Medical Radiation Therapist
ANZSCO level 1
Operates high energy X-ray and other radiation and electron generating and monitoring equipment to administer radiation treatment for medical purposes in conjunction with Radiation Oncologists or other specialist Medical Practitioners. Registration or licensing is required.
ANZSCO NO. 251212
Is Medical Radiation Therapist on the New Zealand Green List?
Yes. Medical Radiation Therapist is on Tier 1 of the Green List. This means you may be able to apply for residence straight away through the Straight to Residence Visa once you have a qualifying full-time job or job offer from an accredited employer. You do not need to work in New Zealand first.
Green List requirements: Bachelor of Radiation Therapy or equivalent (registration with the Medical Radiation Technologists Board is also needed to practise); paid at least the median wage of NZD $35.00 an hour.
See the full Green List roles for other occupations.
Working in New Zealand as a Medical Radiation Therapist
Most people start on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). You need a job offer from an accredited employer, your employer must pass a Job Check, and you must be paid at least the market rate for the role. If the role needs experience, you generally need at least 2 years of relevant work experience.
Medical Radiation Therapist is a skill level 1 occupation, so you can be granted an AEWV for up to 5 years, and your partner may be able to get an open work visa if you are paid at least NZD $28.00 an hour.
What happened to the skill shortage lists?
This page used to show Medical Radiation Therapist against the Long Term Skill Shortage List, the Regional Skill Shortage List and the Construction and Infrastructure Skill Shortage List. Those lists, along with the Essential Skills Work Visa and the Long Term Skill Shortage List work and resident visas, closed in 2021 and 2022. They have been replaced by the Green List and the Accredited Employer Work Visa.
Skilled Migrant Category options for Medical Radiation Therapist
The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa changed on 24 August 2026. There are now three ways to qualify:
- Points pathway: you need 6 points. You can claim points from one of qualifications (4 to 6 points), New Zealand occupational registration (3 to 6 points) or income (3 points at NZD $52.50 an hour, 4 points at NZD $70.00 and 6 points at NZD $105.00). You can add up to 3 points for skilled work in New Zealand: 1 point for 1 year, 2 points for 18 months and 3 points for 2 years.
- Skilled Work Experience pathway: 5 years of directly relevant experience, including 2 years in New Zealand within the last 4 years paid at least 1.1 times the median wage (NZD $38.50 an hour).
- Trades and Technician pathway: Medical Radiation Therapist is not on the eligible occupation list for this pathway.
For the points pathway your job must pay at least the median wage (NZD $35.00 an hour) if it is skill level 1 to 3, or at least NZD $52.50 an hour for other roles. You must also be 55 or under, meet health and character requirements and have English at IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. Try our points calculator to check your points.
Book a Consultation
To discuss your case in detail please book a time here.
Points Calculator
To estimate your points please see here.
News & Updates
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Overseas qualifications and registration
Qualifications are compared with the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF). If your qualification is from overseas, you may need an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, unless your qualification is on the list of qualifications exempt from assessment. If your occupation needs registration in New Zealand, you must hold full or provisional registration, or show you are eligible for it, before your visa can be approved.
What if my occupation is not on a list?
Not being on the Green List or a pathway list does not mean you cannot move to New Zealand. There are other work, resident, student and partner visas that may suit you. Get a visa assessment and we will tell you your best options.
Qualification notes
Note 1: Qualifications listed (unless an exception is stated) are New Zealand awarded qualifications on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF). Overseas qualifications must be comparable to the standard of the New Zealand qualification listed. Overseas qualifications therefore require an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority stating the comparable NZQCF qualification.
Note 2: Where post-qualification work experience is included as a requirement it applies to all qualifications listed for the occupation (unless otherwise indicated).
Note 3: Where a Washington Accord accredited undergraduate engineering degree is a requirement, the engineering degree has to be awarded from or after the date the country became a signatory, and must be on the list of accredited programmes of the signatory country. To determine if an engineering degree awarded is Washington Accord accredited, please refer to the International Engineering Alliance website.
Where a Sydney Accord accredited undergraduate engineering degree is a requirement, the engineering technology degree has to be awarded from or after the date the country became a signatory, and must be on the list of accredited programmes of the signatory country. To determine if an engineering technology degree awarded is Sydney Accord accredited, please refer to the International Engineering Alliance website.
Where a Seoul Accord accredited undergraduate IT degree is a requirement, the IT degree has to be awarded from or after the date the country became a signatory, and must be on the list of accredited programmes of the signatory country. To determine if an IT degree awarded is Seoul Accord accredited, please refer to the website.
Note 4: Only Level 7 and Level 8 bachelor’s degrees not already listed as Green List requirements are listed as qualifications required for registration for occupations on the Green List.
Note 5: These notes are based on the general notes to the Green List published by Immigration New Zealand (effective 9 March 2026). Older notes from the former skill shortage lists, which applied to Essential Skills Work Visa applications, no longer apply because that visa closed in July 2022.
Note 6: A letter, certificate or registration from the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand Incorporated (IPENZ), as Engineering New Zealand was formerly known, may be used to meet the requirement for a letter, certificate or registration from Engineering New Zealand. A letter from IPENZ may also be used to meet an applicable requirement instead of a letter from IT Professionals New Zealand. IPENZ’s name changed to Engineering New Zealand in October 2017.
