs. The proof is in leave and overtime.

Is the number of staff really falling?

The review says the health workforce in the South Island became smaller over the past four years. The biggest drop was in the last twelve months. But Health New Zealand is not sure the number is correct. Many support and public health staff were moved from local payroll systems to national ones. So some people may not have left. They may only be counted in a new place.

Leave that people cannot use

Here is the most important fact. The average health worker in the South Island has about three months of unused annual leave. This is nearly double the next-highest region. It is more than five times the level in Northland.

Senior doctors have even more. They hold close to five months on average. That is triple the national figure for senior doctors.

Why does this matter? These workers have earned time off, but they cannot stop work. Too much unused leave can lead to tired staff and people leaving their jobs.

Overtime is now normal

Nurses in the South Island hold most of the overtime hours in the region. They also have a stock of time-in-lieu that they have not taken. This is time off given instead of overtime pay. The numbers have gone down since 2022. But the review says overtime has not disappeared. It has become a normal way to cover shifts.

Which jobs were cut?

The biggest falls were in administration, management and patient care-and-support roles. They were not mainly among nurses, doctors or midwives. The review warns that clinical staff may now do extra coordination work. Some districts grew. Others, including some bigger ones, became smaller.

What can you do?

A busy workplace does not mean you should stop your plan. It means you should ask clear questions. How are rosters made? How is overtime managed? Can staff take leave? Then prepare your documents step by step:

Qualification recognition. Vietnamese certificates and degrees are usually assessed again abroad. New Zealand may use qualification recognition, or occupational registration for some trades. Check what your own role needs.
Police clearance, usually the Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 (Phiếu lý lịch tư pháp số 2), when requested.
An English test, IELTS or PTE, if the visa or employer asks for it.
Certified English translations of Vietnamese documents when the visa rules ask for them.

Stay safe. Deal only with licensed organisations and real employers. Never pay an unlicensed broker. Be careful with anyone who asks for money upfront to secure a job or a visa.

Read about visas on the official New Zealand visa page. Overseas-trained health workers may help ease the pressure. Be patient, be prepared and choose carefully.

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