Discover a career as a Hospital Pharmacist in New Zealand

Why Australian Pharmacists choose New Zealand

New Zealand offers Australian Pharmacists the opportunity to expand their clinical scope, work closer to their patients, develop advanced skills and enjoy one of the most straightforward international career moves available.

In practice this means:

• benefiting from automatic deemed registration under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act (TTMRA), allowing you to start work while your registration application is being processed
• working more closely with patients and contributing directly to clinical decision-making as part of multidisciplinary healthcare teams
• gaining experience across a broad range of specialties and healthcare settings while building a diverse clinical skill set
• accessing advanced practice, specialist and Pharmacist Prescriber opportunities that are not widely available in Australia
• enjoying nationally consistent pay and employment conditions across Health New Zealand.

About the opportunity

We have a number of vacancies across New Zealand. Our Hospital Pharmacists work across tertiary, regional and rural hospitals in areas such as:

• clinical ward-based pharmacy
• dispensary and medicines reconciliation
• oncology and aseptic services
• antimicrobial stewardship
• emergency and intensive care pharmacy
• quality use of medicines and audit.

Depending on your experience and the district, you may have opportunities to rotate across services, take on leadership roles, or specialise in advanced clinical pharmacy practice.

Salary, leave and benefits

Enjoy nationally consistent salary scales:

• Registered Pharmacists are paid between NZD $85,000 and $121,000 per annum (AUD ~$77,000-$111,000)
• Senior, specialist and designated leadership positions attract salaries of up to NZD $158,000 per annum (AUD ~$145,000)

Additional payments may apply for weekends, evenings, on-call work and higher duties.

Find time for life outside of work with generous leave entitlements:

• Four weeks of annual leave per year
• Ten days of paid sick leave
• Twelve public holidays (plus time in lieu if rostered on)
• Fourteen weeks paid parental leave
• Long service and special leave entitlements.
• Benefits and support for your career

We're committed to supporting your professional growth and ensuring your work remains rewarding and sustainable.

This includes:

• reimbursement of your professional registration and APC
• professional indemnity cover provided by Health NZ
• regular supervision and strong clinical support
• paid Continuing Professional Development (CPD) time and allowance
• support to work toward Pharmacist Prescriber or advanced scopes
• employer KiwiSaver (superannuation) contributions of 3.5% may be available for eligible Australians.

Living and working in New Zealand

To live and work here you'll need:

• Work rights: Australian citizens can live and work in New Zealand without applying for a visa before arrival and are typically granted a resident visa on arrival. Australian permanent residents may also be eligible to live and work in New Zealand, subject to Immigration New Zealand requirements
• Pharmacy Council registration: If you're currently registered and practising as a Pharmacist in Australia, you may be eligible for registration in New Zealand under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act (TTMRA). This pathway allows eligible pharmacists to begin practising while their registration application is being assessed

Working for Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

Te Whatu Ora means "the weaving of wellness." We're building a single, unified health system that delivers equitable, high-quality care across the motu (country). Our people are at the heart of everything we do.

We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to building a diverse workforce. We welcome applications from all people - including Māori, Pacific Peoples, those from ethnic communities, disabled people and the Rainbow community.

Our values are grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) and our commitment to health equity for Māori and all New Zealanders. Through collaboration, innovation and shared purpose, we aim to create a health system where everyone can thrive.

Ready to make a difference?

Our International Recruitment team can support you through the application and registration process - and help you find the right place to call home.

To help keep our patients, whānau and workforce safe, preferred candidates may be required to complete relevant pre-employment checks. These may include professional registration verification, Police Vetting, Children's Worker Safety Checks (where applicable), and health screening appropriate to the role.

Apply now - and make a difference somewhere different.

Please click 'apply now' to learn more and apply. All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal. If you have questions, please email our recruiters at internationalrecruitmentcentre@tewhatuora.govt.nz

We only accept online applications. Please apply via our website.