More than 900 health graduates to receive financial boost through bonding scheme

More than 900 newly qualified health professionals are set to receive financial support to kick-start their careers, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

“The Government is committed to growing and strengthening our health workforce, and retaining health professionals is a key part of that,” Mr Brown says.

“We want more of our nurses, midwives, anaesthetic technicians, and other critical health professions to stay in New Zealand after they graduate.

“The Voluntary Bonding Scheme provides financial incentives to encourage new graduates to stay and work in the country – particularly in hard-to-staff regions and specialities where they’re needed most.”

The scheme, which was launched under the previous National government, was expanded in 2024 to include new and recent graduate anaesthetic technicians and pharmacists. It offers after-tax payments ranging from $14,165 to $50,000 over a bonding period of three to five years, depending on the profession.

The 2024 intake of 925 graduates includes:

• 477 registered and enrolled nurses
• 172 midwives
• 77 anaesthetic technicians
• 70 rural and regional general practice trainees
• 48 pharmacists
• 23 dentists
• 22 oral health therapists
• 20 radiation therapists
• 15 Sonographers
• One medical physicist

“We are relentlessly focused on ensuring Kiwis have access to timely, quality healthcare in the community.

“The scheme is a practical way to build and strengthen key parts of our health workforce, particularly in areas and specialities that face the greatest recruitment challenges.

“We know there is further work needed to improve access to primary care and boost the primary care workforce, which will be the focus of the intake for 2025.

“This builds on the primary care package announced in March, including:

• 100 clinical placements for overseas-trained doctors in primary practice.
• Recruitment incentives for up to 400 graduate nurses annually for five years to work in primary practice.
• 100 additional doctor training places over the course of this Government at our medical schools.
• Up to 50 graduate doctors training in primary care annually.
• Up to 120 training places for nurse practitioners in primary care.
• Accelerated tertiary education for up to 120 primary care nurses.

“I want to congratulate the most recent cohort of graduates who are entering the scheme and will be working in vital health roles across the country,” Mr Brown says.