Canterbury
Thinking about a move to Canterbury? Canterbury isn't just picturesque with its sprawling plains and distant alpine views, it's also a thriving centre for medical experts looking to grow their careers and a quality lifestyle.
Photo location: Avon River, Christchurch
About the Region
The Canterbury region is located on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. Ōtautahi Christchurch, is the second largest city in New Zealand - Aotearoa and the largest city in the South Island.
Waitaha Canterbury is the home of the spectacular Southern Alps mountain range, is well-known for its outdoor adventure activities on offer, and scenic filming locations for the Lord of the Rings movies.
Health New Zealand - Canterbury
About Health New Zealand
Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora is the Government organisation that provides publicly-funded universal health care to 5 million Kiwis.
The management and delivery of health services are broken down into 'Districts' across the country, determined by both geographic location and population.
About the Health New Zealand - Waitaha Canterbury District
Health New Zealand – Canterbury is the largest employer in Te Waipounamu (South Island). The district delivers healthcare services to over 600,000 people that live in the Canterbury region, covering an area of the East Coast of the South Island from Kaikōura in the North, to Ashburton in the South, as well as the Rēkohu (Chatham Islands).
Health New Zealand - Waitaha also provides services to Te Tai o Poutini West Coast as part of a unique transalpine relationship.
View vacancies in this district
Photo location: Port Hills, Christrchurch - Credit: Julian Apse
The Christchurch Campus
Situated on the Christchurch Campus is Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch Women’s Hospital, Waipapa (a purpose-built ‘state of the art facility’ for acute services which opened in 2020) and Christchurch Outpatients.
Christchurch Hospital is the largest tertiary, teaching and research hospital in Te Waipounamu with 836 beds, delivering a full range of emergency, acute, elective and outpatient services, and has the busiest emergency department in Australasia.
Christchurch Women’s Hospital delivers a full range of tertiary and secondary maternity services.
Burwood Hospital is one of Aotearoa’s centres of excellence for rehabilitation and elective orthopaedic surgery and houses our Older Persons Health services. It is also one of only two leading providers of specialist Spinal Rehabilitation Care in Aotearoa.
Our Specialist Mental Health Services deliver inpatient, outpatient, community based and mobile services to both adults and children.
Ashburton and Rural Health Services covers specialist medicine and community services with several smaller rural hospitals that work closely with local primary care.
Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Waitaha also provides services to Te Tai o Poutini (West Coast) as part of a unique transalpine relationship.
Hospital Services
Here's a list of medical services offered in the region
Christchurch Campus Services
| Acute Medical Assessment |
| Acute Stroke |
| Anaesthesia |
| Canterbury Health Laboratories |
| Cardiology |
| Cardiothoracic |
| Cath Lab |
| Colorectal |
| Coronary Care Unit |
| COVID Ward |
| Cystic Fibrosis |
| Dental |
| Dermatology |
| Diabetes |
| Dialysis |
| Emergency Department |
| Endocrinology |
| Gastroenterology and Endoscopy |
| General Medicine |
| General Surgery |
| Gynaecology |
| Hyperbaric Medicine |
| Infection Prevention and Control Service |
| Intensive Care Unit |
| Medical Physics & Bioengineering |
| Medical Progressive Care |
| Maori Health |
| Musculoskeletal |
| National Bowel Screening |
| Nephrology |
| Neurology and Neurosurgery |
| Nuclear Medicine |
| Occupational Therapy |
| Ophthalmology |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery |
| Orthopaedics |
| Otolaryngology |
| Pain Management |
| Perioperative Services |
| Pharmacy |
| Physiotherapy |
| Plastic Surgery |
| Quality and Patient Safety |
| Radiology |
| Respiratory |
| Rheumatology and Immunology |
| Sexual Health Service |
| Social Work |
| Speech Language Therapy |
| Surgical Progressive Care |
| Urology |
| Vascular, Endovascular and Transplant |
Child Health
| Child and Family Safety Service |
| Children's Emergency Care |
| Children's Oncology and Haematology |
| Neonatal Intensive Care Unit |
| Paediatric Medical Ward |
| Paediatric High Care |
| Paediatric Outpatient Department |
| Paediatric Surgical Ward |
Canterbury Regional Cancer and Haematology
| Bone Marrow Transplant Unit |
| Haematology Day Unit |
| Medical Oncology |
| Oncology Research |
| Palliative Care |
| Radiation Oncology |
Christchurch Women's Hospital
| Birthing Suite - Tertiary and secondary level care |
| Maternity Ward and Maternity Assessment |
| Community Maternity Units: Ashburton, Rolleston, Rangiora |
Burwood Hospital
| Brain Injury Unit |
| Community Dental Service |
| Infusion Service |
| Older Persons Health |
| Older Persons Mental Health |
| Orthopaedic Services |
| Perioperative Services |
| Public Health Nursing Team |
| Spinal Unit |
Specialist Mental Health Services
| Adult Acute Inpatient Services |
| Adult Community Mental Health Services |
| Adult Emergency Mental Health Services |
| Anxiety Disorders |
| Child, Adolescent and Family Emergency Services |
| Child and Adolescent Inpatient Services |
| Child, Adolescent and Family Community and Outreach Services |
| Christchurch Opioid Recovery Service |
| Community Alcohol and Drug Service |
| Eating Disorders |
| Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (Totara House) |
| Forensic Mental Health Services |
| Intellectual Disability Service |
| Kennedy Detox Unit |
| Mothers and Babies Service |
| Psychiatric Service for Adults with an Intellectual Disability (PSAID) |
Ashburton and Rural Health Facilities
| In-patient facilities |
| Day patient facilities |
| Outpatient and community services |
| Rural Hospitals in Kaikoura: |
| Oxford |
| Waikari |
| Ellesmere |
| Darfield |
Relocating to Canterbury
A warm welcome to Canterbury! The journey of moving to a new country can be both exciting and challenging, but rest assured we are here to support you and provide guidance you need at every step of the way.
Getting Around
In addition to the vibrant city of Christchurch, the Canterbury region has a mix of landscapes that outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy.
Getting Around
Photo location: Christchurch - Credit: ChristchurchNZ
When you arrive
Driving in New Zealand
You're allowed to use your current driver's license in New Zealand for up to 12 months per visit. After that, you'll need to convert to a New Zealand license. Find out more about driving in New Zealand here.
Getting around Canterbury
- Metro buses operate 7 days a week from the city centre to outer suburbs.
- Taxis and rideshare services Zoomy, Ola and Uber are also available in Christchurch as well as a variety of rental vehicle providers.
- For the keen cyclists there are now more than 60km of cycleways around Christchurch and the central city, which make getting around much safer and easier for everyone.
Housing options
The Canterbury region offers a wide range of housing options to suit different lifestyles and budgets.
Housing options
When you arrive
You may consider booking temporary accommodation until you can find a longer-term rental. There is a variety of short-term accommodation options available in Christchurch.
Short term accommodation options
Rentals
Canterbury's real estate market offers a range of rental properties to suit your preferences and needs. Whether you're looking to rent a stylish city apartment or a place in the suburbs, local rental agencies can help you to locate a property. Searching online is a good place to start! Note that most rentals in Aotearoa are unfurnished, however furniture and whiteware can be rented in some parts of the country.
Rental agencies
Buying or building a house
We know that moving to a new country is a big move, and buying or building a home there makes it even more significant. If you're a healthcare professional on NZ's Green List of roles, you have a unique opportunity to speed up your residency process. Normally, only residents and citizens can buy a home to live in in New Zealand. When you can, use this tool to find out if you can purchase a house in New Zealand.
Take the next step
Made the decision to move to New Zealand - Aotearoa?
Fill out our five-minute form with your details, and we'll match you to your preferred location based on your experience and preferences.
Photo location, from left: Lake Pukaki; Hagley Park - Credit: ChristchurchNZ
We'd love to help, reach out to us!
Interested in relocating to the Canterbury region? Our dedicated team is here to provide guidance and support throughout your journey, so don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.