Locum in New Zealand

Who Can Locum in New Zealand?

Anyone with full general or vocational registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) can locum as a doctor in New Zealand.

As well as registration, you need to ensure your work visa allows you to change employers, otherwise this needs to be amended with each locum - so weekends here and there probably won't work!

New Zealand Medical Registration for locums – New Zealand and Australian graduates

New Zealand or Australian graduates are eligible for full general registration after completing their first year practicing as a doctor.

If you’re an Australian graduate, will can provide you with the required paperwork, assist you in completing it and file it for you with the Medical Council of New Zealand. It generally takes about 20 working days for these to be finalised.

New Zealand Medical Registration for locums – Other graduates

UK and Irish graduates once you have completed the required supervision time (usually one year).

Other international graduates also need to complete the required supervision period as indicated by the MCNZ (usually two years).

Tax Information for locums – New Zealanders

The New Zealand tax year finishes on March 31.

In New Zealand, locum doctors are self-employed (not paid by the hospital) and therefore you will be able to claim back all expenses related to your contracted period. To reduce your tax bill, hold onto all receipts. Expenses you can claim include phone bills, medical registration, medical indemnity insurance, transport between locums, accommodation while locuming (however, this is usually provided by the hospital), CPE and reasonable food expenses. At the end of the financial year, provide your receipts to your accountant.

Payment for locum work in New Zealand

As advised above, in New Zealand locum doctors are contractors. Antipodean Medical Recruitment will pay you on the next pay period (done fortnightly on a Friday) after receiving your signed timesheet. Therefore, as soon as you have finished each assignment (or each fortnight if the job is longer than two weeks), fax or email your timesheet to our office plus receipts of other agreed expenses e.g. taxis. Download a Locum Timesheet.

Remember to let us know if you are GST registered.

GST in New Zealand

If your annual turnover for this month and the last eleven months has exceeded $60,000 and your turnover for this month and the next eleven months is expected to exceed $60,000 you b>must be GST registered. Most locum doctors make this much money in less than two months, so they will need to register for GST.

To assist you, Antipodean Medical Recruitment can approach and obtain approval from the IRD to issue a "Buyer Created Invoice". This means, you don't even have to send us an invoice, we can do this for you.

The IRD have made it an easy process to obtain GST numbers. Visit the following link on the IRD website - IRD GST Process and then either download the form or order it by calling 0800 257 773.

ACC

As a self-employed person in NZ you will be required to pay an ACC levy. This covers you any accidents that happen in Australia or New Zealand, however, you will not be covered for international transfers if you become incapacitated. Therefore, you may wish to purchase personal travel insurance.

New Zealand Tax Information for Australian locums

Australian residents are taxed on their worldwide income (I know, it's not fair!). If you are working overseas you need to determine whether you are an Australian resident for tax purposes. Non-residents pay tax differently from residents on Australian-source income.

Make sure you speak to your Australian tax accountant and you may need to find an accountant in New Zealand.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this document is provided in good faith and is believed to be accurate at the time of publication. While all care is taken in the preparation of this document Antipodean Medical Recruitment cannot be responsible for unintentional errors, omissions or changes in circumstances subsequent to publication. We recommend you consult your personal accountant when it comes to tax matters.

Specialist recruiters of doctors for Australia and New Zealand

- providing opportunities

Telephone: +61 2 4381 1449

NZ Text Msg: +64 210 263 1013

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