1. MIGRATION OF SPECIALISTS: NEW ZEALAND
THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF DOCTORS’ UNIONS
26-28 September 2018
Ian Powell
Executive Director, ASMS

2. MIGRATION TO NEW ZEALAND (2016)
International Medical Graduates (gained their initial medical qualification overseas)
42.4% of all practising doctors (43.6% specialists) were IMGs
Most IMGs (55%) worked in rural areas (including specialists in public hospitals.

3. SPECIALTIES WITH MORE THAN 50% IMGS
Psychiatry
Obstetrics & gynaecology
Emergency medicine
Radiation oncology
Approaching 50%:
Pathology
Anaesthesia

4. NEW ZEALAND DOCTORS PRACTISING OVERSEAS (FIRST MEDICAL QUALIFICATION IN NEW ZEALAND)
By far the largest destination is Australia
Traditionally, the UK has been the second most popular destination
But now USA (2nd), UK (3rd) and Canada (4th).

5. BREAKDOWN OF NZ DOCTORS OVERSEAS: OECD (2016)
2,029 NZ doctors in Australia (conservative compared with Australian data)
232 in the USA
203 in the UK
111 in Canada
 Plus small number of NZ doctors were practising in other countries (0.5%)
Approximately 18% of the medical workforce practising in NZ in 2016.

6. FUTURE DIRECTION 50% burnout rate High levels of presenteeism
Specialist shortages of around 20-25%
Roughly 800-1,000 specialists currently needed
Increasing dependence on international recruitment for next few years at least.