Live vacancies: browse current podiatry jobs in New Zealand on the IMEA POD jobs board, or search directly on LinkedIn.
New Zealand is a small but welcoming podiatry market with a long-standing shortage of practitioners outside the main cities. Only one university, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), trains podiatrists locally, and the government careers service describes job chances as good due to high demand, with demand strongest in rural areas (careers.govt.nz). For podiatrists from the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and India, the country offers a straightforward registration process and, importantly, a place on the immigration Green List.
The protected title is “podiatrist”. Practitioners previously registered as chiropodists are covered by the general podiatrist scope of practice, and a separate scope exists for podiatric surgeons. You must be registered with the Podiatrists Board of New Zealand and hold a current Annual Practising Certificate (APC) before practising.
How podiatry is regulated in New Zealand
Podiatry is regulated by the Podiatrists Board of New Zealand under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. The Board has gazetted three scopes of practice: Podiatrist (general), Podiatric Surgeon, and Visiting Podiatrist Educator/Presenter. Applications for the podiatric surgeon scope are assessed with input from the Australasian College of Podiatric Surgeons or the University of Western Australia (podiatristsboard.org.nz).
Overseas-qualified applicants must complete a desktop assessment and a Cultural Competence Open Book Exam (COBE). To be eligible you must either have graduated within three years of applying and be registered in the country where you qualified, or have practised within the three years before applying (podiatristsboard.org.nz). The desktop assessment uses an applicant referee proforma, and the Board publishes a candidate guide to qualification and skills assessment. The Board asks applicants to allow up to six weeks for a completed application, including the desktop assessment (podiatristsboard.org.nz).
Podiatrists registered in Australia can apply under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act, or alternatively under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act; both routes still require the COBE (podiatristsboard.org.nz). The Australian and New Zealand Podiatry Accreditation Council (ANZPAC), which older guides mention, no longer assesses overseas podiatrists; applications go directly to the Board.
For English language, the British Council lists the Board’s requirement as IELTS Academic 7.5 overall with no band below 7.0 (takeielts.britishcouncil.org); confirm the current policy and any alternative tests with the Board before booking. First-time APC applicants must also provide a current Basic Life Support certificate that includes anaphylaxis training, and all registrants must follow the Board’s practice standards and ethical codes.
The podiatry employment landscape in New Zealand
Private practice dominates. Government careers data indicates that around 77% of podiatrists are self-employed, with others working in established private clinics, public hospitals, universities, private hospitals and rest homes (careers.govt.nz). Public sector roles sit within Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora, typically in diabetes, high-risk foot and wound care services, where podiatrists work alongside vascular, endocrinology and orthotic teams.
In private practice, the core caseload covers general podiatry, nail surgery, biomechanics and custom orthoses, sports injuries and paediatrics. Home visits and aged residential care are important in smaller towns. The same careers data, citing Podiatry New Zealand figures from 2022, puts graduate pay at around NZ$50,000 to NZ$52,000, rising to about NZ$70,000 after two to three years and NZ$70,000 to NZ$98,000 for senior podiatrists and managers; private practice earnings vary with the business.
Employers and job search channels
The Board does not keep a vacancy directory and refers employment enquiries to Podiatry New Zealand, the national professional association founded in 1946 (podnz.org). Podiatry New Zealand publishes a jobs page listing vacancies across both islands (podnz.org), although some listings may be dated. Public sector roles are advertised through Health New Zealand’s careers site, and private clinics use general job boards and LinkedIn. Many roles are never advertised, so approaching clinics directly, especially outside Auckland, is a recognised strategy.
Common job titles include Podiatrist, Senior Podiatrist, Graduate Podiatrist, Diabetes Podiatrist, High Risk Foot Podiatrist, Community Podiatrist, Locum Podiatrist and Clinic Owner/Associate Podiatrist.
International candidates and documentation
Gather the documents the Board’s overseas application requires: the application form for overseas-trained applicants, the completed referee proforma, certified transcripts and degree certificates, evidence of registration in your country of training and evidence of recent practice. Budget time to prepare for the COBE, the Board’s cultural competence exam, which is required on every overseas and Trans-Tasman route. Fees are published in the Board’s fees list, and enquiries can be sent to the registrar through the Board’s website.
Because the three-year recency rule is strict, podiatrists who have been out of clinical practice should contact the Board early. Candidates from the IMEA region with Australian registration may find the Trans-Tasman route faster.
Visa and employment considerations
Podiatrist (ANZSCO 252611) is on Tier 1 of Immigration New Zealand’s Green List, the Straight to Residence tier, with registration with the Podiatrists Board of New Zealand listed as a requirement (immigration.govt.nz). Podiatrist was moved from the Work to Residence pathway to Straight to Residence in an April 2023 announcement (immigration.govt.nz).
The Straight to Residence Visa requires, among other things, a job offer or current work in a Tier 1 role with an accredited employer, meeting the Green List requirements for that role, pay at or above the relevant threshold, being 55 or younger, and meeting health, character and English requirements (immigration.govt.nz). The Green List entry also names a qualification requirement, so check how your overseas degree is treated. Immigration rules, wage thresholds and list entries change, so confirm current requirements with Immigration New Zealand or a licensed immigration adviser before you apply.
Pedorthists, footwear and supplier-side roles
Pedorthics and orthotic manufacture are not registered professions under the Podiatrists Board, so roles in orthotic laboratories, medical footwear retail and product distribution do not require podiatry registration. These positions can suit footwear specialists from the IMEA region, but anyone not registered must avoid using the title podiatrist or providing podiatric care.
Why New Zealand matters for IMEA POD readers
New Zealand combines a clear, relatively quick registration process with a Straight to Residence immigration route for podiatrists, a combination few countries offer. With a single local training programme and strong rural demand, qualified overseas podiatrists can fill genuine gaps in community and diabetes foot care.
The country’s emphasis on cultural competence and its close links with Australia also make it a stepping stone within the wider Australasian market. For IMEA podiatrists with strong diabetic foot experience, New Zealand is well worth a closer look.