Working Overseas

Getting a letter of good standing from VCNZ

You can request a letter of good standing from us by logging into your MyVC portal and clicking on the “Request a Letter of Good Standing” button on your profile page.

You will be directed you to a page where from the drop-down menu you select the regulatory authority (registration body) you would like the letter sent to. This will add it to the cart which will allow you to pay the fee online. We will send the letter electronically directly to the overseas regulatory authority and a copy will be sent to you within 3-5 business days.
 
A letter of good standing is valid for 3 months from date of issue.

We can't issue a letter of good standing if you don't have an APC or a non-practising certificate. We can make a statement about your registration status if you have been previously registered but don't have a current practising certificate.  

Returning to Work in NZ

If you are registered with us and want to return to work in New Zealand, you will have to apply for an Annual Practising Certificate (APC) by paying the annual practising fee and completing the APC form. You will also have to arrange with the registration bodies in the countries you worked in while overseas to provide letters of good standing.

Please contact us if you need more information.

Working Overseas

If you plan to work as a veterinarian overseas, you will need to register with the appropriate regulatory body overseas. You should check with the authority about the process for getting registered. Most require, at a minimum:

• proof of identity (notarised copy of passport, and photo)
• proof of qualification (notarised copy of qualification)
• proof of registration (a letter of good standing from the appropriate registration authority).

The regulatory authority in your country of destination will probably require a Letter of Good Standing from us. This states your date of registration, your current practising status, whether there has every been a finding of professional misconduct against you, how you stand in relation to fee payment, and whether you are in "good standing" with us. In many jurisdictions this letter of good standing has a "shelf-life" of no more than three months so you need to ensure it is reasonably current when you apply to be registered overseas.
 
Make sure that you keep us informed of any changes of address or a New Zealand contact address if you are travelling overseas. You may wish to have a non-practising status with us while overseas until you return, and then upgrade to full practising status.
 
Many New Zealand veterinarians travel to the United Kingdom. The UK Registration body is the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. If you are travelling to Australia, each state or territory has its own registration board.
 
If you wish to work in the Republic of Ireland and are a Massey graduate, you should check with the Veterinary Council of Ireland about your registration status. Not all Massey graduates are accepted for registration.
 
Note: Veterinarians contemplating working overseas should take care to ensure that they obtain all appropriate permits and documentation before starting work. Particular care should be taken to ensure that foreign language documentation is fully understood and is everything that is required for work in that jurisdiction. We are aware of situations where NZ registered veterinarians have found themselves working without proper visas and work-permits because they took the advice of their employer on trust.