Midwifery

Midwives Collective Agreements:

• In New Zealand, the salary and other benefits of some roles are determined by collective agreements between unions and employers.

• There are two collective agreements covering Midwives, these can be found on the Health New Zealand website here.

Salary:

• Registered Midwives have a 7-step progression salary scale:

  • Salaries range between NZ $82K - NZ $108K.

• Community Midwives have an 8-step progression salary scale:

  • Salaries range between NZ $83K - NZ $115K.

• Senior Designated Midwives have a 7-step progression salary scale:

  • Salaries range between NZ $115K - NZ $162K.

• Overtime, penal and call-back rates.

• If eligible, a minimum of a 3% superannuation contribution from Health New Zealand as your employer. Find out more here.

Allowances:

• Higher duties and on-call allowances.

Professional development allowance & leave:

• For Midwives covered under a collective agreement, there is support for completing qualifications, attending courses, and undertaking relevant research or projects that contribute to their professional growth and development, including:

  • A $1,000 allowance per year to support professional development activities.

  • Professional development leave of up to 32 hours per calendar year for full-time midwives, with part-time midwives eligible for pro-rated leave of at least 8 hours per year.

Leave:

• 4 weeks of paid annual leave (increases to 5 weeks after 5 years of service).

  • shift employees are entitled to up to an additional 5 days’ annual leave on completion of 12 months of employment on shift work.

• A minimum of 10 days of paid sick leave per annum.

• 6-12 months of parental leave, depending on the length of service.

  • up to 14 weeks of paid parental leave.

• 12 paid public holidays + time in lieu/alternative holiday if rostered on.

Work environment:

• If you have the knowledge, skills, qualifications and experience to assess and care for those who are pregnant, in labour and postnatal and their babies until 6 weeks after birth. We have a range of options from working in community maternity units or secondary or tertiary-level hospitals, to working in the various community settings around Aotearoa New Zealand. 
• We have positions available in all contexts and in almost every region across the motu and have opportunities in almost every in-hospital practice environment, antenatal, postnatal, labour and birth or rotating positions across those areas.

Qualifications:

• To become a midwife you need to complete a Bachelor of Midwifery or a Bachelor of Health Science (Midwifery).

Professional registration with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand (MCNZ):

• Registration with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand.

• Before they can be registered, all New Zealand graduates must:

  • pass the National Midwifery Examination set by the Midwifery Council; and

  • satisfy the Council that they are fit for registration and must:

    • be of good character

    • declare any mental or physical condition that will prevent them from practising effectively as a midwife

    • be able to communicate effectively

    • be proficient in written and spoken English

Annual Practising Certificate (APC):

• A current Annual Practising Certificate (APC) issued by the MCNZ is mandatory for practising as a Midwife in New Zealand.

  • Maintaining an APC requires ongoing professional development and compliance with MCNZ regulations.

International Midwives who register in New Zealand will have conditions placed on their Scope of Practice. This means that the midwife is required to complete a registration competence programme within 24 months of obtaining their first practising certificate.

For Australian candidates:

If you are registered in Australia as a Midwife, you can practice in Aotearoa New Zealand under the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement (TTMRA) between Australia and New Zealand.

For other international candidates:

You will need to have the following to practise as a Midwife in New Zealand:

Registration with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand:

• Your qualifications and experience will be measured against the standards set by the Midwifery Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).

• The minimum criteria normally include:

  • Holding a recognised midwifery qualification equivalent to New Zealand’s Bachelor of Midwifery.

  • Having at least two years of recent, relevant midwifery experience (if required by the MCNZ).

  • Ability to demonstrate English language proficiency.

Annual Practising Certificate (APC):

• Once registered, you must obtain an Annual Practising Certificate (APC) to legally practice as a Midwife in New Zealand.

Find out more about life in New Zealand:

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

Visit our Candidate Information page

To become a Midwife you need to:

• Complete a Bachelor of Midwifery or a Bachelor of Health Science (Midwifery).

• You also need to be registered with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand.

There are five schools of Midwifery in New Zealand offering accredited pre-registration programmes:

• Auckland University of Technology (AUT)

• Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), Hamilton

• Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington

• Ara Institute of Canterbury (ARA), Christchurch

• Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin

During their studies, students must undertake and achieve as a minimum:

• 100 physical pregnancy assessments

• Provide care to women during normal labour and birth (40 women)

• 100 physical postnatal assessments of the mother

• 100 physical assessments of the baby

• Observe and provide continuity of care from pregnancy, through the birth and into the postnatal period for at least 25 women

• Participate in the care of 40 women with pregnancy complications and complicated births.