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Occupational Therapists

Occupational Therapists in New Zealand play a vital role across our hospitals, communities and mental health services.

Whether you are supporting someone to recover from injury, regain independence, or thrive with long-term conditions, your work helps shape better health outcomes, where it matters most.

Apply for a role


About the role

Occupational Therapists in New Zealand are critical in helping individuals improve or regain skills needed for their daily activities, such as physical, cognitive and mental well-being.

Across a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings, they support patients in maintaining independence, improving quality of life and adapting to changes in their condition.

Salary

Occupational Therapists have a 9-step progression salary scale.

  • Salaries range between NZD$72,000 and NZD$103,000.

Senior or specialist Occupational Therapists may receive higher salary bands depending on responsibilities and district allowances.

Overtime and penal rates apply for work outside normal hours, including weekends and public holidays.

Allowances

  • Higher duties allowance.
  • On-call allowance if applicable.

Leave

  • 4 weeks of paid annual leave, which increases to 5 weeks after 5 years of service.
  • Shift employees may receive up to an additional 5 days’ annual leave after 12 months of shift work.
  • Minimum of 10 days of paid sick leave per year.
  • 6 to 12 months of parental leave, depending on length of service.
  • Up to 14 weeks of paid parental leave provided by the New Zealand Government.

Additional benefits

  • Reimbursement of your professional registration fees.
  • Professional indemnity insurance is covered by Health NZ.
  • Time and funding for Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
  • If eligible, at least a 3% superannuation contribution from Health New Zealand.
  • 12 paid public holidays, plus time in lieu or an alternative holiday if rostered on.

Collective agreement

Occupational Therapists working at Health NZ are employed under the terms of the Occupational Therapists Multi-Employer Collective Agreement (MECA) between Health NZ and APEX.

This agreement outlines pay, conditions and entitlements and is available on the Health New Zealand website.

Employment agreements — Health NZexternal link

Career development opportunities

  • Access to internal educational courses and support for Continuous Professional Development
  • Coaching, mentoring and achieving learning outcomes for all staff.

Roles and responsibilities

Occupational Therapists play a vital role in supporting patients to overcome physical, cognitive and environmental challenges that affect their daily functioning. Their responsibilities may include:

  • evaluating patients’ needs across physical, cognitive and environmental domains to identify barriers to independence and participation
  • designing and implementing personalised interventions aimed at restoring skills and promoting autonomy
  • leading rehabilitation programmes to support recovery from injury, illness or trauma
  • supporting patients’ mental health by teaching coping strategies to manage stress, anxiety and trauma
  • educating patients and their caregivers on self-care techniques and prevention strategies
  • collaborating closely with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to deliver holistic, patient-centred care.

Clinical settings

Occupational Therapy practice varies depending on the clinical setting. Our services cover a broad range of environments, including:

  • inpatient hospital care, including emergency department and intensive care
  • paediatrics
  • neurosciences
  • stroke rehabilitation
  • trauma and orthopaedics
  • hand therapy
  • burns and plastics
  • older persons’ health
  • community-based rehabilitation services
  • vocational rehabilitation
  • mental health services.

Additional responsibilities

Additional responsibilities may include the following.

  • Applying an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and incorporating its principles into practice.
  • Engaging with local communities to improve health outcomes and equity.
  • Assessing and enabling patients at various stages of their health journey.
  • Working effectively with patients from diverse social and cultural backgrounds, collaborating with whānau and the wider multidisciplinary team to achieve the best outcomes.
  • Identifying opportunities for service improvement and contributing actively to quality initiatives.

Occupational Therapist qualification

You must hold an approved qualification in occupational therapy. Common pathways include:

  • a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy or equivalent qualification from a New Zealand institution
  • an overseas qualification assessed as equivalent to New Zealand standards by the Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand (OTBNZ)

Registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand (OTBNZ)

All Occupational Therapists must be registered with the OTBNZ to practise legally in New Zealand.

Applicants need to submit proof of their qualifications, identification, and evidence of fitness to practise.

Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealandexternal link

Annual practising certificate (APC)

To work as an Occupational Therapist, you must hold a valid Annual Practising Certificate (APC), renewed each year.

To maintain your APC, you must:

  • provide evidence of ongoing competence
  • participate in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities.

Information for international candidates

Internationally qualified Occupational Therapists include practitioners who hold a recognised overseas occupational therapy qualification and:

  • have at least 2 years of relevant post-qualification experience
  • are registered and in good standing with a recognised overseas regulatory authority.

Applicants with less than 2 years' experience can still apply. Their application will be assessed by the Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand, which may include a Competency Assessment Programme.

All other overseas qualifications are assessed case-by-case basis to determine if the applicant meets the OTBNZ registration requirements. Qualifications are assessed against the Board’s standards. Learn more about registration on the OTBNZ website.

Registration — OTBNZexternal link

Find out more about life in New Zealand

We have pages dedicated to providing information to candidates about our recruitment process, what you need to work in New Zealand and key details about moving here.

Our recruitment process

Visas and settling in New Zealand

Hauraki Gulf, Auckland
Miles Holden

OT roles across the health system

Occupational Therapists support people across all ages and stages of care. At Health New Zealand, you’ll find OT roles in settings such as:

  • Outpatient rehab and clinics
  • Critical care and acute wards (e.g. ICU, ED)
  • Mental health and addiction services
  • Paediatrics and child development teams.

OT roles across the health system

Occupational Therapists support people across all ages and stages of care. At Health New Zealand, you’ll find OT roles in settings such as:

  • Outpatient rehab and clinics
  • Critical care and acute wards (e.g. ICU, ED)
  • Mental health and addiction services
  • Paediatrics and child development teams.

Apply for an Occupational Therapist role

New Zealand trained candidates

If you trained in New Zealand or Australia, search current vacancies with our districts.

Search current vacanciesexternal link

Internationally trained candidates

If you trained outside of New Zealand or Australia, register your interest through our International Recruitment Centre.

Register for a roleexternal link

Our recruitment process

Working as an Occupational Therapist in New Zealand

See the kind of health settings you could be working in, and some of New Zealand's beautiful scenery in this video from Hawke's Bay.

Occupational Therapists — Come to Hawke's Bay

Looking to move to New Zealand to work as an Occupational Therapist?

Occupational Therapists are on Tier 1 of New Zealand's Green List and eligible for a fast-tracked Straight to Residence Visa.

This means you and your family can apply for New Zealand residency before you arrive, provided you have a job offer from an accredited employer, like us.

Straight to Residence Visa — Immigration New Zealandexternal link

Mount Hutt, Canterbury
Miles Holden

Explore New Zealand

Whether you prefer the vibrant urban centres of Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch, the scenic landscapes of Otago and Nelson, or the close-knit community atmosphere in areas like Hawke's Bay and Taranaki, there’s a location to suit your lifestyle. 

Discover New Zealand

Explore New Zealand

Whether you prefer the vibrant urban centres of Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch, the scenic landscapes of Otago and Nelson, or the close-knit community atmosphere in areas like Hawke's Bay and Taranaki, there’s a location to suit your lifestyle. 

Discover New Zealand