The Labour Party has announced that if they are elected to office next year all suitable new nursing graduates will be guaranteed a NETP position.
It would mean guaranteed employment in a NETP position for all suitable new graduates. Most of the positions would be with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, plus some in subsidised positions primary and community cares.
The places would be offered a position through the existing Advanced Choice of Employment (ACE) and primary care employment schemes.
Moreover positions would be offered on graduation rather than staggered throughout the year and will be at least 0.8 FTE.
Also under the policy the subsidy for primary care and other private providers to hire new graduates would be doubled.
The scheme is costed at $525 million.
This year Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora has undertaken to employ 1800 new graduates over the 2026/2027 budget year, with offer and start dates scattered over that period.
Over the last two years funding pressures and government policy has meant many new graduates have not been able to get a NETP position and have seek a position without the benefit of being in NETP. Plus, that job search has been incredibly challenging.
Currently there are about 2400 new RN graduates and about 300 ENs each year.
The Labour Party has announced that if they are elected to office next year all suitable new nursing graduates will be guaranteed a NETP position.
It would mean guaranteed employment in a NETP position for all suitable new graduates. Most of the positions would be with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, plus some in subsidised positions primary and community cares.
The places would be offered a position through the existing Advanced Choice of Employment (ACE) and primary care employment schemes.
Moreover positions would be offered on graduation rather than staggered throughout the year and will be at least 0.8 FTE.
Also under the policy the subsidy for primary care and other private providers to hire new graduates would be doubled.
The scheme is costed at $525 million.
This year Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora has undertaken to employ 1800 new graduates over the 2026/2027 budget year, with offer and start dates scattered over that period.
Over the last two years funding pressures and government policy has meant many new graduates have not been able to get a NETP position and have seek a position without the benefit of being in NETP. Plus, that job search has been incredibly challenging.
Currently there are about 2400 new RN graduates and about 300 ENs each year.