Role Snapshot

ANZSCO Code: 251213 — Radiation Therapist
Role Variants: Radiation Therapist (RTT), Senior Radiation Therapist, Radiation Therapist Team Leader, Specialist Radiation Therapist (stereotactic / brachytherapy / IMRT / IGRT), Radiation Therapy Educator, Radiation Therapy Research Therapist
Parent Category: NZ Healthcare & Medical Roles
Skill Level: 1
Green List: Tier 2 — Radiation Therapist is on the NZ Green List as a shortage-listed occupation. This provides a direct work-to-residence pathway: two years on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), then a straight-to-residence application.
Registration Body: Medical Radiation Technologists Board (MRTB) — statutory registration required under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act (HPCA Act) before practising in New Zealand

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New Zealand’s radiation therapy workforce is small and geographically concentrated. All radiation treatment in New Zealand is delivered through a small number of Regional Cancer Centres, all of which sit within the Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora) public health system. There is a limited private oncology market in New Zealand, and private radiation therapy services represent only a small fraction of overall activity. This means your job search is, effectively, a targeted engagement with six to seven cancer centres rather than a broad scan of the general health employer market. It also means that when vacancies exist, they are genuine and often urgent: the small workforce size means that even one or two unfilled positions can create material service pressure for a centre.

• Treatment planning: preparation and verification of radiation treatment plans using treatment planning systems (TPS) in collaboration with radiation oncologists and medical physicists
• Patient set-up and positioning: daily accurate positioning of patients on linear accelerators and other treatment equipment using image guidance (IGRT, CBCT, kV imaging)
• Treatment delivery: operation of linear accelerators (linacs) and associated equipment to deliver prescribed radiation dose to the defined target volume
• Radiation safety: application of radiation protection principles; monitoring and documentation of patient and staff dose; compliance with the Radiation Safety Act and MRTB code of conduct
• Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT): daily imaging prior to treatment delivery to verify patient position and tumour location; image review and adaptive response
• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric arc therapy (VMAT): delivery of complex modulated treatment plans requiring specific QA verification procedures
• Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS): high-dose, highly precise treatment delivery using specialised immobilisation, imaging, and planning techniques (specialist scope at experienced centres)
• Brachytherapy: internal radiation treatment using sealed radioactive sources (specialist scope; available at selected centres including Auckland and Christchurch)
• Patient care and communication: daily therapeutic relationship with patients undergoing multi-week treatment courses; managing side effects, emotional wellbeing, and treatment compliance
• Quality assurance: machine and patient-specific QA; participation in treatment audit and quality improvement processes

Typical employers: Health New Zealand is the primary employer of radiation therapists in New Zealand, operating through the Regional Cancer Centres: Auckland Cancer Centre (Auckland City Hospital); Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre; Christchurch Hospital Cancer Centre; Waikato Cancer Centre (Hamilton); Palmerston North Regional Cancer Centre; Dunedin Regional Cancer Centre. Private oncology services exist in Auckland and a small number of other centres but represent a minor portion of overall radiation therapy employment in New Zealand.

Salary Benchmark

Radiation therapist salaries in New Zealand are set under Health New Zealand collective employment agreements, which apply across the regional cancer centres. Pay is structured by qualification level and years of post-qualifying experience, with incremental progression. Senior and specialist roles attract additional allowances at some centres. The profession’s shortage-listed status has placed upward pressure on pay in recent years, though formal pay equity processes have varied across the sector.

Typical Ranges (NZD per year, before tax):

• New graduate / entry-level Radiation Therapist (0–2 years post-qualifying): $70,000–$82,000
• Intermediate Radiation Therapist (2–6 years experience): $82,000–$98,000
• Senior / Specialist Radiation Therapist (6+ years, specialist modality, or team leader scope): $98,000–$115,000

Overseas applicants should note that starting salary for an experienced overseas radiation therapist is typically negotiated based on years of post-qualifying experience and specialist skills, not simply on MRTB registration level. Senior therapists with specialist experience in SBRT, brachytherapy, or IMRT planning have been able to negotiate at the upper end of the intermediate or senior bands on entry. Do not assume automatic placement at the top of the scale on arrival — but equally, do not undersell substantial specialist experience by accepting an entry-level starting position without negotiation.

Source: SEEK NZ — Radiation Therapist | Data reviewed May 2026

Cost of living: For an independent comparison of purchasing power by city, see Numbeo — New Zealand. TEFI provides clients with a detailed financial planning workbook to model living costs, net income, and mortgage serviceability by city — ask Tate for a copy.

Where Demand Is Strongest

Because radiation therapy services are delivered exclusively through the Regional Cancer Centre network, demand is distributed across a small number of specific sites. Unlike many health professions where you can scan a broad employer market across a region, radiation therapy job search in New Zealand means monitoring the vacancy positions at six to seven centres. Each centre is both the primary and often only radiation therapy employer in its region.

• Auckland Cancer Centre (Auckland City Hospital) — The largest radiation therapy department in New Zealand. Auckland treats the widest range of tumour sites and has the most advanced equipment mix, including SBRT capability and brachytherapy services. For overseas radiation therapists seeking the broadest caseload and development opportunities, Auckland is the benchmark centre. Competition for Auckland positions is higher than for provincial centres, but genuine vacancies arise regularly given the workforce shortage across the profession.
• Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre — Serves the greater Wellington region including the Hutt Valley and Wairarapa. A well-regarded centre with a strong team culture. Wellington has historically had persistent vacancies and is an attractive city for migrants given its size, amenities, and liveability.
• Christchurch Hospital Cancer Centre — The South Island’s main cancer treatment centre, serving Canterbury and the wider South Island. Christchurch is a growing city with lower housing costs than Auckland or Wellington. South Island positions have consistently attracted interest from overseas therapists seeking a more affordable cost of living alongside professional development.
• Waikato Cancer Centre (Hamilton) — Serves the Waikato region and parts of the Bay of Plenty. Hamilton is a mid-sized city with lower property costs than Auckland. The Waikato Cancer Centre is an active recruiter and has filled overseas therapist positions in recent years.
• Palmerston North Regional Cancer Centre — Serves the Manawatu-Whanganui region. A smaller centre with a close-knit team structure. Palmerston North offers a genuinely affordable cost of living by NZ standards and is a practical option for overseas therapists prioritising financial stability in the early years.
• Dunedin Regional Cancer Centre — Serves Otago and Southland. Dunedin is the southernmost cancer centre and offers a distinctive university city lifestyle. Vacancies arise at this centre and it is worth including on a targeted approach, particularly for therapists open to South Island placements.

Licensing & Registration

Radiation Therapists in New Zealand must be registered with the Medical Radiation Technologists Board (MRTB) under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act). Practising without MRTB registration is not permitted. The MRTB oversees registration for three medical radiation science professions: radiation therapists, medical imaging technologists, and sonographers. Each has a distinct scope of practice and a separate registration process, though they share a common regulatory board.

Key registration steps for overseas-trained Radiation Therapists:

• Application to MRTB: Submit your academic qualification (degree or equivalent), official transcripts, evidence of overseas registration or professional authority to practise, and documentation of clinical experience post-qualification. The MRTB assesses whether your qualification is substantially equivalent to an MRTB-recognised New Zealand qualification in radiation therapy. Recognised overseas qualifications include those accredited by ASMIRT (Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy), CAMRT (Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists), and SCoR (Society and College of Radiographers, UK). Therapists from these systems generally have the most streamlined assessment pathway.
• Competency assessment: If your qualification is assessed as substantially equivalent, MRTB will grant registration. If there are identified gaps, the MRTB may require a period of supervised practice or additional competency demonstration before full registration is granted. The nature of any bridging requirement depends on the gap between your qualification standard and the NZ standard.
• Provisional registration: The MRTB may grant provisional registration in some circumstances, allowing you to practise under supervision while completing any bridging requirements. Confirm the conditions of provisional registration with the MRTB directly before making employment plans, as not all employers can provide the required supervision arrangements.
• English language requirement: For applicants whose primary training language was not English, the MRTB requires an acceptable English language test result (typically IELTS Academic 7.0 overall, no band below 6.5, or equivalent OET scores). Applicants from countries where English is the primary language of education may be exempt; confirm with the MRTB directly.
• Certificate of good standing: A current certificate from your overseas registration authority confirming your registration status, scope of practice, and absence of disciplinary findings. Request this from your home registration authority as early as possible — processing times vary between countries.
• Fitness to practise: Police clearance (NZ) and overseas police clearances for countries where you have lived for 12+ months in the past five years. Medical fitness declaration as required by MRTB.

MRTB registration processing times have varied, but applicants with complete documentation from ASMIRT-accredited, CAMRT-accredited, or SCoR-accredited programmes should allow approximately 3–4 months from submission to registration outcome, including the time required to gather overseas documents. Begin the MRTB process early, before or alongside your job search.

Immigration Pathway

Radiation Therapist (ANZSCO 251213) is on New Zealand’s Green List at Tier 2. The Green List Tier 2 pathway is the most direct work-to-residence route available for skilled migrants in New Zealand, and Radiation Therapist’s inclusion on this list reflects the genuine, documented shortage in the profession.

1. Secure a job offer from a Health New Zealand Regional Cancer Centre or another accredited employer. The employer must be an AEWV-accredited employer under Immigration New Zealand’s scheme. All Health New Zealand sites hold accredited employer status.
2. Obtain MRTB registration before commencing practice. Immigration New Zealand requires evidence of registration (or, in some cases, evidence that registration has been applied for and is in progress) as part of the AEWV application for regulated health professions.
3. Apply for an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) — the standard temporary work visa. For Green List Tier 2 occupations, the AEWV gives you the right to work in New Zealand in your role and, after two years of working in that role, to apply directly for residence.
4. Residence after two years: After two years on the AEWV in a Green List Tier 2 role, you can apply for residence through the Green List Straight to Residence or the Work to Residence pathway. This is a meaningful advantage over NOL-only occupations, where the residence route is longer and less predictable. You do not need to accumulate points under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC).
5. Permanent residence provides a pathway to New Zealand citizenship after five years of residence.

The Green List Tier 2 pathway makes radiation therapy one of the more straightforward professions to use as a basis for NZ residence, provided you meet the MRTB registration and English language requirements. The key variables are the time required for MRTB registration and the availability of positions at your preferred centre. Given the small workforce and shortage conditions, both factors are manageable for well-prepared candidates.

Immigration advice: TEFI does not provide immigration advice. For visa strategy specific to your situation, we recommend Fabien Maisonneuve at New Zealand Shores — email fabien@newzealandshores.com and mention that Tate sent you. Fabien works with skilled healthcare migrants and understands the nuances of the Green List AEWV and work-to-residence pathways for health professionals.

Migrant Readiness Signals

Overseas radiation therapists who move through the NZ transition process efficiently share a set of practical preparation markers. Given that the employer market is a small group of cancer centres and that MRTB registration is a mandatory pre-practice step, the preparation is more concentrated and specific than for professions with a broader employer pool.

• MRTB application submitted or underway before the job search begins: Cancer centres cannot confirm employment without confirmation that MRTB registration is achievable. Starting the MRTB process 3–4 months before your target start date, and being able to say “my MRTB application is submitted and under assessment” at the point of job application, is the expected preparation standard. Do not wait for a job offer before approaching MRTB — the two processes should run in parallel.
• Understanding of the small employer market and targeted approach: Knowing that you are engaging with six to seven cancer centres rather than a broad market, and approaching each centre with a targeted and personalised application, reflects the correct mental model. Generic CV submissions to “New Zealand hospitals” without understanding the cancer centre structure will be ineffective.
• Specialist modality documentation: If you have experience in SBRT, IMRT/VMAT planning, brachytherapy, or IGRT-heavy protocols, document this specifically in your CV. NZ cancer centres value specialist modality experience and it is a genuine differentiator in a profession with a limited active candidate pool. A one-page modality-specific skills summary alongside your CV is worth preparing.
• Familiarity with NZ-relevant treatment planning systems: Awareness of the treatment planning systems in use across NZ cancer centres (Varian Eclipse is the most common; others include RayStation and Pinnacle at some sites) and your experience with equivalent systems demonstrates relevant preparation. Even if you have used a different TPS, articulating your cross-system adaptability matters.
• Green List pathway clarity: Understanding that Radiation Therapist is on the NZ Green List Tier 2 and that the pathway to residence is two years on an AEWV in your role — without needing to accumulate SMC points — signals that you have done the full preparation and have a realistic plan. Employers find overseas candidates with a clear immigration plan easier to onboard and less likely to leave mid-pathway.
• Direct contact with cancer centre managers before formal vacancy listings: Because the employer market is so small, proactive direct contact with radiation therapy managers at your preferred centres — before a vacancy is formally advertised — is a legitimate and often effective strategy. Workforce shortages mean that a well-prepared overseas therapist making direct contact ahead of a posting is sometimes converted before the role goes to open advertising. TEFI can help you prepare this contact and your positioning materials.

Where to Find Roles

Radiation therapy vacancies in New Zealand are advertised through Health New Zealand’s central careers platform as well as on general job boards. Given the small number of centres, direct monitoring of the Health New Zealand careers site is the most reliable channel. Professional network connections within the NZ radiation therapy community are also a practical source of early intelligence on upcoming vacancies.

• Health New Zealand — Te Whatu Ora Careers — the primary careers portal for all Health New Zealand regional cancer centres; search “radiation therapist” to find current and recent vacancies across all centres
• SEEK NZ — Radiation Therapist — Health New Zealand and occasional private oncology employers post vacancies here; useful for monitoring new roles across all centres from a single view
• Trade Me Jobs — Healthcare / Medical — NZ-specific board; Health New Zealand roles appear periodically; search radiation therapist specifically
• LinkedIn Jobs — New Zealand Radiation Therapist — useful for senior, specialist, and educator roles; also valuable for network connections with NZ radiation therapy professionals who can provide market intelligence
• New Zealand Institute of Medical Radiation Technology (NZIMRT) — the professional body for New Zealand radiation therapists and medical imaging technologists; the NZIMRT website and member community are a useful source of sector news, professional development, and network connections for overseas therapists researching the NZ market
• Direct contact with cancer centre radiation therapy departments: Given the small employer pool, reaching out directly to radiation therapy managers or the clinical leads at your preferred centres before a vacancy is listed can be effective. A professional email outlining your qualifications, modality experience, MRTB application status, and intended timeline is a legitimate first-contact approach. TEFI helps overseas radiation therapists position their application materials for the NZ context.