Podcast
Indian Physiotherapist's 6.5 Year Journey in New Zealand and Return to India
Priyanka shares her detailed 6.5 year journey in New Zealand - from struggling with physiotherapy registration to becoming a Pilates instructor, experiencing pregnancy loss that triggered her return, and now thriving in India with twins.
In this story
- Key Takeaways
- Why Indian Healthcare Professionals Choose New Zealand
- Why New Zealand
- Physiotherapy Registration in New Zealand: The Reality
- Career Pivot to Pilates
- Life in New Zealand
- New Zealand Healthcare System: What NRIs Need to Know
- The Return Decision
- Life Back in India
- Advice for Healthcare Professionals
- Key Takeaways
- Related NRI Return Stories
Real Return Story • Last Updated: November 30, 2025
Indian Physiotherapist's 6.5 Year Journey in New Zealand and Return to India
Priyanka's detailed journey from physiotherapy struggles to Pilates success, a traumatic healthcare experience that changed everything, and finding happiness back in India with twins.
Key Takeaways
- NZ physiotherapy registration is extremely difficult - "they always find flaws" in Indian qualifications
- Career pivot to Pilates led to studio management role with 8 physiotherapists
- Healthcare system shock - 3-month wait for surgery, $500-1000 specialist visits
- Returned within 1 month of decision after traumatic healthcare experience
- Now thriving in India with twins - planning career restart
Why Indian Healthcare Professionals Choose New Zealand
Priyanka's journey to New Zealand began with a desire for higher education and some unexpected life changes. Her experience offers valuable insights for anyone considering healthcare careers in New Zealand.
Education & Marriage
- Qualification: Physiotherapy graduation from India (5-year degree)
- Goal: Wanted to do Masters, but India offered 3-year programs - too long
- Marriage: Arranged marriage to husband who had lived in Australia
- Husband's background: Double Masters (MBA) from Australia, was in sales/account management
The Decision Process
- Initially wanted to go to US for GRE
- Met husband who had different plans - didn't want to return to Australia
- Brother-in-law was applying to New Zealand
- NZ was a "hidden country" in 2014 - not many Indians going there
- Rules were lenient, visas were easier
Why New Zealand
New Zealand in 2014 was very different from today's competitive immigration landscape.
The 2014 Landscape
- People were still crazy about GRE, GMAT, USA, UK
- New Zealand was not popular among Indians
- Immigration rules were not strict
- Visas were quite easy to obtain
- Priyanka: "It was a good spot for me to enter the country"
Course Selection Advice
"Don't depend totally upon consultancies - they don't know exactly what you're looking for. They will just give you a format of how to shift you from here to another country. They don't know your background or details about your course."
Priyanka learned this the hard way - she had to send emails directly to the university just a week before her flight to ensure she was in the right course.
Key Advice for Course Selection
- Be clear about what you're looking for in 4-5-10 years
- Research job applications and perspectives after the course
- For healthcare: Choose courses with practical/clinical components
- Ensure at least 6 months internship is included
- Without patient experience, finding jobs is extremely difficult
Physiotherapy Registration in New Zealand: The Reality
For healthcare professionals, especially physiotherapists, New Zealand's registration process is extremely challenging. This is a critical consideration for anyone planning to move abroad for career growth.
⚠️ Critical Warning for Physiotherapists
"New Zealand has very very very strict protocol - they do not allow you to touch a patient if you do not have a license."
Even to study a subject involving patient contact, Priyanka had to apply for a temporary registration - costing significant money for just 3 months.
The Registration Process
- 7 competencies to fulfill before even applying for exam
- Documentation required from graduation onwards
- Syllabus authorization needed from Indian university (rarely responds to emails)
- Had to send people physically to university to get documents
- Process took 7-8 months just to gather paperwork
The Rejections
| Attempt | Result | Reason Given |
|---|---|---|
| First submission | Rejected | "Less information provided" |
| Second submission | Called for exam | - |
| First exam | Failed | "Unlucky day" - unjustified reasons |
| Second exam attempt | Failed | "Syllabus not similar, Masters has no practical component" |
"I was the one - I was alone in my journey. I searched Facebook, social media, everywhere - no Indian physiotherapist had gone through registration. I was determined that somebody has to crack it. If not me, then someone else will do it."
✅ Silver Lining
After Priyanka's attempts, she started sharing her experience with others:
- At least 3-4 Indian physiotherapists (all women) got registered after her
- Some are in Australia, some still in New Zealand
- They followed the same procedure she pioneered
"Maybe it was just not a right path for me, or maybe God had some different plans for me at that time."
Comparison with Other Countries
Priyanka researched other countries' processes:
- Australia, UK, Canada, US: "Very straightforward process"
- Give an exam, go for interview, crack it, get registered
- New Zealand: "They will always hold you back for some reason"
- NZ is not recommended for healthcare professionals from India
Career Pivot to Pilates
When one door closed, another opened - leading to an unexpected but fulfilling career path.
The Turning Point
After registration failures, Priyanka was ready to return to India. Then a friend mentioned a company looking for physiotherapists who were "interested in hiring Indians."
- Company: Pilates and Physiotherapy clinic with 8 branches across Auckland
- The owner saw potential in her despite no registration
- Offered: Master Teacher Training Program in Pilates
- Duration: 6 months training + 18 months work contract
"He said 'I don't care if you're registered or not registered, but I see potential in you and I think you should join the company.'"
Career Progression
| Phase | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Training | Pilates Master Teacher Training | 6 months |
| Instructor | Pilates Instructor | 1.5-2 years |
| Management | Studio Manager | 3 years |
Total time at company: 4.5-5 years until leaving New Zealand
Management Role
- Managed a studio with 8 physiotherapists and 4 instructors
- Got interested in administration and management
- Did additional courses: 6-month certificate and 1-year diploma in Healthcare Administration
- Goal was to eventually work in NZ government hospitals
Salary Progression
- Starting (2017): $20.50-21/hour (minimum wage was $19)
- After 4.5 years: $30-31/hour
- Total increase: ~$10/hour over the period
- Healthcare salaries are decent but IT earns 2-3x more
Life in New Zealand
Priyanka shares insights about daily life, residency, and the Kiwi culture.
The People
"People are so sweet there - we call them Kiwis (Kiwi is the national bird and national food). They are very welcoming, very warming, they will always guide you the right way."
- Not racist or hesitant to talk to Indians
- Made good friends in first semester - still in touch
- Very supportive mentors at school
Residency Process (2018)
The process was easier when Priyanka applied:
- Points-based system: Work points, study points, age points
- Husband was primary applicant
- Priyanka's Level 9 qualification gave him extra 10 points
- Marriage gave another 10 points
- Process was "pretty easy" at that time
⚠️ Post-2019 Changes
When brother-in-law applied after 2019:
- Took much longer
- Raised bar for salary requirements
- Raised bar for education requirements
- EOI (Expression of Interest) system with lucky draw
- Many friends were withheld for 6 months to a year
Residency Timeline
- First 2 years: Permanent Residency (must spend 180 days each year in NZ)
- After 2 years: Unconditional Residency (can come and go freely)
- After 2 more years: Eligible for Citizenship
- Citizenship requirement: Cannot leave country for more than 4 months
Priyanka was one year away from citizenship eligibility when she had to return to India.
Taxation
- Tax rates: 10.75% to 35% (highest bracket)
- Above $70-95K salary falls in 33% bracket
- KiwiSaver: Retirement savings scheme with government contributions
- Annual bonuses of $100-500 depending on earnings
New Zealand Healthcare System: What NRIs Need to Know
The event that changed everything - a traumatic healthcare experience that made the return decision immediate. Understanding New Zealand's healthcare system is crucial for anyone considering the move.
⚠️ The Pregnancy Loss
During COVID's second wave, Priyanka conceived. What followed was devastating:
- No proper midwife assigned in first 3 months
- No proper guidance on managing pregnancy
- Continuous calls with doctor in India - different advice than NZ
- Lost the baby in 3 months
- Asked to abort - told "we don't have an appointment, we don't have a doctor"
- Had to wait in line for the procedure
"The way how it was done - everything shocked me and my husband terribly. We were like, this is not what we expected."
NZ Healthcare System Reality
| Aspect | New Zealand | India |
|---|---|---|
| First point of contact | Must go through GP first | Can go directly to specialist |
| GP quality | "Basically Googling symptoms" | Varies, but accessible |
| Specialist cost | $500-1000 per visit | Much more affordable |
| Wait times | Months for serious conditions | Same day possible |
| Government healthcare | Free but extremely long waits | Available and faster |
Real Example: The Boss's Experience
Priyanka's Kiwi boss had a hemorrhage:
- Was asked to wait 3 months for surgery
- Reason: No surgeon available
- "A hemorrhage could take someone's life - why and how can somebody do that?"
- This system has been working for years - Kiwis are used to it
"For them, the holistic approach, naturopathy comes first, then allopathy, then hospitals. People are so educated there, they know what they're doing. But for us coming from India where you can get diagnosis and medication by end of day - it's a shock."
The Return Decision
The healthcare trauma combined with COVID created the perfect storm for an immediate return.
The Timeline
- November: Pregnancy loss and traumatic healthcare experience
- December: Husband decided "We are going back to India"
- One month later: Family on flight to India
"My husband was hit so hard that he was like - we are going back to India, we are not staying here for any longer."
No Plans, Just Decision
- No plan of what to do in India
- No job lined up
- Parents were in COVID stress - mental state not great
- Priyanka wasn't ready to leave - "I was still a fighter"
- But husband's decision was final
✅ The Silver Lining
The timing turned out to be fortunate:
- Father got severe COVID after they arrived
- Doctors gave 1% chance of survival
- Priyanka was the only one negative - could visit hospital
- Served family for 17 days during crisis
- Father survived
"God asked us to come here at the right time so that I can be with them when they need me the most."
Life Back in India
After the initial challenges, life in India has been rewarding.
The Blessings
- Got pregnant again after 6 months of settling
- Blessed with twins - a girl and a boy
- Living with in-laws, mother nearby
- Children are now almost 2 years old
Current Situation
- Location: Tier-2 city in India
- Living arrangement: With in-laws (they shifted to native place)
- Husband: Working on property and land business - doing well
- Brother-in-law: Shifted back to India, still working for NZ company remotely
Career Plans
- Taking a break in 2024 for twins
- Started fitness journey for herself first
- Connecting with Pilates and physiotherapy professionals in India
- Planning to restart career once kids start preschool
- Will have 2-4 hours free when kids are in school
Future Thoughts
"I'm still not sure if I want to go back or not. Twins is a big responsibility - without help, without cook, without nannies, it will be very difficult."
The extreme summer heat is challenging, but help at home and family support make it manageable.
Advice for Healthcare Professionals
⚠️ Critical Advice for Physiotherapists
- New Zealand is NOT recommended for healthcare professionals
- Registration process is extremely rigid
- They will always find reasons to hold you back
- Australia, UK, Canada, US have much more straightforward processes
"Whosoever is watching this - if you're a healthcare professional, if you're a physiotherapist - make sure you do your licensing properly. I have really spent nights and days crying for this thing and it didn't happen to me for a very clueless, unjustified reason."
Course Selection Tips
- Choose courses with practical/clinical components
- Ensure at least 6 months internship is included
- Don't rely on consultancies - do your own research
- Contact universities directly with questions
- Understand job prospects before choosing course
General Advice for NRIs
- Keep one leg in India if you're not sure about permanent settlement
- Maintain friendships in India - hard to make friends when older
- Be prepared for health challenges - body takes time to adjust
- Have patience - 3-4 months minimum to get into rhythm
- Don't compare - India and abroad are completely different
"If you're keeping one leg in India and one leg in another country, you will always be lost."
Key Takeaways
Summary of Priyanka's Journey
- NZ registration for physiotherapists is extremely difficult
- Career pivots can lead to unexpected success
- Healthcare systems vary dramatically - be prepared
- Life events can change plans instantly
- Family support in India is invaluable
- Nothing is forever - you can always try again
"Nothing is forever. Even if you move to India and you don't like it, you can again move out. Keep trying."
Are You a Healthcare Professional Planning to Return?
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