Recruiters inundated

WELLINGTON: Medical recruitment agencies have seen an overwhelming increase in overseas doctors and other medical workers wanting to move to New Zealand.

Managing director of Accent Medical Recruitment Prudence Thomson has worked in this field for 25 years, and has never seen interest as high as in the past four months.

‘‘We have had probably a tenfold increase from the US and I expect that to increase up until the third of November with the US elections, and then, depending on what happens over there, we will continue to increase. We have been absolutely flooded, also from the UK, Singapore and Australia.’’

Usually, 2700 international nurses and 1600 international doctors are employed in New Zealand each year.

Ms Thomson said the high interest had been prompted by New Zealand’s comparative success in handling Covid19.

‘‘We’ve had a very, very positive response from people from overseas, and it’s mainly because of Covid and changes in the political scene in the US.’’

Mel MckendrickMarano shifted from California to West Auckland in midJuly with her partner and two young children, after considering the move for a few years.

Ms MckendrickMarano, a nurse, said she appreciated that she could get her daughter back into school.

‘‘It was exciting for us to be able to come here,’’ she said.

‘‘We could just move about in a country that’s more unified in the way they handle things.’’

Ms Thomson said Covid19 had hastened the process of medical workers arriving in New Zealand despite a twoweek managed isolation period.

‘‘The quickest we’ve moved someone, including their verification of their registration and their visa, was three and ahalf weeks, but that was pretty important to get him here quickly for waiting lists in New Zealand.’’

The process usually takes three to four months. — RNZ